Useful Links

http://housekeeper.com/

https://www.care.com/housekeepers

http://www.housekeepercompany.co.uk/

http://www.housekeepercompany.co.uk/

http://www.housekeepercompany.co.uk/

http://housekeeping.about.com/

http://www.wisegeek.org/how-do-i-become-an-executive-housekeeper.htm

Teacher’s Guide

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lesson plans provided to help teachers to guide students in the classroom in using this website.

A sample of Lesson Plan:

Topic: English for Housekeeper
Target Learners: ESL/EFL secondary school students.
Proficiency Level: Intermediate
Duration: 90 minutes
Venue: Computer laboratory
Skills: Listening, reading and writing.

 

Objectives:

• To identify the holistic meaning of the housekeeper.
• To learn how to apply housekeeper in every day conversation.
• To enable Students to Experience housekeeper in proper way.
• Students will be able to recognize the intended meaning of housekeeper.
• To motivate Students to learn in enjoyable way.

No	ACTIVITIES	DURATION
1	Teacher explains what the origin of housekeeper is.	10 minutes
2	Teacher explains what the purpose of housekeeper is.	10 minutes
3	Teacher explains how the intended meaning differs from literal meaning.	10 minutes
4	Teacher explains to students how photos and short stories facilitate their comprehension.	10 minutes
5	Students are asked to click exercise one “Multiple Choice” to answer the questions.	5 minutes
6	Students are asked to click exercise two “True and False” to answer the questions.	5 minutes
7	Students are asked to click exercise three “Cloze Test” to answer the questions.	5 minutes
8	Students are asked to click exercise four “Matching” to answer the questions.	5 minutes
9	Students are asked to click exercise five “Sentence construction” to answer the questions.	10 minutes
10	Students are asked to click exercise six “Cross Word Puzzle” to answer the questions.	10 minutes
11	Students discuss with each other about their answers.	10 minutes

 

 Learning outcomes:

• Identify idioms as groups of words with special meaning.
• Apply housekeeper in their writing.
• Show an understanding of the metaphorical meanings of selected housekeeper by using them in sentences.

 

Activities:

• The teacher greets the students, talks with them and gets them ready for the class.
• Teacher explains that today students will read different lessons with different titles.
• Students are required to learn housekeeper skills to answer the questions.
• The teacher explains to his students how they answer the questions in the computer.

 

2. Exercies

Are you ready for challenge?

Hello, students, after reading the interesting passage let’s continue to test your skills… There are various kinds of question you can check them one by one.

1. Multiple Choice Question

2- Crossword puzzle

3-Fill in the blanks exercise

4-Jumble up questions

• Jumble up 1

• 

• Jumble up 2

• 

• Jumble up 3

• 

• Jumble up 4

• 

 

 

 

 

 

• Jumble up 5

 

 

Instructions for Housekeepers

The hardest part of your job as a housekeeper may not be the cleaning. If you and your client speak different languages, miscommunication can be a problem. Be upfront about your English ability from the beginning. Ask your client to speak slowly if you don’t understand the instructions. It is a good idea to ask your client to give you a checklist of things that need doing. Impress your client by preparing a checklist ahead of time, and asking them to take a moment to check off anything that needs doing. Leave extra space for specific instructions and details. You may want to personalize your checklist for each client.

Sample Blank Checklist

Please place a Y (Yes) beside any item you would like completed today. Specify details where needed.
Sweep
Mop
Vacuum
Laundry
Tidy
Clean Appliances
Dust
Bathrooms
Bedrooms
Windows
Dishes
Take garbage out
Other
Errands or Shopping:
Notes to housekeeper:
Notes from housekeeper:

Sample Filled-in Checklist

Please place a Y (Yes) beside any item you would like completed today. Specify details where needed.
Sweep	Y	main floor
Mop
Vacuum
Laundry	Y	load of whites
Tidy	Y	upstairs
Clean Appliances
Dust
Bathrooms	Y	all 3 please
Bedrooms
Windows
Dishes
Take garbage out	Y	only if full
Other	Y	water all plants
Errands or Shopping:
pick up kids at school 3.15
pick up milk and postage stamps
Notes to housekeeper:	Vacuum isn’t working. It’s getting repaired.
Notes from housekeeper:	Where are the extra towels?

