Ergonomics ESL Lesson Plan

OBJECTIVE & OVERVIEW

This ergonomics ESL lesson plan contains activities, exercises, and digital materials for intermediate/upper intermediate B1 - B2 students. By the end of this lesson, students will be able to identify a variety of ergonomic problems and how to solve them. They'll be able to choose what kind of ergonomic equipment can help them improve their workspaces for maximum comfort and efficiency.

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

In the first part of this ergonomics ESL lesson plan, we explore the idea of ergonomics through multiple activities. Students start by looking at pictures and guessing what "ergonomics" means. They compare how people in the pictures work and use words like posture, back, elbows, chair, desk, and monitor. After that, they talk about why setting up workspaces properly is important and share their experiences. Finally, they look at images of tools and decide which three are most useful for better ergonomics.

VIDEO & LISTENING COMPREHENSION

This section helps students understand a video about ergonomic practices. They watch a video of an ergonomics expert giving tips on proper and comfortable workspace set-up. Students talk about or write about the right ways to use office objects like chairs, desks, keyboards/mice, and phones. They also discuss extra tips from the speaker. Then, they explore numbers and time-related aspects of ergonomics, like desk height, elbow angle, arm's length, break intervals, and hourly movement recommendations.

VOCABULARY & ERGONOMICS SURVEY

In this part, students learn words about ergonomics and put them into practice. They match verbs with tips and then take a survey, giving scores based on their feelings about different statements. After counting their scores, they discuss them with classmates or teachers. They talk about which items got high or low scores and how to make improvements.

ERGONOMIC SHOPPING SPREE!

The ergonomic shopping spree is like a game where students imagine they're fixing ergonomic problems in an office. They work with others to list problems and then go "shopping" with a budget to solve them. Each person chooses items from a list like desks, chairs, and more. Later, they talk about what they bought, find similarities, and explain why they made their choices. This activity helps them use what they learned in a practical way.

Benefits of using this ergonomics ESL lesson plan:

Self-Reflection: The ergonomic survey encourages self-reflection as students assess their own work habits and consider ways to improve their workspace.

Vocabulary: The lesson plan incorporates specific ergonomics-related vocabulary, aiding students in expanding their language skills within a context relevant to work and daily routines.

Motivation for Movement: The inclusion of ergonomic exercises and reminders to stand up and move every hour promotes a healthy work routine, encouraging students to incorporate movement into their daily lives.