Author: Sokhna Sall (Senegal) | Published on 8 April 2025
Read what Sokhna says about this activity:
Using the linguistic theme of jobs allows us to explore academic areas and career paths that have been male-dominated and explore how women are breaking through into these roles.
Stage 1: lead-in (5 minutes)
Show the pictures of two people (one male and one female) repairing cars.
The teacher asks:
'What is the job of the people in the pictures?'
'What other jobs do you know that both men and women can do?'
Write the elicited jobs on the right-hand side of the board.
Stage 2: pre-teaching vocabulary (10 minutes)
Use either drawings or appropriate prepared images to elicit the target language from the learners if not already volunteered in Stage 1:
- mechanic
- doctor
- police
- nurse
- car driver / chauffeur
- dentist
- teacher
Stage 3: input task (15 minutes)
(5 for set up, 5 for task and 5 for feedback)
Give learners 10 pictures of men and women doing different jobs (Appendix One)
The teacher says:
'We will work in pairs.' (wait until pairs are formed)
'Each pair will have one worksheet. There are 10 pictures of people doing jobs. Write which job they have next to the number of the picture. You have 5 minutes.'
'Now, who can tell me what they have to do?' (Instruction checking question)
'And, how much time do you have?' (Instruction checking question)
Issue worksheets (Appendix One)
'Great, let’s begin!'
As students work together, monitor and offer support where needed. Time check throughout.
After 5 minutes, check answers whole class. Elicit answers from learners and confirm if they are correct.
Answers:
- doctor
- doctor
- footballer
- footballer
- politician
- politician
- teacher
- teacher
- basketball player
- basketball player
The teacher says 'What did you notice about the people and their jobs?'
Target to elicit – each job role has a man and a woman doing the job.
Stage 4: discussion (15 minutes)
(5 for set up / completion, 10 for discussion)
Ask learners to work in groups of four and give examples of women doing male roles in their houses, districts or country.
The teacher says:
'We are going to work in groups of 4. Make your groups now' Wait until the groups have formed.
'We are going to discuss how things have changed for men and women in work.
Discuss and give examples of:
- What jobs from the past did men do that women are now doing?
- Are women now doing (previously) male centered roles in your home, district or country.
You have 10 minutes to discuss and take notes.'
Help with examples: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who was the first elected female head of State in Africa, the Nigerian female football player Asisat Oshoala, Yacine Diop the Senegalese basketball player.
Monitor and ensure learners are on task and offer support where needed.
Stage 5: writing (10 minutes)
(1 for set up, 5 for task, 2 for comparison and 2 for shared example)
Ask learners to work in groups of four and complete the passage (Appendix Two) to compare jobs and genders to workers in the past to now.
The teacher can either give groups a copy of the sentences OR can write on the board for the learners to copy into their notebooks.
The teachers says:
'Now, we will work in groups of four.' Wait until groups are formed
'In your groups, complete the sentences using the job vocabulary we have explored today. Do not limit yourselves! Add more jobs if you want to. You have 5 minutes.'
Monitor and support where needed.
After 5 minutes, the teachers says:
'Stop writing and pass your sentences to another group. Wait until papers/books are passed.
Now, compare and decide if you have the same or different answers.
Also, look for something interesting to share. You have only 2 minutes.'
After 2 minutes, the teacher says:
'What did you read that was interesting? Let’s share.'
Elicit some interesting examples from learners.
Stage 6: conclusion (5 minutes)
Ask learners what job they would like to do in the future.
The teacher says:
'Great work everyone! Now, before we leave this lesson, what job would you like to have in the future? Remember, you are not limited by your gender to a job. Who would like to share first?'
Elicit from learners and offer encouragement for their future possibilities.