Explore the unique traits of highly sensitive people in this thought-provoking B2-level ESL lesson. Watch a 2-minute video to understand why HSPs excel in the workplace, then dive into lively discussions, role-play scenarios, and practical vocabulary exercises. Students will practice using key terms like empathy and emotional intelligence while debating real-world workplace challenges.
| Type | Level | Vocabulary | Video length | Lesson time |
| Regular Lesson | B2 / Upper-Intermediate | 12 words | 2:18 min | 60 min |
🔓 Unlock all lesson plans and activities with a paid subscription
Get started
Vocabulary
- sensitive
- bother
- emotional state
- trait
- empathetic
- emotional intelligence
- intuitive
- distress
- confide in
- weakness
- expose
- acknowledge
Contents
- Lead-in 1
- Lead-in 2
- Vocabulary preview
- Vocabulary
- Video preview
- Video
- Summary
- Practice
- Stereotypes
- Role-play
Lead-in
This lesson on highly sensitive people begins with a list of nine common workplace distractions, like strong smells, noisy environments, and messy workspaces. Students will rate how much each of these things bothers them on a scale of 1 to 5 and provide explanations on the following page. Then, they will answer three thought-provoking questions: What does it mean to be a highly sensitive person? Is being sensitive an advantage or disadvantage in the workplace? Have you ever worked with someone who is highly sensitive?
Vocabulary preview, Vocabulary
The vocabulary preview introduces 12 key terms from the video related to highly sensitive people. Start by reviewing any familiar words with your students, then move to the next page to read and understand the definitions. If they need help, provide additional examples to clarify any difficult terms.
Video preview, Video, Summary
The video preview page presents eight key statements and phrases from the video. While they are simple, reviewing these phrases ensures students won’t have trouble understanding the video. Afterward, students will watch a 2-minute video on highly sensitive people and why they make excellent employees. They should pay close attention to details, as they’ll need to summarize the main ideas on the next page using as many keywords as possible. The summary is divided into five parts, and with careful viewing, summarizing will be easy.
Practice
The vocabulary practice page presents 10 sentences split into three parts, with multiple possible answers. Encourage students to match the parts to form complete sentences.
Stereotypes, Role-play
The stereotypes activity involves students discussing statements in pairs or groups. They decide whether they agree, disagree, or think it depends on the situation, sharing examples, evidence, or personal experiences to support their opinions. The statements focus on highly sensitive people, such as whether they’re too emotional for stressful jobs or lack toughness to be leaders. The final section is a role-play, where students choose from various scenarios. You can go through as many as needed for the lesson or leave it optional.
