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.