18 minutesThese resources can help you and your students get the most out of Xello's Lessons:
- Use discussion prompts to engage your students and set the context for the lesson
- Introduce key vocabulary prior to the lesson
- Full lesson plans with pre- and post-activities
Tip: These years are recommendations. Your school's lesson sequence may be different. Check out this article on how to View the lesson sequence.
Year 8 lessons
Interests
In this lesson, students will reflect on some of the Interests they have saved in Xello's interest inventory, explore the link between interests and various careers, and investigate how their interests match up with a career they like.
Estimated time: 20 to 30 mins
Prerequisites
- Add at least 5 interests in About me
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- What are some things you enjoy doing?
- How do you think your interests may change as you grow older?
- What do your interests say about you?
- How do your interests influence your options now and in the future? For example, have you joined a club based on one of your interests, or what jobs are you thinking about that are related to your interests?
- If you could get paid for one of your interests, what would it be?
Vocabulary
- Interests
- Hobbies
- Passions
- Interests categories
Downloads
School subjects at work
In this lesson, students will relate school subjects to various tasks, reflect on their
Estimated time: 20 to 30 mins
Prerequisites
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- If you were in charge of the school, what subjects would you require students to learn? Why?
- What's your
- What subjects do you think are most useful to you now?
- What subjects might be most useful to you in the future?
- Why do you think subjects like
Vocabulary
- School subjects
- Art & music
- English & languages
- Competence
- Maths & computing
- Physical education
- Career responsibilities
- Relevancy
- History, geography & citizenship
- Career core tasks
- Transferable skills
Downloads
Time management
In this lesson, students will explain why time management is important in school and on the job, create a time budget to assess how they currently manage their time, and explore ways to improve their time management skills.
Estimated time: 20 to 30 mins
Prerequisites
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- Why is time management important?
- How do you feel when you're running out of time to get something done? How do you feel when you get something done ahead of time?
- Would you say you're good at planning your time? Explain.
- What are some things you would do/goals you might accomplish if you had more time in your day?
- Do you think the ways you spend your time will change as you get older? Why?
Vocabulary
- Task management
- Setting goals
- Planning
- Staying focused
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- Procrastination
Downloads
Year 9 lessons
Biases & career choices
In this lesson, students will identify biases of gender, ethnicity, ability, and class in the workplace and explore how biases can influence career choices.
Estimated time: 20 to 30 mins
Prerequisites
- None
Discussion prompts
- How do people form their opinions about careers? Where do you learn or hear about different careers?
- Can you think of any jobs people might have biases about?
- What jobs do people often consider to be "men's" jobs? What about "women's" jobs? Why do you think people think of these jobs this way?
- Do you know anybody who is in a job that's not traditional for their gender?
Vocabulary
- Bias
- Race
- Class
- Ability
- Gender
Downloads
Discover learning pathways
In this lesson, students will investigate their post Key Stage 4 options. They will explore the pathways to various careers, and evaluate the pathways they could take to a career that interests them.
Estimated time: 30 to 40 mins
Prerequisites
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- What are some ways that people can learn the career and life skills they need
- What do you think is the most difficult part about deciding what kind of training to get after school
- Why might one pathway be a better choice for you than another?
- What are some reasons people go to college or university? What are some reasons people don't go to college or university?
- Does learning stop right after you're done school or training? Why might someone want to keep learning as an adult who is working in a job?
Vocabulary
- Apprenticeship
- Military
- Job requirements
- College
- Straight to work
- Career path
- University
- Job responsibilities
Downloads
Explore learning styles
In this lesson, students will investigate visual, auditory, and tactile learning styles, and explore how understanding their own learning style can help them in school and on the job.
Estimated time: 30 to 40 mins
Prerequisites
- Complete the Learning styles quiz
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- What's a learning style?
- How do you think knowing your learning style can help you?
- Do you think people can become better at learning?
- How do you feel about yourself as a learner? What are you most proud of? What would you like to improve?
- What are some obstacles you encounter when you're learning something new? How can you overcome these challenges?
Vocabulary
- Learning styles
- Tactile learning
- Visual learning
- Learning methods
- Auditory learning
Downloads
Year 10 lessons
Explore career matches
In this lesson, students will investigate central, secondary, and other aspects of the career match assessment, and how they relate to careers, reflect on their results, and explore the aspects for a career that interests them.
Estimated time: 30 to 40 mins
Prerequisites
- Complete the Matchmaker quiz
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- How are interests related to career choices?
- Why is it a good idea to keep an open mind about careers you don't know much about yet?
- How could you explore a career you've just heard of to see if you'd like it?
