Fit To Work LP

Context: Work
Topic: Fit for work

Level: Intermediate Time: 90 minutes +
Learning objectives
This lesson is about how the modern working environment requires us to sit too much. In this lesson,
students:
1. study an article that discusses how

- physically active employees are healthier and more productive,
- and suggests what companies can do to encourage their staff to be more active;
2. choose the correct statistics relating to physical activity;
3. choose and compare the best advice for getting active;
4. discuss their own activity levels and what their own companies do to encourage them to stay
fit.
Materials: One copy of the worksheet per student
Group size: Any
Note: This lesson plan is for both pre-experience and in-work business students based on an
original article first published in Business Spotlight issue 6/2018.
TEACHER’S NOTES:
Understanding the article
Students answer the questions with information from the article.
Key:
1. She had a heart attack when she was just 44.

2. She didn’t find time in her busy work day, and exercise was not considered to be productive.
3. The time ‘lost’ on exercise is made back because employees are more productive after they have
taken a break for exercise. 4. offer financial incentives for keeping fit; sponsor workplace sports teams;
offer flexible working hours to allow employees to exercise before or after work
5. more than 20 million
6. 80 per cent
Key words
Students match the key words and expressions with the definitions, then find the words in
the article before reading through the article and noticing how they are used in context. The
words in the task are in the order that they appear in the article.
Key:
1. treacherous
2. pill form
3. sought-after
4. resilience
5. sick days
6. work ethic
7. regardless of
8. boot camp
9. provided
10. conflict
11. incentives
12. sponsoring
Numbers and figures
In task a, students discuss which number they think

is most likely to be correct in each point, then mark their answers. Provide them with the
correct answers. Then, in task b, they should say whether they find
these figures to be completely obvious, rather surprising or shocking, etc.
Key:
1. 39 per cent 2. €41 billion 3. 74–78 days 4. 20 per cent 5. 27 per cent 6. 35 per cent
Tips and advice
In task a, students choose one piece of advice from the article that they consider to be the
most useful and also easy to follow. Then they should compare answers and justify their
choices. In task b, they first read other pieces of advice, then discuss them within the
framework of the two questions.
Discussion
Students discuss whether they lead active or busy lives and tell the group what their
company already offers and whether they or their colleagues take advantage of the offers.
Related topic
The following listening lesson looks into obesity and exercise.
www.onestopenglish.com/clil/secondary/english-across- the-curriculum/topic-based-
listening-lessons/consumer- hot-topics-obesity/551222.article
2. Group task
In pairs, students write one or two suggestions – with details – about what to offer the staff
in the way of fitness courses, physical activities, relaxation treatments and so on.
Collect the papers containing the suggestions, and redistribute them, making sure students
do not get their own suggestions back.
Give the students a couple of minutes to read and discuss the suggestions on their new
pieces of paper.
Hold a group talk in which students each say what is on their paper and what they think of
the suggestion. Is it likely to be popular or not in their company? If not, why not? Is there a
way to adapt it so that the staff may be more inclined to take up the offer?
As a whole group, students decide which of the suggestions (maximum three) they would
try out first in their company.
LESSON STAGES
Warmer (LEAD IN) T-SS 10 minutes
Students talk about their activity levels during work time and at weekends.
How active or inactive ...
 have you been today?

 were you during your most recent whole day at work?
 are you generally at the weekend?
PRE-TEACHING VOCABULARY (ELICITATION) T-SS 10-12 minutes
2. Key words
Match the key words and expressions to the definitions below. Find and underline them in the
article, then read the article and note how they are used in context.
1. very dangerous, especially because the dangers are not obvious

2. in the shape of tablets
3. wanted by many people but not easy to get
4. someone’s ability to become healthy, happy or strong again after an illness, disappointment or
other problem
5. a period of time you take off work because you are ill
6. the belief that hard work is important
7. without being affected or influenced by something else
8. an intensive physical training course
9. only if a particular thing happens or is done
10. if different ideas or opinions do this, they cannot all be right or all happen
11. things that make you want to do something or to work harder, because you know that you will
benefit by doing this
12. organizing and supporting an event or activity
boot camp conflict incentives pill form provided regardless

of
resilience sick days sought-after sponsoring treacherous work ethic
READING STAGE (PRESENTATION) S 7-8 minutes
Article from Business Spotlight
PRACTICE STAGE (GUIDED DISCOVERY) S-S 15-20 minutes
3. Understanding the article

Answer the questions using information from the article.
1. What made Harriet Mulvaney realize that she had to become more active and less busy?
2. Why didn’t she spend more time exercising?
3. Why is time spent exercising during the working day not wasted time?
4. If companies cannot offer time off for exercise during working hours, what could they offer
instead?
5. How many people in the UK are said to be physically inactive?
6. What proportion of the US workforce does not get enough exercise?
4. Numbers and figures

a. Decide which number you think is most likely to be correct in each key point from a British
heart charity’s report about physical activity.
GETTING PHYSICAL
1. Some 29 / 39 / 49 per cent of adults in the UK are physically inactive.

