OVERVIEW & OBJECTIVES

This job satisfaction ESL lesson plan offers engaging activities, PDF worksheets, and digital materials designed for upper-intermediate B2 students. In this lesson, students will:

• Discuss feelings about jobs and factors influencing job satisfaction using relatable examples.
• Learn and practice vocabulary related to job roles, workplace challenges, and personal career goals.
• Watch a motivating video about recognizing what they like and dislike in a job to find clarity on career direction.
• Use target language from the video to express opinions and reflect on job satisfaction in follow-up discussions.
• Engage in in-depth speaking activities that explore personal job preferences and future career aspirations.

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

Students begin this ESL lesson plan on job satisfaction by exploring Rasheed’s mixed feelings about his role as a sales analyst through a list of pros and cons. They discuss what aspects of his job satisfy or dissatisfy him and consider what they might do in his position. Next, students broaden the conversation by sharing their own ideas about what makes jobs satisfying or dissatisfying and reflect on their personal job experiences or thoughts about changing jobs. Finally, they prioritize key job factors such as salary, workplace culture, and meaningful work, explaining their choices. The preview closes with a discussion about how students would approach changing jobs or starting a job search.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

Students watch a concise, engaging video featuring a woman who felt stuck and unchallenged at work but used two simple exercises to clarify what she liked and disliked about her job. Students complete comprehension activities, including selecting feelings she expressed and matching her actions during the exercises with their outcomes. After watching, students answer questions about how the video’s exercises helped the woman find direction and why she struggled with confidence at the job search stage. 

VIEWING FOLLOW-UP

After viewing, students discuss the practical value of the video’s suggestions and share how they feel about their current job situations—whether they want change, improvement, or stability. They then complete a reflective job satisfaction survey, rating different aspects of their work life to gauge personal fulfillment and challenges. Students analyze their survey results, discuss which parts were hardest to rate, and identify any missing factors in the survey. They finish by relating their scores to personal experiences.

JOB SATISFACTION DEEP DIVE: EXPLORING WHAT MATTERS

Students choose from two options to further explore their job satisfaction in speaking activities. Those scoring lower on the survey discuss what they would like to improve about their work, skills they enjoy or want to build, and challenges they face or expect if changing jobs. Students with higher scores focus on key factors making their job satisfying, success stories, skills development, and long-term career plans. Alternatively, students can choose between two sets of job preference questions, explaining which environment suits them best. This activation encourages meaningful conversation, personal reflection, and use of target vocabulary in real contexts.

BENEFITS OF USING THIS JOB SATISFACTION ESL LESSON PLAN

This lesson plan helps teachers guide students through authentic, relatable discussions about job satisfaction that boost speaking confidence. It provides structured video-based listening practice with clear comprehension tasks. The lesson introduces practical vocabulary and expressions related to career reflection and professional growth. Teachers will find the reflective survey useful to personalize learning and engage students in self-assessment. Finally, the varied activation tasks offer flexibility for different class sizes and learning styles, ensuring dynamic interaction and meaningful language use.