This topic will be divided into 2 lessons (30 min. each). Use the following grammar, vocabulary, listening and reading exercises to practice the knowledge and divide them according to your preferences and student´s needs If one more lesson needed to be added in order to practise the content, let the Perezoso team know. I. Discuss the following with your student: Which of the following would you expect an HR manager to do? (Why? ...Develop on each argument, support the student with complementing questions) options to paste on the board, then to be discussed one by one: Recruit new talent into the company. Find ways to encourage employees to stay with the company. Ensure important documents are stored safely. Help when there is a disagreement between a manager and a sales team. Suggest training courses for employees to attend. Ensure employees get a pay rise where appropriate. Find locations to set up new branches. Manage the Sales Team. Find ways to improve production. Prepare statements for the press. II. reading: Put the words from the exercise below in bold or mark them in color, divide the text into logical paragraphs, easy to read: When businesses have plans to improve themselves, or simply have a vacancy, the manager usually calls in a specialist to find new talents. That specialist is the HR, or Human Resources, Manager. HR staff kick into action and start the search for interested recruits. Recruiting is a huge part of making great teams. From the group of wannabes, HR staff use their knowledge and experience to find the best person for the job. HR managers are a vital link in the company’s overall structure, making sure that the people match the company’s purpose. But Human Resources staff do much more than finding stars for the team. They provide expert advice to managers about how they can improve their team’s performance and suggest training options to optimise staff potential. HR staff also monitor wellbeing, address grievances, look after safety needs and sometimes act as intermediaries in a conflict. Both sides need HR when differences arise. And, importantly, they make sure people get paid fairly. They then follow up to make sure that when job requirements change, so does the pay. Keeping capable staff saves time and money in the long run so HR managers play a big part in staff retention. In a big company, helping people along a successful career path is part of this responsibility. HR managers can make a big difference when they connect the right people. They help shape the business by facilitating change, and everyone benefits. HR experts are employed all over the world, which allows for great overseas employment opportunities. III. Vocabulary Task: Fill in the blanks with the words from the box arises grievances capable vacancy optimise 1 We have a ______ in Accounting if you're interested. 2 We can ______ our space by using smaller cubicles. 3 If the opportunity ______, you should show him your plans. 4 Impress the boss by showing him what you're ______ of. 5 The manager listened carefully to the employee's ______. IV. matching game: a) explain the following words b) ask the student to match them with the appropriate definitions c) discuss the words, use them in structures and other contexts vacancy an unoccupied position or job wannabes a person who tries to be like someone else or to fit in with a particular group of people vital absolutely necessary; essential, full of energy; lively optimise make the best or most effective use of (a situation or resource) wellbeing the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy intermediaries a person who acts as a link between people in order to try and bring about an agreement; a mediator arise of a problem, opportunity, or situation) emerge; become apparent capable able to achieve efficiently whatever one has to do; competent retention continued possession, use, or control of something facilitating make (an action or process) easy or easier grievances an official statement of a complaint over something believed to be wrong or unfair V. grammar: Using a GERUND as the subject of a sentence 1 A GERUND is a word ending in –ING that functions as a noun. We can use a gerund as the subject of a sentence. Here are some examples from the text we read: Recruiting is a huge part of making great teams. Keeping capable staff saves time and money in the long run Helping people along a successful career path is part of this responsibility 2 Using a gerund as the subject of a sentence is a good way to vary your sentence structures and make your writing more interesting. 3 Remember not to add an extra subject, the phrase containing the gerund is equivalent to ‘it’: Correct: Learning a language takes time. Incorrect: Learning a language it takes time. 4 Be sure that the verb matches the subject: Wrong: Taking my kids to the park didn’t have time to stop for ice cream. Right: Taking my kids to the park was a wonderful experience. The first example is wrong because the subject should be a PERSON, not an ACTIVITY: Right: When I took my kids to the park, I didn’t have time to stop for ice cream. VI. exercise (give rationals to every choice, discuss the grammar) 1 Which sentence is correct? A| Working hard, it will help you succeed. B| Working hard will help you succeed. C| Working hard so it will help you succeed. 2 Which sentence is correct? A| Learning a language takes time. B| Learning a language take time. C| Learning a language it takes time. 3 Which sentence is correct? A| Shouting at the staff only it makes the situation worse. B| Shouting at the staff only making the situation worse. C| Shouting at the staff only makes the situation worse. 4 Which sentence is correct? A| Dealing with the press that left Brian exhausted. B| Dealing with the press left Brian exhausted. C| Dealing with the press to leave Brian exhausted. 5 Which sentence is correct? A| Taking your kids to the zoo is a good way to teach them about animals. B| Taking your kids to the zoo this is a good way to teach them about animals. C| Taking your kids to the zoo to teach them about animals. 6 Which sentence is correct? A| Offering training to employees and helping with staff retention. B| Offering training to employees to help with staff retention. C| Offering training to employees helps with staff retention. 7 In which sentence is the gerund the subject? A| Looking around, she quickly felt overwhelmed. B| Looking around took more time than she had expected. C| Looking around, she decided there was nothing she wanted. 8 In which sentence is the gerund the subject? A| Flying first class for once, Brenda felt like a queen. B| Bringing in more customers means making more cash. C| Looking around the room, I saw several hostile faces. 9 Which sentence is correct? A| Looking for a new secretary didn’t like any of the candidates. B| Renting a car couldn’t find the model I wanted. C| Communicating with people in the office can be hard. VII. Discuss the following questions: 1 Would you like to work in HR? Why or why not? 2 A small company may not have an HR department. How do they recruit, train and manage human resources? 3 What is the most difficult part of working in an HR department? 4 Describe your last job interview. 5 What kind of staff training have you had? What kind of training would you like to have? VIII. Listening Task: Listen and fill in the blanks. (Audio at http://roadtogrammar.com/units/business2/listening.html) 1 Recruiting is a ______ part of making ______ teams. 2 HR managers are a ______ link in the company’s ______ structure. 3 They suggest training ______ to optimise staff ______. 4 Keeping ______ staff saves time and money in the long ______. 5 They help ______ the business by ______ change.