H+CC - L1 Health and Social Care Lesson - Sharon
Which vocational courses does
West Thames College offer?
3
minute
00
second
Write your answers on the paper on your table
What jobs can they lead to?
What does "vocational" mean?
Lesson duration is: 111 minItems in this lesson
Which vocational courses does
West Thames College offer?
3
minute
00
second
Write your answers on the paper on your table
What jobs can they lead to?
What does "vocational" mean?
Which courses at West Thames College lead to working in the workplaces below?
Can you name these jobs?
Which courses at West Thames College lead to working in the workplaces below?
Can you name these jobs?
physiotherapist
care home assistant / care worker
Nursery assistant / nursery practitioner
Nurse
Nurse practitioner
occupational therapist
Recap: Write down as many
21st century workplace skills
as you can.
2
minute
00
second
Write your answers on the paper on your table
Which job requires which skills?
Challenge: Remember the word "transferable" which we discussed last week? What does it mean?
Which of these skills are transferable?
recap job names
Do these skills only apply to jobs in health care?
Learning objectives
2
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
• Identify key vocabulary to describe jobs in health and social care.
• Identify responsibilities, challenges and rewards in a workplace.
• Use key vocabulary to describe jobs in health and social care
To follow up, you will learn and be able to:
• Identify information and opinions in a text about a care worker.
• Discuss work using "must" and "can’t".
• Apply the language you have learnt to describe a job using key vocabulary and ideas from this lesson.
Discuss in pairs/on your table
3
What responsibilities do these workers have?
Do you think health and social care work is stressful?
Why?
Would you prefer working in a hospital or care home or a nursery? Why?
Part 1: Vocabulary
2. Vocabulary -Match the words with their meanings
5
Rewarding — makes you feel satisfied
Demanding — needs a lot of effort
Stressful — causes worry or pressure
Responsibility — something you must take care of
Well-paid — pays a good salary
Competitive — many people want the same job
Varied — involves different tasks
2. Vocabulary — Describing jobs (2)
6
Insecure — not guaranteed to continue
Temporary contract — agreement to work for a short time
Under pressure — having a lot to do in limited time
Self-employed — working for yourself
Apply — formally ask for a job
Bonus — extra money in addition to wages
Admin — records, forms and office tasks
How confident are you with the new vocabulary?
Vocabulary in context — Questions 1–5
17
Word bank: demanding • responsibility • rewarding • pressure • apply
1. Caring for seriously ill patients can be emotionally demanding.
2. My main responsibility is to support patients safely.
3. Working in social care is rewarding because you make a difference.
4. The nurse worked under pressure during a busy night shift.
5. I want to apply for a healthcare assistant job.
Vocabulary in context — Questions 6–10
19
Word bank: varied • temporary • competitive • admin • well-paid
6. My duties are varied because I support different people.
7. The hospital offered me a temporary contract for three months.
8. Many applicants wanted the job, so it was competitive.
9. Part of my role involves completing admin tasks.
10. Some healthcare management roles are well-paid.
Vocabulary challenge
7
Write two sentence about working in health and social care. Choose at least TWO vocabulary words for each sentence.
Example:
“A care worker’s job can be demanding because they support people with varied needs.”
How confident with this vocabulary are you now?
Part 2: Reading
Look at the photo and tell me what do you see?
This is Amina at work. What is her job?
Skim the text and answer the questions below.
1. What is the text mainly about?
Where does Amina work?
How does Amina feel about her job?
Reading — A Day in the Life of a Care Worker (1)
9
My name is Amina, and I am 32 years old. I work as a healthcare assistant in a residential care home in London. I have been working in health and social care for five years.
Many people think my job is easy, but it can be physically and emotionally demanding. I help elderly residents with their daily routines, including washing, dressing, eating and moving safely around the building. I also check their wellbeing and report any concerns to the senior care worker.
Reading — A Day in the Life of a Care Worker (2)
10
My work is very varied because every day is different. Some residents need a lot of support, while others can do most things independently. I must be patient, organised and a good communicator. One of my most important responsibilities is making sure residents feel safe, comfortable and respected.
