Here is the lesson for Unit 5

1. UNIT 5
• Topic: Careers
• Writing genre: An opinion essay

2. THINK – PAIR -SHARE
• What is your plan after graduation? What do
you want to do? Where do you want to work?
• Would you like to be your own boss? Why or
why not?

3. Vocabulary
Work for oneself
be self-employed
work as a freelancer
Self-employment
Start/have/run one’s
own business
Be one’s own boss
Work on a flexi time
Work for someone
/somewhere
be employed/ be an
employee
Be recruited
Employer / boss /
manager
Work full-time/part-time

4. WRITING TASK FOR UNIT 5
Nowadays, many young people would like to
work for themselves rather than applying
somewhere for a job. While some believe that
being self-employed can be a good change in a
more competitive labor market, others fear that
there are many risks to be freelancers.
What is your opinion on this issue?

5. BRAINSTORM
Working for yourself
Advantages Disadvantages

6. BRAINSTORM
Working for yourself
Advantages Disadvantages
Have a flexible working time
and place
Earn much more money
Have more free time
Don’t have to work under
pressure of a strict boss
Don’t have to wear uniform
or formal clothes
Have to be highly self-motivated
Have an unsteady income
May be socially lonely
Have to manage time well
Cannot do a job for a long time
May lose some financial benefits
such as insurance or bonus
Have to be multitasking all the

8. STRUCTURE OF AN ESSAY
• Introductory
paragraph
• Supporting
paragraphs
• Conclusion
paragraph
Generally introduce the topic
Give further background information
End with a thesis statement
Topic sentence 1
Supporting details (explanation, reasons,
examples, effects)
Topic sentence 2
Supporting details (explanation, reasons,
examples, effects)
Restate the main idea
Make any suggestions or recommendations
or predictions

9. A funnel-shaped introduction
State something general about
the topic to attract the readers’
attention (HOOK)
Narrow the topic by providing
more information about it
Write a specific thesis statement
to state your opinion about the
topic

10. Example
These days, the Internet plays an
indispensable role in every aspect of
our lives.
In the education field, its
influences on both
teachers and students are
even more obvious.
For many reasons, I
strongly believe that
the way people teach
and learn have
positively changed
thanks to the Internet.

11. Now, your turn!
• Topic 1: Learning English => benefits for students
• Topic 2: success in finding jobs => 3 factors:
passion, qualification and preparation

12. Supporting paragraphs (T-E-E-E)
+ Topic sentence: state your supporting idea
+ Supporting sentences: develop your idea by:
-> explaining the main idea in further detail
-> giving an example to illustrate your point
-> saying what may be the effect of this idea
+ Concluding sentence is optional

13. Example (T-E-E-E supporting paragraph)
+T: The Internet has provided teachers and students
with a great source of online learning materials
- E: This means they can have a much better access to
various websites where they can easily find
information to support their teaching and learning.
- E: EFL teachers and students can download numerous
useful worksheets from the website
en.islcollective.com to use in their English classes.
- E: Thanks to this, not only can they save time, but
they can also have a richer educational resource.

14. Now, your turn!
• English proficency => good for students’ future
job
+ T:
+ E:
+ E:
+ E:

15. STRUCTURE OF AN ESSAY
• Introductory
paragraph
• Supporting
paragraphs
• Conclusion
paragraph
- Career choices
- Self-employment => become popular
- Thesis statement: whether you think it is a good or not a
good choice
- Advantage/Disadvantage 1 of self-employment: …..
- Supporting details (E-E-E)
- Advantage/Disadvantage 2 of self-employment: …..
- Supporting details (E-E-E)
Restate your opinion
Make a suggestion or prediction about self-employment

16. Essay checklist
 Does the essay express the writer’s opinion about whether self-employment is
good or bad?
 Does the writer have a clear layout of the essay with an introductory paragraph,
two or three body paragraphs and a concluding paragraph?
 Does the writer write a funnel-shaped introduction with a clear and specific
thesis statement at the end?
 Does each body paragraph include a clear topic sentence?
 Is each supporting idea well-developed in each body paragraph? (T-E-E-E)
 Does the concluding paragraph restate and summarize the main ideas?
 Does the writer use a range of linking devices?