Following Instructions: Listening Practice

1. Listen to the five sets of instructions (A-E) by double clicking on each green arrow.
2. Answer the questions after each set of instructions.
3. Check your answers.
4. Listen to the instructions a second time while you read the transcripts below.

A.

Check your understanding

1	What must the housekeeper do after the general cleaning? a) go shoppingb) do laundryc) make a phone calld) do the dishes	Click for answerb)
2	How should the housekeeper separate the clothes? a) children’s and adult’sb) new and oldc) light and darkd) his and hers	Click for answerc)
3	What does the housekeeper NOT have to do? a) wash clothesb) dry clothesc) fold clothesd) put clothes away	Click for answerd)

B.

Check your understanding

1	Which best describes the client’s opinion of the housekeeper? a) She thinks the housekeeper is forgetful.b) She is happy with the housekeeper’s effort.c) She thinks the housekeeper is lazy.d) She feels the housekeeper is unorganized.	Click for answerb)
2	What is the housekeepers main job today? a) to clean the ovenb) to cook dinnerc) to welcome guestsd) to clean the fridge and freezer	Click for answerd)
3	What should the housekeeper do if he or she cannot find the sponges? a) phone the clientb) e-mail the clientc) go upstairs and askd) check in the hall	Click for answerc)

C.

Check your understanding

1	Where will the children be while the housekeeper cleans? a) in the playroomb) at schoolc) in their bedroomsd) in the car	Click for answerb)
2	What type of cleaning is required today? a) tidyingb) throwing toys in the garbagec) mopping floorsd) rearranging clothes	Click for answera)
3	What time must the housekeeper leave to pick up the kids? a) 3:00b) 3:05c) 3:15d) 3:30	Click for answerc)

D.

Check your understanding

1	What area of the house did the housekeeper concentrate on last time? a) the yardb) the upstairsc) the main floord) the kitchen	Click for answerc)
2	What does NOT need to be done upstairs? a) vacuumingb) dustingc) tidyingd) putting clothes away	Click for answera)
3	What should be done with the winter clothes? a) They should be dusted.b) They should be put in boxes.c) They should be laundered.d) They should be sorted.	Click for answerc)

E.

Check your understanding

1	Where does the client ask the housekeeper to go? a) to the car mechanicb) to the grocery storec) to the dry cleanersd) to a department store	Click for answerc)
2	Which appliance is broken? a) the ovenb) the dishwasherc) the washing machined) the vacuum	Click for answerd)
3	What cleaning job is required? a) load the dishwasherb) dry the clothesc) scrub the pots and pansd) soak the vegetables	Click for answerc)

Transcripts

1. When you are through with the regular cleaning, I’d like you to do a few loads of laundry. Please make sure to separate the lights and darks and to follow the washing instructions. Hang up anything that you think might shrink in the dryer. You can fold the clothes and then when I get home I’ll show you where to put everything away. That way you’ll know for next time. If you have trouble finding anything give me a call on my cell.
2. You did a really great job last time, but I forgot to mention that the fridge needed cleaning. Feel free to rearrange everything in an organized manner. Oh, and don’t forget the freezer. I’ll probably get you to do the oven next week, because we’re going to be hosting a dinner party at the end of the month. I’ll be upstairs working on my laptop. If you have any questions just holler.
3. The kids need to be picked up at school at 3:30. You should leave the house at 3:15 to leave yourself enough time to get there. While they’re at school I’d love if you could organize their toys and games. The playroom is really messy. If there are any toys you think the kids would have outgrown, just put them in a basket and I’ll sort through them.
4. Thanks for doing such a great job of cleaning the main floor. Today I’d like you to concentrate on the upstairs. It mainly needs dusting and tidying, but we also need to put away our summer clothes and get out the winter ones. I’ve pulled some boxes out if you don’t mind putting the winter clothes through the wash for me.
5. Our vacuum isn’t working, so I need you to take it to the repair shop. You can also drop off some dry cleaning for us while you’re out. There are also some pots and pans in the sink from last night’s dinner. They’re soaking, but you’ll need to give them a good scrub.