2. About €1 / €21 / €41 billion is the global cost of physical inactivity to healthcare.
3. The average man and woman in the UK spends the equivalent of 38 / 58 / 78 and 74 days,
respectively, each year sitting.
4. Physical-activity programmes at work have been found to reduce absenteeism by up to 5 /
15 / 20 per cent.
5. Physically active workers take 7 / 17 / 27 per cent fewer sick days.
6. Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by as much as 35 / 40 /
45
per cent and the risk of early death by up to 30 per cent.
Source: British Heart Foundation:

www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/publications/statistics/physical- inactivity-report-2017
b. Which of the figures in task a do you find the most shocking, surprising and unsurprising?
PRODUCTION (PRODUCTIVE SKILL: SPEAKING) S-T 10 minutes
5. Tips and advice
1. Underline what you think is the most useful and easy-to-follow piece of advice in the article.
Compare your answers and say why you chose that particular piece of advice.
2. Now read these further pieces of advice. Which could you incorporate into your working day?
Which are just not practical in your work situation? Give reasons.
TIPS FOR REDUCING SITTING TIME
1. Stand on the train or bus.

2. Take the stairs or walk up escalators.
3. Set a reminder to get up every 30 minutes.
4. Place a laptop on a large box on your desk so you have to stand up to use it – or use a
standing desk.
5. Stand or walk around while on the phone.
6. Take a walking break every time you stop for coffee or tea.
7. Walk to a colleague’s desk or office instead of emailing or phoning.
8. Take your dog to work to increase activity and reduce stress.
Source: BBC Health News: www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39490607
CONTROLLED PRACTICE (PRODUCTIVE SKILL: SPEAKING) 10 minutes
6. Pair work discussion S-S-T
 What are the differences between an active and a busy life? Which kind of life do you
live?
 What does your company already do to improve the health and physical wellbeing of
its workforce? Do you take advantage of these opportunities?
FREER PRACTICE, IF TIME (PRODUCTIVE SKILL: SPEAKING) 10

minutes
7. Group task SS
Your new boss believes that happier and fitter staff members will not only take fewer sick
days but also be more productive and more likely to achieve their monthly targets. She
doesn’t know the team well enough yet to decide what might be well accepted and so she has
asked for your help in deciding what fitness courses, physical activities, relaxation treatments
and so on to offer staff. Write your suggestions down.

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Context: Work

Topic: Fit for work

1. study an article that discusses how

Materials: One copy of the worksheet per student

Group size: Any

Understanding the article

Students answer the questions with information from the article.

1. She had a heart attack when she was just 44.

In task a, students discuss which number they think

Tips and advice

The following listening lesson looks into obesity and exercise.

Warmer (LEAD IN) T-SS 10 minutes

 have you been today?

PRE-TEACHING VOCABULARY (ELICITATION) T-SS 10-12 minutes

1. very dangerous, especially because the dangers are not obvious

boot camp conflict incentives pill form provided regardless

resilience sick days sought-after sponsoring treacherous work ethic

READING STAGE (PRESENTATION) S 7-8 minutes

Article from Business Spotlight

PRACTICE STAGE (GUIDED DISCOVERY) S-S 15-20 minutes

3. Understanding the article

4. Numbers and figures

1. Some 29 / 39 / 49 per cent of adults in the UK are physically inactive.

per cent and the risk of early death by up to 30 per cent.

Source: British Heart Foundation:

PRODUCTION (PRODUCTIVE SKILL: SPEAKING) S-T 10 minutes

5. Tips and advice

TIPS FOR REDUCING SITTING TIME

1. Stand on the train or bus.

Source: BBC Health News: www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39490607

CONTROLLED PRACTICE (PRODUCTIVE SKILL: SPEAKING) 10 minutes

6. Pair work discussion S-S-T

FREER PRACTICE, IF TIME (PRODUCTIVE SKILL: SPEAKING) 10

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