Learn about over-the-counter medications
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Lesson plan overview
| Task | To understand names of common over-the-counter medications and the illnesses they treat. |
| CLB level | CLB Stage I (CLB 1-3) |
| Delivery method | Online |
| Class size | 10-15 students (vary the number of activities according to your class size) |
| Estimated time | 1.5 hours (depending on class size) |
| CLB Skills and Competencies | Speaking: Interacting with others Sharing information Listening: Interacting with others Comprehending information Reading: Comprehending information |
| Language focus | Learn the vocabulary needed to understand this topic. Several activities can be used to highlight the correct usage of indefinite articles. Use the appropriate grammar structures and vocabulary to respond personally to the reflection questions. (Encourage students to respond in full sentences.) |
| Cultural focus | Students understand the difference between over-the-counter and prescription medications in Canada. |
| Specific task learning objectives | Students will learn, pronounce, and understand the names of common over-the-counter remedies and the names of common illnesses. Students will be able to match common illnesses with their medications. |
| ESL Directions original video (🎥) and audio (🔊) activities? | This lesson includes original video (🎥) and audio (🔊) activities. |
| Resource attribution | ESL Directions original resources are marked below with an asterisk (*). Feel free to use these, but please give credit to ESL Directions. |
Lesson plan
Warm-up: Introducing the topic and defining our terms
- Today, we’re going to talk about over-the-counter medications.
- What is an over-the-counter medication?
- What is a prescription?
- What is an illness?
- What are some examples of illnesses?
- What are some examples of over-the-counter medications you can buy at a pharmacy?
Skill-building activities
Skill-using tasks
FEATURED CONTENT
- Vocabulary flashcards: Illness* 🔊 (Practice identifying the illness.)
- Vocabulary flashcards: Medications* (Practice identifying the medications.)
- Over-the-counter medications* 🎥 (Watch this short video that puts the illnesses and medications together.)
- Match the illness with the medication*
- Illness or over-the-counter medication?* 🔊
- Pair matching* (Put the illness and medication together.)
- Matching sentences*
Assessment/review tasks
Reflection questions
- What are three words or phrases that you learned today?
- What is an over-the-counter medication?
- How are over-the-counter medications different from prescriptions?
- What over-the-counter medications do you find helpful?
- Do you have any good remedies for illnesses (ones that are not medications)? Examples might include lemon or ginger tea for colds.
- Are there any over-the-counter medications you can’t get in Canada?
- Do you need to ask the pharmacist for help when you buy over-the-counter medications?
- Do you take vitamins? What vitamins do you take?
- How else can you keep healthy?
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Wordwall is a very useful interactive lesson-creation site. If you sign up for a free Wordwall account, you will be able to see our “Health” folder, which includes ESL Directions activities that you can add to your lessons.
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ESL teacher, movie buff, constant reader, and former editor and communications pro. Now a graduate of the Teaching English as a Second Language program at the University of Manitoba and an ESL teacher in Edmonton, Alberta, I specialize in teaching online classes of beginner ESL students.
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