Housekeeping Vocabulary Quiz

1	Which of the following is not used for washing floors? a) mopb) broomc) dustpand) washing machine	Click for answerd)
2	Deodorizer is used to a) remove stainsb) remove smellsc) wash windowsd) tidy rooms .	Click for answerb)
3	A garbage bag goes inside a garbage a) binb) detergentc) hosed) drain .	Click for answera)
4	To fry eggs you would use a a) stoveb) dishwasherc) vacuumd) oven .	Click for answera)
5	The opposite of messy is a) dirtyb) tidyc) dampd) soapy .	Click for answerb)
6	If the toilet water won’t go down the drain, it is a) cloggedb) plaguedc) baggedd) soaped .	Click for answera)
7	Polishing the floors makes them a) dustyb) organizedc) shinyd) dry .	Click for answerc)
8	A pillow goes into a pillow a) sheetb) bagc) toweld) case .	Click for answerd)
9	After the laundry is done you need to hang up or a) stainb) rinsec) washd) fold the clothes.	Click for answerd)
10.	The largest type of bed sheet is a a) singleb) kingc) queend) double .	Click for answerb)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Housekeeping Vocabulary

Rooms in a House Word Meaning attic storage room at the very top of the house basement the lowest level of the house bathroom, washroom the room for bathing and using the toilet bedroom the room where people sleep dining room room with a table and chairs for eating; in some houses this room is only used on special occasions hallway long narrow area that joins one room to another kitchen place for preparing food; sometimes has a table and chairs for eating informal meals living room; family room place where family spends leisure time; often has a TV, also used for entertaining lobby area in the front entrance for hanging coats and placing shoes master bedroom the largest bedroom in the house; used by parents nursery room for baby or young child pantry room off the kitchen for keeping dry foods and storage items patio outdoor area in front or backyard; usually sits slightly off the ground; often made of wood playroom room filled with toys; books and games; indoor area for kids to play rec room often in basement; extra room for watching TV and playing games such as billiards or ping pong sunroom enclosed room with large windows; often used for relaxation, visiting, or reading Furniture and Decor                           Word Meaning bed long frame with a mattress on top for sleeping; has blankets and pillows for comfort bookshelf, bookcase tall wooden piece used for holding books chair various types of furniture used for sitting on change table surface found in the nursery, used for changing a baby’s diaper couch/sofa long comfortable piece for sitting on; found in common rooms counter surface in the kitchen; used for preparing food and holding small appliances cupboards storage area with doors; used for holding food, dishes, cleaning supplies, etc. desk piece used for doing work and holding papers, books, writing tools; usually found in an office dresser, bureau piece of furniture for holding folded clothing entertainment centre piece of furniture for holding television, stereo, and other electronic devices fireplace square opening on a wall to hold a fire and warm up the home; may be electric, gas, or wood mirrors special glass placed on a wall or counter, used for viewing one’s self pictures, paintings decorations hung on walls or placed on surfaces; often framed shelves long surfaces for organizing and storing household items tub, bathtub found in bathrooms, a large area where you lie down and wash your body window sills, ledges long shelf-like surface beneath a window Appliances  Word Meaning dishwasher electric appliance that washes dishes; can be “built-in” (under a sink) or “portable” (moved and attached to the sink when in use) dryer electric appliance used to dry laundry fridge electric appliance used for keeping food cold freezer electric appliance used for keeping food frozen (very cold) garbage disposal located inside a drain; chops up bits of food into small pieces to fit down the pipes microwave electric appliance for cooking food quickly oven electric appliance for baking and heating food stove, range elements on top of an oven for heating, frying, and boiling food washing machine electric appliance for cleaning laundry Cleaning Supplies    Word Meaning baking soda white powder used for cleaning and removing odours bleach liquid added in small amounts to water; has strong chemicals that remove stains on white clothing; also used to clean bathrooms broom brush with a long handle on it for sweeping floors carpet cleaner foam or liquid soap used on rugs and carpets deodorizer product that removes bad smells from a room; often scented dishwashing detergent liquid or powder soap that goes into a dishwasher dust pan flat container used for collecting dirt and dust swept up with a broom duster a cleaning tool with a handle and feathers (or a soft cloth) used for wiping dust off surfaces garbage or trash bag large, heavy bag for collecting the household garbage garbage or trash bin container with a lid that holds large garbage bags gloves coverings for the hands, with separate holes for the fingers hose a long tube that fills with water; often kept outside and used for outdoor cleaning laundry detergent powder or liquid soap used for cleaning clothes and linen mop long stick with a sponge at the bottom that is soaked in water and soap; used for cleaning floors recycling bin a container that holds paper, tins, glass, and other garbage that can be