Workplace Lesson Idea: Calling in an Absence

Your students need to be able to call work to explain why they are running late, or why they will be absent from work. By the end of the lesson, your students will be able to talk to their manager at work, identify themselves on the phone, and give an excuse for tardiness or absence.

• Student Handout: Calling in Sick

• Tell your students: If you must miss work because of illness or an emergency situation, you are responsible for calling your supervisor and notifying them about missing work. It is possible that you will have to get a message to your supervisor if they are not able to talk.
• Discuss what are appropriate reasons to call in to work. Examples are doctor appointments, being sick or a child who is sick, the weather (such as snow or flooding).
• Use the handout: Student Handout: Calling in Sick to illustrate a typical phone call.
• Break up into pairs and practice telephone conversations for calling in sick, a sick child, a doctor's appointment. Since this a situation that everyone will probably encounter at one time or another, it can be role-played with students and a play phone for a prop. It will be more useful if students can use the real name of their supervisor and a reasonable example from their work.