Giáo án Skills

Ss activate prior knowledge about careers and lifelong learning and get ready for the reading and listening tasks in this lesson.

Ss work in pairs and answer three questions: 1) What job would you like to do in the future? 2) What subject do you enjoy most at school? 3) Do you think people should keep learning after they finish school? Why? Ss write down three key words that come to mind for the topic 'Career paths'.

• Each pair has three key words (for example: job, qualification, course, skills, experience).
• Each pair gives one reason why lifelong learning is useful, such as 'It helps people adapt to changes in the job market.'
• Ss are ready to read the text 'Choosing a career' and to listen to the recording.

Ss understand the text 'Choosing a career' by identifying its main ideas, its structure and its key vocabulary.

Ss read the text 'Choosing a career' (Exercise 1) in the textbook. Ss complete Worksheet No. 1, Part A, by finding the four stages of advice (First, Second, Third, Finally) and noting one key idea for each stage. Ss underline the words: guarantee, evidence, duties, qualifications, review date.

• The four stages of advice:
  • First: consider the tasks you enjoy and the conditions in which you work well.
  • Second: investigate qualifications, costs and realistic routes into the field.
  • Third: speak to people with relevant experience about ordinary duties.
  • Finally: keep a review date, because interests and opportunities can change.
• Key vocabulary and meaning: guarantee (sự đảm bảo), evidence (bằng chứng), duties (nhiệm vụ), qualifications (bằng cấp), review date (ngày xem xét lại).
• Key idea: 'A course advertisement is a starting point, not a guarantee of employment.'

Ss listen to the recording and take notes of key facts about the speaker's learning barriers and the solutions.

Ss listen to the hidden recording in the exercise sequence (Exercise 6). T asks Ss to note down the key facts in Worksheet No. 2: the initial difficulty, the new study schedule, the help from a classmate, and what a plan should consider. Ss may replay the recording once. Ss do not open the explanation before answering.

Key facts from the recording (completed Worksheet No. 2):

• Initial difficulty: time (the speaker contrasts time with intelligence).
• Old schedule: two hours every night, which was unrealistic.
• New schedule: three short sessions and a review slot.
• Classmate's help: checked understanding without doing the tasks, so the learner stayed responsible.
• A good plan should consider: access to resources and support, not only goals or speed.

Ss analyse the structure and language of the writing model on lifelong learning so that they can write their own paragraph.

Ss read the completed writing model 'Lifelong learning can help people adapt...' (in the Integrate listening and writing section). Ss work in groups of four, using a three-part sheet: topic sentence, supporting ideas, and concluding sentence. Each group finds the sentence that states the writer's opinion, the linking words, and one example of a barrier. Each group then writes one useful sentence pattern to reuse.

Structure of the model paragraph:

• Topic sentence: 'Lifelong learning can help people adapt, remain curious and take part in changing communities.'
• Supporting ideas: formal course, guided workplace practice, focused personal project; the benefit depends on understanding and application; barriers such as time, cost and access to reliable resources; a manageable question; short regular sessions.
• Concluding sentence: 'In my view, lifelong learning is a cycle of trying, checking and revising.'
• Linking words: It may involve, Learners also face, therefore, In my view.
• Reusable sentence pattern: 'A useful plan therefore begins with ...' or 'Short regular sessions may be more sustainable than ...'

Ss apply the reading skills by choosing the answer best supported by the text (Exercises 2–5).

Ss answer the multiple-choice questions 2–5 of Exercise 2 individually. Then they check in pairs and find the sentence in the text that supports each answer.
Question 2: What is the first consideration? A. Only a friend's choice; B. Tasks and working conditions; C. Only a prestigious title; D. A guaranteed salary.
Question 3: Why is an advertisement insufficient? A. It never names a course; B. It must be false; C. It replaces qualifications; D. It does not guarantee employment.
Question 4: How should one worker's story be used? A. As everyone's future; B. As a legal rule; C. As useful but limited evidence; D. As proof no training matters.
Question 5: What is the text's structure? A. A sequence of decision considerations; B. A fixed ranking of jobs; C. A single job vacancy; D. A biography only.

Answer key:

• Question 2: B (The first section focuses on fit in daily work.)
• Question 3: D (Claims need investigation.)
• Question 4: C (Individual experience is not universal.)
• Question 5: A (First, second, third and finally organise the advice.)
  Ss' evidence: each answer is supported by a sentence from the text, for example 'First, consider the tasks you enjoy...' for Question 2.

Ss answer the listening questions correctly by identifying the specific information in the recording (Exercises 7–10).

Ss listen to the recording again for Exercises 7–10 and choose the best answer for each question.
Question 7: What was the main initial difficulty? A. Time; B. A broken library; C. No evening course; D. A lack of all interest.
Question 8: What replaced two hours every night? A. Three short sessions and a review slot; B. No study; C. An all-night session daily; D. Only paid tutoring.
Question 9: How did the classmate help? A. Removed feedback; B. Checked understanding without doing the tasks; C. Completed every task; D. Sold a certificate.
Question 10: What should plans consider besides goals? A. Only speed; B. Only titles; C. Access and support; D. Only blame.

Answer key:

• Question 7: A (The speaker explicitly contrasts time with intelligence.)
• Question 8: A (A manageable schedule replaced an unrealistic one.)
• Question 9: B (Support preserved the learner's responsibility.)
• Question 10: C (Resources differ among learners.)
  Ss' evidence: each answer is supported by a key fact from the recording and their notes.

Ss integrate the reading, listening and writing skills to write a paragraph about their own career goal and learning plan, and present it to the class.

Ss write a short paragraph of about 100–120 words titled 'My Learning Plan'. Ss use the structure of the model: topic sentence, two or three supporting ideas (tasks I enjoy, qualifications and costs, support from people with experience), and a concluding sentence starting with In my view. Ss must include at least two of these: therefore, however, short regular sessions, a review date, transferable skills. Ss exchange paragraphs with a partner, give one positive comment and one suggestion, then revise their paragraph.

• A complete paragraph (about 100–120 words) with a clear topic sentence, two or three supporting ideas and a concluding sentence starting with In my view.
• At least two linking words or sentence patterns from the model.
• A peer feedback note with one positive comment and one suggestion (for example: 'Your plan is clear. Can you give more evidence for your second idea?').
• A revised version of the paragraph that includes the peer's suggestion.