Rhonda PetreeApologizing Lesson Plan

Objective: Students will learn how to apologize to a co-worker or supervisor.

Warm-up: Write or project these questions on the board. Have students discuss with partners or in small groups. Then discuss as a class. Write some of the answers on the board.

1. Have you had to apologize (say your sorry) for anything at work? 2. How do you say you are sorry for something at work?3. Have you heard other people apologize? What do they say?

Vocabulary: Pre-teach in a hurry, annoyed, I appreciate it, and (the bottle is) empty.

Presentation: First, read the situation to the class. Then, listen to the conversation using an audio file link. Then display the conversation on the projector or write on the board and discuss as a class. Use the questions at the end as a guide for language analysis.

Situation: Asha is a worker and Linda is her supervisor. Asha just arrived at work – 20 minutes late. She is apologizing to her supervisor.

Asha: Linda, I’m so sorry I’m late. I had car problems.

Linda: That’s the second time this week, isn’t it?

Asha: Yes. I’m getting it fixed this evening. I’m really sorry.

Linda: Well, I hope you do get it fixed.

Discussion Questions - Discuss these language analysis questions:

1. Why did Linda apologize when she got to work? (Because she was late; she had car problems)

2. What did she say to show she is sorry? (So sorry and really sorry – intensifiers)

Explicit instruction - Explain to students that there are other common phrases to use when apologizing. Write on the board or project the examples and then have students add some of their own ideas.

1. I completely forgot! I am so sorry. It will not happen again.

2. I totally forgot.

3. I am so sorry ... I forgot ... I apologize for any inconvenience.

4. ___________________________________________________________

5. ___________________________________________________________Controlled practice - Project or write the situation on the board. First, students read the situation.

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Then, students listen to the teacher read the conversation. Then, students read the conversation on their own. Last, students cut out the sentences on the dotted lines and arrange them back into a conversation. Higher-level learners fill-in-the-blanks of the conversation first, then cut out the sentences and rearrange them.

Dialogue (lower-level)

Situation: Sameria works the first-shift in housekeeping. One day she used all of the cleaning solution and forgot to refill the bottle. Heidi, a worker in the second-shift, was angry that the bottle was empty when she began her shift.

Heidi Sameria

Ugh ... the bottle’s empty! The first-shift

is supposed to fill it up!

Oh ... I’m so sorry. I was in a hurry and

forgot about it.It’s okay. I’m just a little annoyed. I know. I’m sorry. I’ll fill it up now

before I leave.Thanks. I appreciate it. Yeah, of course. No problem. See ya.Yeah, okay. Bye. Bye.

Dialogue (higher-level)(Student) Directions: First, read the situation. Next, write the missing words in the blanks to complete the conversation. Then, read your completed conversation with a partner to the class.

Situation: Sameria works the first-shift in housekeeping. One day she used all of the cleaning solution and forgot to refill the bottle. Heidi, a worker in the second-shift, was angry that the bottle was empty when she began her shift.

Heidi Sameria

___________ ... the bottle’s empty! The

first-shift is supposed to fill-it-up!

__________________________. I was in a hurry

and ___________________________.It’s okay. I’m just a little annoyed.

_______________________. I’ll fill it up now

before I leave.

______________________________.

Yeah, of course. No problem. See ya.

Okay. Bye. Bye.

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Communicative practice - Project or write the situations1 on the board. Students should work individually or with a partner to create a dialogue for the situation. Then role-play the conversation for the class.

Worker A: You bump into another worker who is carrying a tray of plastic cups. The tray and the cups fall on the floor.

Worker B: Someone bumps into you and knocks the tray of cups you are carrying onto the floor.

Worker: You are late today. You check in with your supervisor and explain that you missed the bus. You missed the bus yesterday too.

Supervisor: A worker has come late. She was late yesterday too.

1 Adapted from Robinson, C. & Rowekamp, J. (1985). Speaking Up at Work. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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