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i am an online ESL teacher. i am about to do the following worksheet with a B1 student. Can you provide possible answers and teacher prompts?:

“”

Talking about professions
Copyrights by ESL Brains
1. Talk about two of the topics below.
• the job you have at the moment
• a job you had in the past
• a job you wanted to have when you were younger
• a job you would like to have
2. Discuss the questions.
• Which of the jobs below would you call a dream job? Why?
o secret agent
o personal shopper
o chocolatier
o food critic
o island caretaker
o YouTuber
• Look at the list of unusual jobs. What do you think the responsibilities in each
job are? Would you choose them as a career?
o panda babysitter
o movie animal trainer
o professional sleeper
o car tester
o professional wedding guest
o ethical hacker
• How do people usually choose the job they want to do?
3. You are going to watch two videos about unusual jobs. Look at the words
and say what the jobs might be. Then, watch the first video
[https://youtu.be/Znx_oZWj1MQ] and the second video
[https://youtu.be/xBfU_SlssDc] and check your ideas.
VIDEO 1:
walk
meet new people
conversation
VIDEO 2:
dumpster
brand new
save
4. Discuss the questions.
• Which job surprised you more: people walker or dumpster diver? Why?
• What skills do you need to do these jobs?
• Would you like to try these jobs? Why/Why not?
Talking about professions
Copyrights by ESL Brains
5. Think of three jobs for each category. Explain
your choices.
• stressful jobs
• jobs which are useful to society
• jobs for people who are patient
• jobs for people who are confident
• jobs for people who are creative
6. Discuss the questions.
• Why do people change careers/go into a new profession?
• What advice would you give to young people who don’t know what they want
to do?
• What kind of education, training or skills do you need to do your job?
• What things are important for you in a job (e.g. friendly colleagues, good
salary, interesting tasks)?
• Is it better to be a boss or an employee? Why?
• Why do so many people want to do jobs that might make them famous, e.g.
YouTuber, actor or influencer?
• Can you think of any professions that are paid too little or too much?

“”
Certainly! Below are some possible answers and teacher prompts for each section of the worksheet. Feel free to tweak them as per the student’s level and preferences.

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1. Talk about two of the topics below.
- The job you have at the moment
- A job you had in the past
- A job you wanted to have when you were younger
- A job you would like to have

Student’s Possible Answer:
- “At the moment, I work as a software developer. I enjoy solving complex problems and creating new applications.”
- “In the past, I worked as a cashier in a supermarket. It was a good experience, but I wanted to find something more challenging.”
- “When I was younger, I wanted to be a pilot because I loved the idea of flying planes and traveling the world.”
- “In the future, I would like to be a travel photographer because it combines my passion for travel and photography.”

Teacher Prompts:
- “Can you describe a typical day at your current job?”
- “What skills did you learn from your past job that are still useful today?”
- “Why did you want to become a pilot when you were younger?”
- “What steps are you taking to become a travel photographer?”

—

2. Discuss the questions.
- Which of the jobs below would you call a dream job? Why?
- secret agent
- personal shopper
- chocolatier
- food critic
- island caretaker
- YouTuber

Student’s Possible Answer:
- “I would call ‘island caretaker’ a dream job because it sounds like a paradise, taking care of a beautiful island and enjoying nature.”

Teacher Prompts:
- “Why do you think being an island caretaker would be enjoyable?”
- “What do you think the challenges of being a secret agent might be?”

Unusual Jobs Responsibilities and Career Choice:
- Panda babysitter: “Taking care of baby pandas, feeding them, and ensuring they are healthy. I would love this job because pandas are cute.”
- Movie animal trainer: “Training animals for movies so they can perform specific actions on cue. I think it would be exciting but challenging.”
- Professional sleeper: “Testing beds or sleep conditions for research. I am not sure I would like this because it seems monotonous.”

Teacher Prompts:
- “Which of these jobs do you think would be most challenging and why?”
- “Can you think of any other unusual jobs?”

—

3. You are going to watch two videos about unusual jobs. Look at the words and say what the jobs might be.

Video 1:
- Walk, meet new people, conversation

Student’s Possible Answer:
- “I think the job could be a ‘professional walker’ or ‘people walker,’ someone who walks with other people to give them company.”

Video 2:
- Dumpster, brand new, save

Student’s Possible Answer:
- “This job might be a ‘dumpster diver,’ someone who finds useful or brand-new items in dumpsters to save and reuse.”