Working in a care home can be stressful, especially when we are short-staffed. Sometimes I feel under pressure because several residents need assistance at the same time. I must organise my tasks carefully and decide which residents need support first. I also have to complete admin duties, such as recording information about residents’ care.
Reading — A Day in the Life of a Care Worker (3)
11
Although the job is demanding, it is extremely rewarding. I enjoy building positive relationships with residents and their families. It makes me happy when I see someone become more independent or feel better after receiving support.
When I first started working in care, I was employed on a temporary contract. This made me feel insecure because I did not know if I would have a job the following month. After six months, I was offered a permanent position.
Reading — A Day in the Life of a Care Worker (4)
12
Some people believe that health and social care jobs are not always well-paid, considering the responsibilities involved. I think care workers deserve good salaries because they provide an essential service.
Last year, I decided to apply for a senior care worker position. The recruitment process was competitive because several experienced employees wanted the same job. Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful, but my manager encouraged me to complete additional training.
In the future, I would like to become a senior care worker or possibly a registered nurse. I know I will need further qualifications and experience. Although my job can be challenging, I would not change my career because helping others gives me a sense of purpose.
Reading comprehension — Questions 1–6
13
Answer in full sentences.
1. How long has Amina worked in health and social care? _____________________________________________________________________
2. Identify three responsibilities she has.
_____________________________________________________________________
3. Why does Amina say her work is varied?
_____________________________________________________________________
4. What qualities does she need?
_____________________________________________________________________
5. Give two reasons her job can be stressful.
_____________________________________________________________________
6. What administrative duties does she complete?
______________________________________________________________________
Reading comprehension — Questions 7–12
15
7. Why does Amina find her job rewarding?
_____________________________________________________________________
8. Why did her temporary contract make her insecure?
______________________________________________________________________
9. What happened after six months?
_____________________________________________________________________
10. Why does she think care workers deserve good salaries?
_____________________________________________________________________
11. Why was the promotion competitive?
_______________________________________________________________________
12. What are her future career ambitions?
_______________________________________________________________________
Reading comprehension — Questions 1–6 — Answers
14
1. Amina's job as a healthcare worker.
She works in a residential care home in London.
Amina finds her job rewarding, although it is also demanding and can be stressful.
Reading comprehension — Questions 1–6 — Answers
14
1. Five years.
2. Supporting daily routines, checking wellbeing and reporting concerns.
3. Every day is different, and residents have different needs.
4. Patience, organisation and communication skills.
5. Staff shortages and several residents needing help at once.
6. Recording information about residents’ care.
Reading comprehension — Questions 7–12 — Answers
16
7. She enjoys helping residents and seeing them improve.
8. She did not know whether she would have a job next month.
9. She received a permanent position.
10. Care workers have important responsibilities and provide an essential service.
11. Several experienced employees applied.
12. To become a senior care worker or registered nurse.
True, false or not given?
21
Decide whether each statement is TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN.
1. Amina works in a hospital.
2. She sometimes supports several residents at once.
3. Amina earns £30,000 a year.
4. She was offered a permanent job after six months.
5. Amina became a senior care worker last year.
6. She plans to leave the health and social care sector.
True, false or not given? — Answers
22
1. FALSE — She works in a care home.
2. TRUE — Several residents may need help at once.
3. NOT GIVEN — No salary amount is stated.
4. TRUE — She was offered a permanent position.
5. FALSE — She applied but was unsuccessful.
6. FALSE — She wants to progress in the sector.
Part 3: Grammar
Grammar — Must and can’t for comments
23
We can use must or can’t to comment on what someone says.
A: “I work twelve-hour shifts at a hospital.”
B: “That must be exhausting!”
A: “I only work one hour each week.”
B: “That can’t be a full-time job!”
Must = something you think is probably true.
Can’t = something you think is probably not true.
Grammar practice
24
Write a suitable comment using must or can’t.