reused scouring pads tough cleaning pads used for scrubbing pots, pans, and ovens scrub brush a brush with a handle on it; often used for cleaning toilets sponge a soft cleaning product that absorbs water and is used for washing surfaces stain remover laundry product used specifically on spots that regular laundry detergent cannot clean (stains include red wine or blood) vacuum cleaner a machine that sucks up dust and dirt on the floor as you push it around vinegar a clear sour tasting liquid mixed with water and used for cleaning; environmentally friendly alternative to store bought cleaners Linen and Laundry terms    Word Meaning bath towel large towel used for drying the body after a shower or bath face cloth or wash cloth small, square shaped towel or cloth used for washing the face and hands fitted sheet sheet with elastic that goes on top of the mattress and stays in place fold verb make articles of clothing small and neat for storage hand towel a towel hung in the bathroom; used for drying hands hanger noun a wire or plastic hook used for hanging clothes in a closet iron noun and verb an electric appliance used for making clothes flat; to remove wrinkles king size the largest size bed or bed covering laundry noun do the laundry the washing of clothing pillow case a covering similar to a sheet that protects the head cushion queen size large size bed and bed covering (smaller than king, larger than double) sheet noun a light cover on the bed single smallest bed or bed covering size; made for one person stain noun a spot that is difficult to clean top sheet the sheet that goes on top of the fitted sheet and under a heavier blanket twin size bed or bed covering size that is larger than a single and smaller than a double; used for one person Describing words for Housekeepers Word Meaning Example sentence allergic when a person must stay away from a certain food or cleaning product because it can cause them to get very sick Our daughter isallergic to that laundry detergent. clean remove dirt and stains When the kitchen isclean I will start on the laundry. clogged, plugged when something is blocking the hole of a tube or pipe The kitchen drain isclogged with potato skins. damp a little bit wet I hung up your suit, but it is still a littledamp. dirty opposite of clean The floors are dirtybecause the kids walked through with their boots on. dusty when furniture and surfaces are covered with a small layer of matter The office furniture upstairs is very dusty. filthy very dirty The bathroom is filthybecause we went away for the weekend and left the kids at home. messy out of order, opposite of neat and tidy The children’s rooms are messy, but it’s their job to clean them. neat, tidy (often expressed as “neat and tidy”) in good order, opposite of messy Thank you for leaving the house so neat and tidy. slippery surface that is wet or polished and is easy to fall on I just mopped, so the floors are a bitslippery. soapy covered with lots of soap bubbles Can you rinse the dishes again? They are still soapy. wet filled or covered with water, opposite of dry I put the dryer on twice but the clothes are still wet. environmentally friendly good for the world, doesn’t contain strong chemicals We only use cleaning products that areenvironmentallyfriendly. Action words for Housekeepers Word Meaning Example sentence clean; clean up remove dirt, dust, and other messes After you clean up the kitchen you can take your break. dry take the water out of something Please dry the dishes fully before you put them away in the cupboards. dust remove the dust from surfaces such as furniture I’m sorry I forgot todust the entertainment stand last week. finish; complete have no more work to do I’m finishedeverything on the list, so I guess I’ll be going home now. freshen up make a room smell and look more inviting The master bedroom is relatively clean, but you could freshen it up a little. hang; hang up organize and store items (often clothes) by putting them on hooks and hangers After you have folded the laundry, pleasehang the guest towels in the washroom. mop; mop up clean the floors with soap and water The dishwasher flooded, so I mopped up the water. organize sort or put away in a neat and tidy manner I organized the indoor and outdoor shoes. polish wipe with a special cleaner that makes something (such as floors) shine; remove smudges or prints Make sure to polishthe silverware before you put it away. rinse pour water over something for a long time to remove soap You’ll have to rinsethe dishes a little better. My coffee tasted soapy today. sanitize; sterilize remove any bacteria or other harmful substances that could cause illness, often by using boiling water or a special cleaner You have to sterilizethe baby bottles in boiling water. scrub use a lot of physical energy and a heavy cleaning tool to remove dirt or stains You’ll have to scrubthe upstairs tub because it’s pretty dirty. tidy; tidy up make a room or area look neat by organizing and putting things away You don’t need to vacuum the family room, but you couldtidy up the books and toys. vacuum use a special hose that sucks up dust and dirt from the floors and furniture Please pick up large items like coins before you vacuum the basement. wash make clean with water and soap Please wash the windows with water and vinegar. water pour water onto plants or grass You forgot to waterthe indoor and outdoor plants. wipe; wipe up clean up a mess or spill Don’t use bleach towipe the counters.

