What is this lesson about? This health & illness ESL lesson plan equips intermediate learners (B1–B2) with the language they need to talk about common sicknesses, injuries, treatments, and recovery. Students explore 8 common health problems (flu, food poisoning, headache, asthma, etc.), connect symptoms to illnesses, practise injury verbs (sprain, cut, break, wound, burn), and role-play visiting the doctor using functional phrases. They also learn 6 health idioms such as under the weather, back on your feet, and a clean bill of health.

How do students learn the new language?

Learners progress through a practical, interactive sequence:

• Warm-up discussion to activate knowledge of health experiences.

• Vocabulary matching with common illnesses and symptoms.

• Injury verb practice with gap-fills and treatment discussion.

• Functional phrases through a doctor’s visit role-play.

• Idioms in context to sound more fluent in real conversations.

• Personal storytelling about health and recovery experiences.

  
  

Why is this lesson useful?

By the end of the session, students can:

• Use vocabulary to describe common health issues and symptoms.

• Talk naturally about injuries and treatments.

• Role-play a doctor’s visit with functional English.

• Use idioms confidently when discussing recovery and wellbeing.

• Share personal health stories to build fluency.

  
  

Who is it for?

This health & illness ESL lesson plan is ideal for B1–B2 adult learners. It’s especially valuable for teachers who want to combine practical English with real-world communication on everyday health situations.