Teacher Prompts:
- “Why do you think someone would hire a people walker?”
- “What do you think are the benefits of dumpster diving?”

—

4. Discuss the questions.
- Which job surprised you more: people walker or dumpster diver? Why?
- What skills do you need to do these jobs?
- Would you like to try these jobs? Why/Why not?

Student’s Possible Answer:
- “I was more surprised by the people walker because it’s an unusual but creative way to keep people company.”
- “You need to be friendly and good at conversation for the people walker job. For a dumpster diver, you need to be resourceful and have a good eye for valuable items.”
- “I would like to try being a people walker because I enjoy talking to new people.”

Teacher Prompts:
- “What was the most surprising thing you learned from the videos?”
- “Which of these jobs do you think requires more skills?”

—

5. Think of three jobs for each category. Explain your choices.
- Stressful jobs
- Jobs which are useful to society
- Jobs for people who are patient
- Jobs for people who are confident
- Jobs for people who are creative

Student’s Possible Answer:
- Stressful jobs: “Emergency room doctor, air traffic controller, stockbroker.”
- Useful to society: “Teacher, firefighter, nurse.”
- Patient: “Librarian, school counselor, researcher.”
- Confident: “Salesperson, lawyer, public speaker.”
- Creative: “Graphic designer, writer, architect.”

Teacher Prompts:
- “What makes an emergency room doctor’s job stressful?”
- “Why do you think teachers are useful to society?”
- “What qualities should a counselor possess to be effective?”

—

6. Discuss the questions.
- Why do people change careers/go into a new profession?
- What advice would you give to young people who don’t know what they want to do?
- What kind of education, training, or skills do you need to do your job?
- What things are important for you in a job (e.g., friendly colleagues, good salary, interesting tasks)?
- Is it better to be a boss or an employee? Why?
- Why do so many people want to do jobs that might make them famous, e.g., YouTuber, actor, or influencer?
- Can you think of any professions that are paid too little or too much?

Student’s Possible Answer:
- “People change careers because they seek new challenges or find their current job unfulfilling.”
- “I would advise young people to explore different fields through internships or volunteering to see what they enjoy.”
- “To be a software developer, you need a degree in computer science and good problem-solving skills.”
- “For me, good salary and interesting tasks are important in a job.”
- “It depends on personality; some people prefer the security of being an employee, while others enjoy the control of being a boss.”
- “People want to be famous because they think it brings recognition and money.”
- “I think teachers are paid too little for the important work they do.”

Teacher Prompts:
- “What are some other reasons why people might change careers?”
- “How can someone decide if they prefer being a boss or an employee?”
- “What would make a job interesting for you?”

—

Remember to encourage the student to form full sentences and provide their own thoughts and experiences to make the conversation more engaging.
how much teacher talk time should i be doing during the lesson (typically)?
In an ESL classroom, the aim is to maximize Student Talk Time (STT) while minimizing Teacher Talk Time (TTT) to encourage active student participation and practice. Here are some general guidelines that you might consider:

1. Teacher Talk Time (TTT): Aim for around 20-30% of the lesson time being TTT. This includes instructions, explanations, feedback, and setting up activities.

2. Student Talk Time (STT): Aim for around 70-80% of the lesson time being STT. This includes students answering questions, participating in discussions, doing pair or group work, and performing tasks.

Strategies to Minimize TTT and Maximize STT:

1. Ask Open-Ended Questions: Encourage students to elaborate on their answers.

2. Use Pair and Group Work: Allow students to discuss topics and complete tasks together.

3. Prompt and Guide Rather Than Explain: When possible, let students discover answers themselves with your guidance rather than giving lengthy explanations.

4. Use Visuals and Examples: Use images, videos, and real-life examples to explain concepts quickly and clearly.

5. Feedback and Correction: Be concise with feedback and encouragment, allowing students to self-correct and learn from each other.

6. Controlled Practice: Encourage controlled practice activities where students can use the target language in structured situations.

7. Monitor and Facilitate: Walk around the classroom to listen in on conversations and provide help without interrupting the flow of discussion.

Example Breakdown for a 60-minute Lesson:

- Introduction and Instructions (TTT): 5-10 minutes
- Main Activities and Discussion (STT): 35-40 minutes
- Feedback and Wrap-Up (Mixed TTT and STT): 10-15 minutes

By following these guidelines, you ensure that students are engaged, interactive, and have ample opportunity to practice their language skills. Adjust these percentages based on the specific needs and dynamics of the class, as some might require more or less direct instruction and support.""