Would you like to work a four-day week? (listening for details)

Title separator

Listening for details

listening for details

LESSON OVERVIEW

In this lesson students will watch a video on a four-day work week, improve their listening for details skills and and reflect on the positive and negative aspects of working four days a week.

B1 / Intermediate
B2 / Upper Intermediate
60 minStandard LessonPremium Plan

WARM-UP & LANGUAGE INPUT

The lesson starts with a discussion in which students exchange information about a typical working week in different countries. Then, they look at a news headline about a four-day week in Iceland and speculate about what it might be. Their next task is to brainstorm the advantages and disadvantages of a four-day week. The brainstorming activity leads to a matching exercise which introduces students to some words and expressions from a video they’ll watch later in the lesson (e.g. upskill, productivity). They read seven definitions and match them with the corresponding words and phrases.

VIDEO & DISCUSSION

The second part of the lesson is based on a video about a four-day week. At first, students watch the introduction, answer two questions and comment on what they found out. Next, they watch the second part of the video and listen for gist – to  check if the speakers mention any of the advantages of a four-day week they brainstormed earlier in the lesson. Then, students practise listening for details, look at a set of seven specific questions and have to decide who (out of seven speakers in the video) these statements refer to. The listening practice is followed by a discussion in which students get an opportunity to reflect on the video and also practise the new language. Finally, they read a quote by Elon Musk and decide whether they agree or disagree with it, making a note of their reasons. They compare their ideas with their partners.

WORKSHEETS

Comments

Title separator

Leave a Reply

  1. [email protected]

    Promoted some interesting conversation but I think the video is too easy for B2 level students (and for some higher level B1 students) because the answers are given in graphics in the video so they don’t really need to understand what is said. It only took 45 minutes to complete with B1 students too so I supplemented with an extra article about 4 day working weeks.

    1. Stan

      Thanks for the feedback! IMHO, the first listening tasks might be easy but they are there for general comprehension. It’s more important to just have the Ss focus on the gist of the story. Now, the next task will be much more challenging as Ss need to hear what each employee says. The interviewees speak with different accents and at different speeds with different sound quality. Personally, I found that to be a bit difficult for B1 students. Happy to hear that your B1 students managed to do it and that it inspired some interesting conversations.

    2. Leanne

      Thanks, for the feedback. Great that you could supplement with extra material.

  2. Gloria Rosas

    Excellent material

    1. Leanne

      Thank you! Happy to hear you’re enjoying it,

  3. An Phùng

    Can I see the Worksheet for that

    1. Justa

      Hi! To access this worksheet, you need to be our Premium plan subscriber. You can read more about our subscription plans here.

Browse other materials recommended for you

Title separator
talking about priorities
B1 / Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

Prioritizing and to-do lists

Business Lifestyle

With this insightful lesson, students practise vocabulary to talk about priorities, watch an explainer video about the Eisenhower Matrix and discuss time management. They also give advice on how to organize tasks.

talking about work models
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

Office, remote or hybrid?

Business

With this up-to-date lesson, students discuss work life after lockdown and practise vocabulary to talk about workplace changes. They also watch a news video about companies changing the way they work and discuss different work models.

speaking about misunderstandings
B1 / Intermediate
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min
Loading

How to deal with misunderstandings

Business General

With this speaking lesson, students discuss situations that might cause misunderstandings, watch a short and funny ad and analyse tips on how to avoid miscommunication.

vocabulary for presentations
B1 / Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

As you can see in the slide (giving presentations)

Business

Step into the world of presentations with this handy lesson! Students explore vocabulary for structuring presentations, read the text of a presentation and watch a video on how to communicate ideas clearly.

B1 / Intermediate | B2 / Upper Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

As per my last email…

Business

Dive into the intriguing world of emailing and talk about what annoys people the most. With this lesson, students expand their vocabulary, express irritation, and analyze real-life situations.

vocabulary to talk about higher education
B1 / Intermediate | B2 / Upper Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

Is a degree worth it?

Business General

Engage your students in a discussion on the ins and outs of higher education. Explore education and career-related vocabulary and work on comprehension skills by watching a news report on the job market.

ESL lesson about work
B2 / Upper Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

How to stand out at work

Business

Let your students share opinions on getting promoted and being noticed at work. They will discuss hypothetical situations, share experiences and comment on advice from a video.

talk about dress code
B1 / Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

Dress code: formal or casual?

Business

Get your students talking about dress code! They watch a video and read a text about office attire, and learn vocabulary to share their views on past and current dress code rules.

ESL lesson on branding
B2 / Upper Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

All about branding

Business

This is a perfect lesson for students who want to discuss brands and the idea of branding. Students learn and practise useful phrases, as well as improve their comprehension skills.

Show more lessons

Questions

Title separator

Is there a minimum subscription period if I choose a monthly subscription?

No, there’s no minimum required number of subscription months. You can cancel any time you want. Basically, you can sign up and then cancel your subscription the next day, which will mean you have access for 1 month and won’t be charged again.

What currencies can I pay in for my subscription?

Our default currency is USD (American dollar), but you can also pay in EUR (euro), GBP (British pound sterling) or PLN (Polish zloty). You can change the currency you want to pay in at the Pricing page before selecting a subscription plan.

How can I edit an e-lesson plan?

You can get your own editable copy of an e-lesson plan and make changes to it. To do so, either (1) make a copy of it on your Google Drive (preferable method) or (2) download it in a Powerpoint format (but formatting might be a bit off so we can’t guarantee that it will work well).

Read more FAQ
Title separator

ESL Brains

Forgot password?
or continue with