Women in a Man’s World | Teaching English | British Council

Theme: The changing role of women in the work place
Lexical area: Professions

Instructions for language assistants in Italics

Classroom materials

Introduction
This class is based on the changing role of women in the work place in the UK. Task 1 is a mime game for students to revise professions and Task 2 asks students to discuss the role of women in the work place in their country. Task 3 is a sentence completion activity which will offer speaking opportunities as it brings up the issues of finding employment and the important factors in choosing a career. Task 4 is a reading task based on a Trend UK text which could be used as a spring board into a discussion of the role of women in the work place and Task 5 offers the students the possibility of writing their CV in English. Task 6 is a role-play of a job interview.

1. Jobs - Mime game
Depending on how outgoing your students are you can adapt this task accordingly. Some students may not be comfortable miming the profession with the adjectives, but if they’re up for it, it would make for a memorable class! As a rule of thumb, only ask students to do what you’re willing to do yourself, so be prepared to do a demonstration to give them an example. Check that students know the adjectives. Ask a student to pick a job card and an adjective card and to mime the job in the manner of the adjective. E.g. an angry taxi driver or a useless dentist! If it’s too difficult, make sure all the students know the possible adjectives they can choose from.

If your students aren’t prepared to mime, use the job cards for them to pick out and describe to each other. E.g. This person has to work long hours, sometimes at night. They work in hospitals and help the doctors. (a nurse)

An architect	A baker	A carpenter	A doctor	An engineer
A teacher	A nurse	A lawyer	A businessman/ businesswoman	A Secretary
An artist	A scientist	A taxi driver	A shop assistant	A computer technician
An electrician	A journalist	A sportsman / sportswoman	A builder	A pilot
A chef	A farmer	A fisherman	A fire fighter	A waiter/ waitress
A policeman/ policewoman	A plumber	A gas fitter	A midwife	An actor / actress
A writer	An accountant	A dentist	An optician	A surgeon

angry	impatient	relaxed	stressed	caring
talkative	lazy	hurried	happy	useless

2. Man, woman or both?
Ask students to discuss the questions in small groups or use the questions as a starting point for a whole group discussion.

Task 2 Man, woman or both?
Discuss these questions in groups:

Are there any jobs that you’ve never seen a woman do? If so, why do you think this is?
Are there any jobs that you’ve never seen a man do? If so, why do you think this is?
Do you think there are equal opportunities in your country in the world of work? Why / why not?
Are the job opportunities that are open to you today the same as the job opportunities your parents / grandparents had?
Do you think the world of work is changing? Why / why not?

3. Sentence completion
Ask students to complete the following sentences. Then ask them to compare their answers with a partner.

Task 3 Sentence completion
Complete the following sentences.

My ideal job is…
Getting a good job is…
I think going to work every day is…
To get a job I like will be…
I think men should work…
I think women should work…
The most important factors when choosing a job are…
The least important factors when choosing a job are…

4. Reading text - Women in a man’s world
This is a reading text from Trend UK about the current trend in the UK of women taking up traditionally male jobs. You can use it as a starting point for a discussion about the role of women in the work place in the country you’re working in.

As students read the text ask them to put the correct paragraph headings into the text.

Answers: 1 – b, 2 – e, 3 – c, 4 – a, 5 – d.

Task 4 Reading text - Women in a man’s world
Read the text and then put the paragraph headings into the correct place.

a) Fighting fire
b) The tide is turning
c) The benefits
d) All things being equal
e) Skills gap

Women in a man’s world

1)

Women are moving away from their traditional role in the workplace – of secretary, carer, cleaner or cashier – and seeking a career in jobs usually carried out by men. But there is still a long way to go until a gender balance in the workplace is achieved.

2)

In UK schools, girls continue to be advised to pursue stereotypical careers. However, the shortage of skilled workers such as plumbers, electricians and gas fitters – due in part to a lack of investment in vocational qualifications - has meant that women are realising they have an opportunity to try something different. Lorraine Winns had been working for the National Health Service (NHS) for 12 years when she decided she needed a change so trained to be a gas fitter. ‘…I just couldn’t bear the thought of doing the same job for another 10 years. In this job, I get to use my head and my hands…’. According to Michelle, a gas fitter since the age of 16, her colleagues have been welcoming but the same cannot be said about the customers. Women in particular are finding it difficult to come to terms with female gas fitters – ‘some of them will answer the door in a negligee, expecting to get a man’, says Michelle. (source: The Independent, 1 October 2005)

3)

There are added incentives available to those who consider such a career change. Grants are available for the training, salaries are high – typically starting at around £30,000 - and there is the added benefit of the flexibility to work for yourself.

4)

Across the border in Scotland, the number of women who become fire-fighters has tripled in the past 10 years. Jill Robertson is a fire-fighter in Aberdeen. She says, ‘…the image of the fire service is a macho one but all the guys are fully supportive of us’. Anyone over 18 can join the fire service and there are no specific academic requirements. (source: The Times, 19 September 2005)

5)

The Equal Opportunities Commission wants to see this trend continue and is campaigning for girls at school to be encouraged to take up a skill not usually associated with women. Its aim is for men and women to have equal chances in life.

5. Writing a CV
When students get to job hunting age they are sometimes interested in knowing how to write their CV in English. Some students look for holiday jobs in English speaking countries as an economical way to improve their language skills. If you have a CV of your own you could show it to the students as a model.

If you need help with writing a good CV have a look at: http://www.soon.org.uk/cvpage.htm

Task 5 Writing a CV
You are going to write you CV in English. Complete the information about you.

My English Curriculum Vitae

Personal details:

Education:

Work experience:

Skills:

Interests:

References:

6. The job interview
This is a role-play activity for students to practise going through a job interview. Decide on a job that may be a real possibility for your students, depending on their age and where you are teaching. Find out if any of your students have ever had a summer job or part-time job and base the interview on one of their jobs. Then give the interviewers time to prepare the questions and the job seeker time to prepare notes for the interview. When the students are ready, pair up an interviewer with a job seeker to carry out the interview.

Task 6 The job interview

Student A – The interviewer

Write 5 questions to ask the job seeker.

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

Student B – The job seeker

Make notes here to take into the interview with you.

Why you want the job –

Relevant experience –

Your interests –

Your qualifications –

Internet links

Equal Opportunities Commission. The EOC provides lots of information from this page about sex stereotyping in education and work.
http://www.eoc.org.uk/

The Times making skills work – a series of articles about different careers.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/

Girl guides learn the art of bricklaying. A BBC article.
http://news.bbc.co.uk

A text with an interactive exercise on the thyeme of Women's rights.
http://www.britishcouncil.org

By Jo Budden

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