- Do you think it's okay to cross a career off your list even if it scores high for you on Matchmaker?
- Why is it important to think critically about any assessment results you get?
Vocabulary
- Career aspects
- Explore
- Likes & dislikes
- Options
- Interests
Downloads
Self-advocacy
In this lesson, students will understand the concept of self-advocacy, identify situations where they may need to advocate for themselves or issues they may want to advocate for, identify skills and
Estimated time: 20 to 30 mins
Prerequisites
- None
Discussion prompts
- What does it mean to speak up for yourself?
- Why is it important to speak up for yourself? For others?
- What is a situation where you might need to speak up for yourself?
- Why do you think it's sometimes hard to speak up for yourself?
- What would happen if no one ever spoke up for what they believe in?
Vocabulary
- Self-advocacy
- Speaking up
- Self-confidence
- Equality
- Courage
- Communicating
- Persistence
- Optimism
- Problem solving
- Leadership
Downloads
Skills
In this lesson, students will explore the skills required to perform various activities, as well as the link between their skills and career goals.
Estimated time: 30 to 40 mins
Prerequisites
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- What is a skill? What are transferable skills?
- What skills do you use at school? What skills do you use outside of school?
- What skills are you most proud of? What are some skills you'd like to improve?
- What skills do you think are required to perform some of the jobs at a school (e.g. teacher, principal, custodian)?
- Think of someone who has a skill you admire. Why do you admire that skill?
Vocabulary
- Transferable skills
- Skill attainment
- Skill building
- Practice
Downloads
Year 11 lessons
Getting experience
In this lesson, students will explore different ways they can get work experience while still in school: volunteer work, after-school activities, part-time jobs, internships, etc. and assess which type of experience is best suited for their career interests and goals.
Estimated time: 20 to 30 mins
Prerequisites
- Save at least 3 careers
- Add at least 3 experiences to the Experiences timeline
Discussion prompts
- What are some examples of experiences you have had at school that have given you skills you could use at work?
- How might hobbies, clubs, or other after-school activities give you skills you could use at work?
- Why is volunteer experience valuable?
- What resources could you use if you wanted to find a volunteer or job opportunity?
- Which is more valuable: paid experience or unpaid experience?
Vocabulary
- Work experience
- Job shadow
- Internship
- Volunteering
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- Skills
- Summer or part-time job
Downloads
Personality styles
In this lesson, students will investigate personality styles, and explore how their own personality style can help them at home, school, work, and other areas of their life.
Estimated time: 30 to 40 mins
Prerequisites
- Complete the Personality styles quiz (the second part of Matchmaker)
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- What three words would you use to describe your personality?
- What is a personality style?
- Why is it important to understand your personality style?
- How does your personality affect your choices at home, school, or in the workplace?
- How does personality develop? Is it learned or are you born with it? Do personalities change?
Vocabulary
- Work environment
- Thinker
- Persuader
- Job tasks
- Creator
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- Builder
- Helper
Downloads
Study skills and habits
In this lesson, students will identify skills, habits, and behaviours they need to succeed in school, explore potential obstacles to success in their schoolwork (such as lack of motivation, distractions, and lapses in self-confidence), and plan how to develop positive study habits and behaviours.
Estimated time: 30 to 40 mins
Prerequisites
- None
Discussion prompts
- What are some good study skills and habits?
- What techniques do you use when studying for a test?
- Do you think people can improve their study skills? How?
- What academic goals do you have? How will changes to your study habits help you achieve them?
- How can good study skills and habits help you even beyond school?
Vocabulary
- Focus
- Motivation
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- Setting goals
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- Learning styles
- Tactile learner
- Visual learner
- Auditory learner
- Multi-method learner
- Perseverance
- Resilience
Downloads
Year 12 lessons
Work values
In this lesson, students will explore their own work values, and investigate careers that they may find satisfying based on their values.
Estimated time: 30 to 40 mins
Prerequisites
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- What is a value?
- Where do values come from? Are they taught or are you born with them?
- How do people demonstrate their values?
- Describe a time your values were in conflict (e.g. loyalty to a friend vs. telling the truth). What did you do?
- How do your values affect your career choice?
Vocabulary
- Intrinsic motivation
- Extrinsic motivation
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- Sense of belonging
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- Competition
- Creativity
- Teamwork
- Self-improvement
- Management
- Security
- Variety
- Routine
- Recognition
- Challenges
- Advancement
- Flexibility
Downloads
Workplace skills and attitudes
In this lesson, students will explore skills and
Estimated time: 20 to 30 mins
Prerequisites
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- Why is it important to develop good habits and attitudes while you're in school?