1. I help elderly people every day. That ______.
2. I work 60 hours a week. That ______.
3. I receive eight weeks of paid holiday. That ______.
4. I sometimes work night shifts and weekends. That ______.
5. I only work two hours a day. That ______.
Grammar practice
24
Write two suitable for each comment. One using “must” and one using “can’t”.
1. I help elderly people every day. That must be demanding____.
That can't be easy____.
2. I work 60 hours a week. That must be terribly stressful__________.
That can't be true! _______________.
3. I receive eight weeks of paid holiday. That must be rewarding/amazing__.
That can't be bad/true/possible___________.
4. I sometimes work night shifts and weekends. That must be hard/ stressful.
That can't be normal.__.
5. I only work two hours a day. That can't be a proper job___________.
That _must be easy______________________________.
Grammar practice — Answers
25
Possible answers:
1. That must be rewarding.
2. That must be exhausting.
3. That must be nice.
4. That must be stressful.
5. That can’t be very demanding.
Accept other logical, grammatically correct comments.
Part 4: Speaking
Speaking — Job role-play
26
Work in pairs. Imagine you are two health workers meeting in the canteen.
A: Healthcare Assistant
You work in a hospital. Your work is demanding, varied and rewarding. You support patients with daily care.
B: Support Worker
You support vulnerable adults. Your work involves responsibility, teamwork and sometimes pressure
With the key vocabulary in front of you, have a conversation. Ask each other questions about your job.
Ask: What do you do? What are you responsible for? Is it stressful? What do you enjoy?
Speaking — Job role-play — Answers
27
Example dialogue:
A: What do you do?
B: I work as a support worker.
A: What are your responsibilities?
B: I help adults with everyday activities and make sure they are safe.
A: That must be rewarding.
B: Yes, but it can be demanding when we are short-staffed.
Other sensible conversations are acceptable.
Part 5: Writing
Stretch and challenge — Writing
28
Is working in health and social care a good career choice?
Write 150 - 170 words. Include:
• Advantages and disadvantages
• responsibilities, challenges and rewards
• Skills needed
• At least nine words from the vocabulary list
• Examples supporting your opinion
Stretch and challenge — Writing — Answers
29
Sample opening:
“I think working in health and social care is a rewarding career, but it can also be demanding. Care workers have important responsibilities because they support vulnerable people. Their duties are varied, and they sometimes work under pressure...”
Check: clear opinion, examples, six vocabulary words, paragraphs and accurate punctuation.
Exit ticket — What have you learned?
30
Before you leave, write:
Exit ticket for Talking about Jobs lesson 14/10/26
1. THREE new vocabulary words and their meanings.
2. TWO responsibilities of a care worker.
3. ONE sentence using “must” and one sentence using “can’t” to comment on a job of your choice.
This is your "ticket" to leave the room.
Spares
Recap: Which 21st century skills are required in which of the jobs?
2
minute
00
second
Exit ticket — Possible answers
31
1. Rewarding = satisfying; demanding = requiring effort; varied = involving different tasks.
2. Supporting personal care and recording information.
3. “Working a twelve-hour shift must be tiring.”
Accept other correct examples.
1. Discussion ideas
4
Possible ideas:
• Healthcare assistant, care worker, nurse or support worker
• Responsibilities: help with personal care, support mobility, communicate, record information
• Challenges: long shifts, physical demands, working under pressure
• Skills: patience, teamwork, listening, communication and organisation
Accept different justified opinions.
Examples from the discussion
3
3. What responsibilities do these workers have?
Your answers: punctuality, reliability, ability to follow instructions, taking care of people, good personal care/hygiene, problem-solving, patience, helpful, friendly, active listening, confidentiality, safeguarding, up-to-date training on safeguarding and other areas, supporting well-being of your patients.
Vocabulary challenge — Answers
8
Possible answers:
• Helping residents become more independent is rewarding.
• Night shifts can be stressful.
• A healthcare assistant has important responsibilities.
• Care workers complete admin tasks.
• A hospital can be busy, so staff work under pressure.
Accept any accurate use of the vocabulary.
