Hard vs. Soft Skills

Stefanie Simmons - reviewer of the lesson

Stefanie I May 06, 2022

Category
Business English, Speaking Lessons, English for HR

Topic
Work, Human Resources

Media
Audio

Level
B2 Upper-Intermediate, C1 Advanced

Grammar
Mixed Grammar

Focus
Speaking, Vocabulary, Listening

Lesson ID
B2C1.B-2

Lesson Time
30 minutes

VIEW LESSON

Lesson Overview

What skills do you have in your bag of tricks? In this lesson, students will explore the difference between hard and soft skills and discuss examples of each. The lesson features audio of a job interview where the interviewer asks about both skill types. Students will learn and practice relevant vocabulary and idioms related to this topic. The lesson includes plenty of engaging discussion activities and worksheets designed for both adults and teenagers, ensuring a practical and interactive learning experience.

Lesson Objectives

Listening: Students will listen to an audio conversation between an interviewer and an interviewee discussing skills required for a role. They'll learn to distinguish between hard and soft skills and recognize phrases like "think outside the box" and "have what it takes."

Speaking: Students will engage in discussions and role-play exercises to identify their own hard and soft skills, such as teamwork and multilingualism, while relating them to personal or hypothetical job scenarios.

Vocabulary: Vocabulary examples include phrases like "bag of tricks," "get the hang of," and "learning curve," along with skill-specific terms like "project management," "computer programming," "teamwork," and "customer service."

Homework: Students will match skills to their definitions (e.g., customer service, proofreading). They will identify skills in pictures as hard or soft, then choose between specific hard skills and broader soft skills via choice-based questions (e.g., "Would you rather work as a manager in leadership or as a team member with problem-solving skills?").

Vocabulary and Pronunciation

hard skills [noun]: teachable and measurable abilities, such as writing, reading, math, or the ability to use computer programs

soft skills [noun]: traits that make you a good employee, such as etiquette, communication, and getting along with people

bag of tricks [idiom]: items, skills, methods, or techniques available for use

project management [noun]: the process of planning and managing a project to successfully complete its listed goals

interpersonal skills [noun]: the skills we use to communicate and interact with people on a daily basis

multilingualism [noun]: knowledge of more languages than a native language

customer service [noun]: the assistance/advice provided by a company to people who buy its products

demographic [noun]: the characteristics of people in a particular area, such as age, population, ethnic origins, religion, purposes, and income

social media manager [noun]: a person in charge of representing a company across social channels as a sole voice of the brand

get the hang of [idiom]: to learn the skills that are needed to do something

fast-paced environment [noun]: a type of workplace where things happen quickly

think outside the box [idiom]: to explore ideas that are creative and unusual that are not limited or controlled by rules or tradition

have what it takes [idiom]: to have the necessary qualities and skills needed for success

in over one’s head [idiom]: means someone is involved in something full of difficulty, something that is beyond that person’s ability to cope

learning curve [noun]: the rate of a person’s progress in gaining experience, knowledge, or new skills

SEO marketing [noun]: Search Engine Optimization is the process of improving your site to increase its visibility when people search for products or services

proofreading [noun]: examining text carefully to find errors relating to grammar, style, or spelling

mediocre [adjective]: of moderate or low quality, values, ability, or performance