Getting Organised
Planning, organising and being able to prioritise different tasks are important skills which apply to all areas of our daily lives. Creating an organised study space and being able to manage your studies effectively is essential to academic life, while in the world of work, employers regularly look for candidates who can demonstrate the ability to prioritise a heavy workload.
From organising studies and arrangements with friends to making plans to set up a business, the resources below help to get organised.
Beyond: Stay on task and avoid distractions
Designed for teaching teenagers, in this life skills video and activity to accompany the six-level course Beyond, students focus on how to organise themselves and stay on task at home and in class.
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Open Mind: Time management quiz
When it comes to getting organised one thing that can help students is to look at how they manage their time. Try this quiz from Open Mind, our latest adult course with built-in life skills syllabus.
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In Company 3.0: Managing meetings
In business, managing your meetings is key to getting organised. Taken from In Company 3.0, this lesson gives tips on how to chair a meeting for optimum results, as well as providing useful expressions.
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Lesson: Organising your work space
Are you an organised person? Do you keep a tidy office or study space? In this lesson students look at different organisational tools and reflect on how they can organise their day-to-day life in a better way.
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For Fun: Post-it Puzzle
Using the diary as a guide, can you rearrange the post-it notes in this brain teaser to figure out the order for each task in the to-do list? As an extension activity, students discuss and plan in class how to prioritise the different tasks.
Download the puzzle
Video Interview: Chris Hadfield
We talked to Chris Hadfield, the former commander of the International Space Station, about his experiences and which life skills have been essential for him to survive both up in space and back down here on Earth. Watch parts 1 and 2 of the interview on our YouTube channel:
Read more about his experiences in his book, an Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth.
Lesson: Get Organised
Are you a hoarder? Most of us admit we could be more organised. This lesson by Rob Nicholas looks at the problems people face getting organised and offers some possible solutions through activities you can use in class or as homework.
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Lesson: Organising Your Studies
Getting organised can help students plan and extract essential information, prepare useful and meaningful answers and feel more confident about their exams.
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For Fun: Wordsearch Puzzle
Can you find the 14 life skills hidden in the puzzle? Try this when you next have a coffee break. Or use as an extra for early finishers in your next class.
Download the puzzle
For Fun: Wordworm Puzzle
Can you find all 12 words related to organisational tools hidden in the grid? The continuous line can go through each letter only once - horizontal and vertical only.
Download the puzzle
Onestopenglish Lesson: Opening a Hotel
Any hotel has the potential to provide either good service or bad service. What are the personal factors that make us rate one set of skills above another: is it just the words we use, or are other skills needed?
Download the lesson plan from onestopenglish
Onestopenglish Lesson: Making Arrangements
So much to do, so little time! Deciding what we can fit into our day or week is often a struggle. This lesson helps students practice making arrangements with their classmates, developing life skills such as time management and prioritisation.
Download the lesson plan from onestopenglish
Featured Courses
Beyond
Beyond is a six-level course for teenagers with a focus on developing strong linguistic skills as well as wider life skills including self-awareness, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and cooperation. More details here.
Next Move
Next Move takes children on a language-learning and cultural journey to build not only their language awareness, but also their cross-cultural awareness. More details here.
Featured Quotes
“Though recognised by different names – ‘life skills education’, ‘social and emotional learning’, or ‘skills-based health education’ – the central notion is the same: education that helps young people develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, that builds their sense of personal worth and agency, and teaches them to interact with others constructively and effectively, has transformative potential”
- UNICEF, The Big Picture
“...graduates are leaving education with inspiring theoretical knowledge but lack practical job related skills. There is a 'soft skills gap' developing.”
- Ian Gomes, Chairman, KPMG New and Emerging Markets