Who is a better job candidate: a Silver Spoon or a Scrapper?

Title separator

English for HR

LESSON OVERVIEW

We designed this TED talk-based lesson for HR specialists and managers to discuss the recruitment process and what kind of candidates have better chances to get a job. You may use it with any working adults successfully as well.

B2 / Upper Intermediate60 minStandard LessonUnlimited Plan

In her speech “Why the best hire might not have the perfect resume” Regina Hartley talks about two types of people – the fighters and the ones born with silver spoon in their mouth, and advises who we should hire. From the language side, students will have a chance to learn vocabulary from the video through a word building activity and then practise using it by creating meaningful questions with them. It’s also a good opportunity to revise some grammar structures so you can ask your students to make questions with particular tenses/structures and then answer these questions with a partner to practise using these structures orally. There are also two speaking activities – one as a warm-up that concerns CVs and recruitment and one at the end to give an opportunity to discuss the content of the video and its key points.

In the video, Mrs. Hartley speaks in a slow and easy to understand way so even weaker groups shouldn’t have problem following what she says.

WORKSHEETS

Comments

Title separator

Leave a Reply

  1. ronnie.english.101

    Very long video, very short ACTUAL lesson plan

    1. Justa

      Hi! Thanks for the comment. Yeah, the video is quite long, but it touches upon a really interesting topic. We might think about updating the lesson in some time to make it more useful 🙂

Browse other materials recommended for you

Title separator
building a personal brand
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min

Building a personal brand

Business

Learn about building a personal brand! Students watch a video on the key steps involved, write their own mission statement and discuss famous people with strong personal brands.

AI in the legal industry
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Reading Corner 60 min

AI goes to court

Business Technology

Explore AI in the legal industry! Students read an article about the first court case won by an AI law firm and review vocabulary for discussing the risks and opportunities of AI at work.

co-operative businesses
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min

The co-operative way

Business

Explore co-operative businesses! Students review vocabulary for business structure and strategy, watch a video about how co-ops are owned and run and discuss real-life examples from around the world. 

imposing tariffs
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min

Imposing tariffs

Business Global Issues

Debate the impact of imposing tariffs! Students review key trade vocabulary, watch a video about Chinese EVs entering the European market and role-play as government advisors deciding on trade policy.

ESL lesson on public speaking
B1 / Intermediate | B2 / Upper Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min

Public speaking

Business General

Talk about experiences and strategies with this ESL lesson on public speaking! Students practise useful collocations, watch a video about sharing ideas and prepare a two-minute talk. They also exchange peer feedback.

ESL lesson on marriage
B2 / Upper Intermediate
Reading Corner 60 min

Marriage trends

Business Lifestyle

Discuss shifting partnership patterns with this ESL lesson on marriage! Students talk about assets, read an article about the prenup trend among US Gen Zers and Millennials and review useful vocabulary.

B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 45 min

Appeal to nature

Business

Get students reading and talking about misleading ‘natural’ product claims! In this CRC lesson, they practise vocabulary for debating marketing tactics, recall arguments from the article and discuss the ‘natural’ label’s impact.

ESL lesson on communication styles
B2 / Upper Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min

Direct or indirect? (communication styles)

Business General Lifestyle

Discuss conversational directness across cultures! In this ESL lesson on communication styles, students practise useful adjectives, watch a video excerpt about why the Dutch are direct and work in pairs.

talking about recognition at work
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min

Recognition and appreciation at work

Business

Get students talking about recognition at work! They watch reflections from an Oscar-winning make-up artist and debate employee visibility and workplace achievements. They can also do an extra task to review key vocabulary.

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
Close
Title separator

ESL Brains

Forgot password?
or continue with
Title separator
Title separator