- What skills do you use at school that you'll also use in the workplace?
- What do you think would happen if you didn't demonstrate good habits or
- If you were in charge of a company what do you think you would do if someone came in late every day?
Vocabulary
- Transferable skills
- Soft Skills
- Reliability
- Enthusiasm for learning
- Ethical behavior
- Good workplace etiquette
- Positive attitude
- Workplace rights
Downloads
Transition to FE
In this lesson, students explore the ways that studying at college or sixth form will differ from school. They investigate their further education options and consider ways to make a smooth transition to further education.
Estimated time: 20 to 30 mins
Prerequisites
- Save at least 5 interests
Discussion prompts
- How do you think further education will differ from school?
- Do you have any concerns about studying at college / sixth form?
- What new learning opportunities will you have?
- What questions do you have about further education?
Vocabulary
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- Interests
- Study periods
- Courses
- Peer pressure
Downloads
Year 13 lessons
Career demand
In this lesson, students will learn about job projections and outlook,
Estimated time: 40 to 50 mins
Prerequisites
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- What does career demand mean? What are employment projections?
- What careers are in demand in your area? Why?
- How will changes in career demand affect your career choices?
- What jobs do you think will be hot in the future? What jobs do you think won't exist in the future?
- What factors and forces influence the demand for careers (e.g. demographics, automation)?
- What skills or knowledge do you think you will need to be prepared for the jobs of the future?
Vocabulary
- Career demand
- Technological trends
- Economical trends
- Social trends
- Demographic trends
- Business practices
- Consumer
- Projections
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- Workplace restructuring
Downloads
Choosing a university
In this lesson, students will identify which factors are important to them in a potential
Estimated time: 40 to 50 mins
Prerequisites
- Save at least 3 schools
Discussion prompts
- What's most important to you in a
- What do you need to do now if you want to go to
- What does an ideal
- When talking about your
Vocabulary
- Admission requirements
- Apprenticeship
- Vocational training
- Responsibilities
- Confidence
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- Student life
- University
-
Downloads
Work/life balance
In this lesson, students will assess how their current
Estimated time: 30 to 40 mins
Prerequisites
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- What do you think work/life balance means?
- Is work/life balance important to you?
- What does a balanced lifestyle look like to you?
- What roles and responsibilities are you balancing right now in your life?
- What roles and responsibilities do you think you'll have to balance as you get older?
- Why do you think many people struggle with work/life balance?
Vocabulary
- Mental health
- Physical health
- Stress
- Balance
- Demand
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- Work hours
- On call
- Work travel
- Overtime
Downloads
Year 14 lessons
Career backup plans
In this lesson, students will understand the importance of career backup plans, and explore potential backup careers for themselves.
Estimated time: 30 to 40 mins
Prerequisites
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- Describe a time you had to resort to a backup plan.
- Do you think there's only one suitable career for a person?
- Why is a backup career plan important?
- What kinds of obstacles may prevent you from achieving your first-choice career?
- Agree or disagree: Planning for a backup career means you won't be as driven to achieve your first-choice career.
Vocabulary
- Career-related skills
- Transferable skills
- Obstacles
- Limiting factors
- Alternate routes
Downloads
Career path choices
In this lesson, students will understand the career development is a process of constant change, that flexibility and adaptability can help them continually explore their career options, and the importance of re-evaluating their interests, skills, etc. in order to identify the need or desire for a career change.
Estimated time: 30 to 40 mins
Prerequisites
- Add at least 5 interests in About me
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- What is a career path? Do you picture a "path" as more of a ladder with one way to the top, or as a trellis with lots of ways to progress?
- What are some reasons a person might change careers?
- What factors do you think will have the biggest impact on your career opportunities in the future?
- Are there some education or training paths that could prepare you to work in many careers?
- Why do you think people worry about getting "stuck" in a career?
Vocabulary
- Transferable skills
- Career factors
- Work values
- Career demand
Downloads
Defining success
In this lesson, students will explore what success means to them in various aspects of life, including their personal life, school, and career, and explore ways they can make a difference and achieve success in a career that interests them.
Estimated time: 20 to 30 mins
Prerequisites
- Save at least 3 careers
Discussion prompts
- What does it mean to be successful?
- Describe the most successful person you know. What makes them successful?
- What characteristics or experiences do successful people have in common?
- Why do many people consider wealth a measure of success?
- What advice have you received/read about the secret to success?
Vocabulary
- Motivation
- Career goals
- Personal goals
- Education goals
- Success traits
- Determination
- Passion
- Empathy
- Resilience
- Curiosity
- Cooperation