Finding a Housekeeping Job

 Finding a job in a foreign country can be very difficult. First, you need to    read and understand the English job listings. Next, you need to contact a  potential employer. Finally, you need to have an interview and prove that  you are the best person for the job. Your work experience and skills are very  important, but so is your English. You can prepare yourself for the real job  search by studying the vocabulary and exercises on this page.

Key words found in ads:

The following terms are commonly used in ads for housekeepers. Become familiar with them, and use them on your own resumes and cover letters. They are also useful terms to use in interviews.

Word or phrase		Meaning
competitive wages		pay or salary is the same or better than most in the area
detail oriented, meticulous		notices everything that needs cleaning or doing, even if it’s small
diligent worker		a person who works very hard
domestic help		help around the home (often the subject of housekeeping ads)
duties include		things the worker will have to do
flexible		not strict or set, usually related to work schedule or duties
hard-working		not lazy, works quickly and doesn’t take a lot of rest time
honest, trustworthy		tells the truth, will not steal or damage property on purpose
ideal candidate		the best person for the job
is seeking		is looking for, requires
live-in		lives in the home he or she works at
live-out		lives in a different home from the home he or she works at
mature		acts like an adult, not childish
must be legal		has permission from the government to work in this country
pay in exchange for room and board		food and a home are given to the person who looks after the house, no pay
perfectionist		describes a person who wants everything to look perfect (for example one fingerprint would bother this person)
positive attitude		is usually in a happy mood
professional		has a lot of experience and treats clients with respect
reliable		always comes to work on time and always does a good job
responsible for		work will include the following tasks
verifiable references		past employers someone can contact to prove that the applicant is a good worker

Here are some expressions to use in an interview or cover letter:

• I will clean your home “from top to bottom”.
• Feel free to contact my references.
• I have been cleaning houses/offices for _______ years now.
• I promise to leave your house looking neat and tidy.
• I work quickly and efficiently.
• You won’t be disappointed.
• Your satisfaction is important to me.
• My hourly rate is _______.
• I am very good with children.
• My English is improving every day.

Matching Exercise

1. Read all of the classified ads (advertisements) below.
2. Read the descriptions of 5 housekeepers looking for work.
3. Match the person to the ad that he or she should apply for.
4. Check your answers.

Housekeepers Looking for Work Match the job seeker to the appropriate ad:A – Cindy is visiting England for the summer. She has a working visa and needs a place to live. She has experience with children.B – Fred is a perfectionist. He is retired but loves to clean. Fred wants to make a little bit of extra money to pay for tennis lessons and swimming classes.C – Sabrina has been cleaning houses for 20 years. She is hardworking and detail oriented. She has her own apartment, and requires a part-time position to pay her rent. D – Nelson has five years housekeeping experience in the hotel industry. He is going to school part time in the day and requires a full-time position in the evenings. E – Yoon is studying English online and needs a place to live. She is seeking a position as a nanny or housekeeper to help pay for her private English lessons. Her visa allows her to work part-time.

 

Classified Ads Domestic/Homecare Wanted 1. A London family of 5 is seeking a live-in housekeeper in exchange for room and board. 20 hours per week. Some childcare duties required. Must be detail oriented, mature, and legal to work in England. Send resume with references to bensonfamily@home.com. 2. Business couple is seeking a part-time live-out housekeeper. Must be reliable and meticulous. We offer competitive wages. Duties include laundry, general cleaning, and some shopping. Hours are flexible. Approximately 10 hours per week. Call 339-9990. Leave message with contact information. 3. Mandymaids has a full-time position available. We are looking for an experienced housekeeper to join our team. Hours are Mon-Fri, 5:00 pm-12 am. Responsible for cleaning, vacuuming, dusting, and tidying a large office. Must be in good physical condition and have valid driver’s license. Verifiable references required. Contact Janie at 445-9788.