Adult Literacy Rs/E3.2 Use implicit & explicit knowledge of word types/order to help with decoding/predicting meaning

Adult Literacy>Reading>Sentence Focus>Grammar & Punctuation 
Rs/E3.2 Use implicit and explicit knowledge of different types of word (e.g. linking words [connectives], nouns, verbs, adjectives), of word order, and of possible plausible meanings, to help decode unfamiliar words and predict meaning 

  • Understand that grammatical patterns, word order, types of word and meanings are inter-related and that only certain types of words and certain meanings will make sense in any particular place in a sentence

Related Adult ESOL curriculum elements: Rs/E3.1a Recognise the generic features of language of instructional text and ESOL Rs/E3.1b Use knowledge of syntax and grammar to work out meaning 

Example of application and level
Read a simple continuous text written in sentences (e.g. a newspaper article) and get most of the sense even if they are not able to read every word.

Sample activities

  • Read a short text in which certain words have been masked out. Keep going, then go back and guess the words using the context and their knowledge of word order and sentence patterns. Discuss the choice of words with the teacher/other learners.
  • Practise how to monitor their own reading for sense and self-correction, becoming used to ‘listening’ internally to their own reading to spot errors of sense.
  • Read some text extracts from everyday experience in which potentially tricky words have been highlighted. Read in pairs and apply knowledge of context, illustrations, grammatical understanding to work out any unknown words. Discuss the process, 
    e.g.: [From instructions for a vacuum cleaner] . . . For cleaning awkward places remove handle and insert tool adapter into end of hose. Attach tools as required. 
    Awkward must relate to places and so is likely to be an adjective giving some information about places. Knowledge of context plus diagrams might suggest ‘hard to reach’ places, which in turn might suggest awkward, a phonetically irregular word.
  • Choose a text. Highlight the words that are difficult. Cut and paste them out of the text. Read the text again with the blank spaces, and record how much you understand.

Source: Department for Education and Skills (2001) Adult Literacy core curriculum. London DfES.  

Brief descriptions of the main parts of a sentence to help understand the vocabulary of grammar.

Editor’s note
A very useful handout for students at several levels.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
Entry Level 3
English
Ws/L2.3
Ws/L1.2
Ws/E3.3
Ws/E3.2
Adult Literacy Rs/L1.1 Use implicit and explicit grammatical knowledge
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.2 Use implicit & explicit knowledge of word types/order to help with decoding/predicting meaning

Predicting words from context in a text about youth clubs. It then opens up discussion for how they might help reduce youth crime.

Editor’s note: cloze exercise with opportunities for writing / commenting. With answer sheet.

Level
Level 1
Entry Level 3
English
Adult Literacy Rs/L1.1 Use implicit and explicit grammatical knowledge
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.2 Use implicit & explicit knowledge of word types/order to help with decoding/predicting meaning

Cards to help students recognise what nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
They can then play the bingo game or use highlighter pens to identify the different parts of speech in a text.

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
Rs/L2.1 Use implicit and explicit grammatical knowledge
Adult Literacy Rs/L1.1 Use implicit and explicit grammatical knowledge
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.2 Use implicit & explicit knowledge of word types/order to help with decoding/predicting meaning
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.1 Recognise & understand the organisational features & typical language of instructional texts

A worksheet that lists all of the most common word types and has space for the learners to enter their own description and their own examples.

To be completed over a number of weeks as each word type is covered and understood. The completed sheets can then be used as a revision tool / personal glossary.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
English
Rs/L2.1 Use implicit and explicit grammatical knowledge
Adult Literacy Rs/L1.1 Use implicit and explicit grammatical knowledge
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.2 Use implicit & explicit knowledge of word types/order to help with decoding/predicting meaning

A clever grammar/vocabulary/spelling task that combines a cloze exercise with homophone practice. The text is about the Victorian era and is particularly suitable for students with an interest in history.

Level
Level 1
Entry Level 3
English
AL Ww/L1.1 Spell & use spelling strategies
Adult Literacy Rs/L1.1 Use implicit and explicit grammatical knowledge
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.2 Use implicit & explicit knowledge of word types/order to help with decoding/predicting meaning
Homophones, homographs & confusables
Context
History, culture, museums, libraries

A simple exercise where students separate the words from the Wordle into nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.

Level
Level 1
Entry Level 3
English
Adult Literacy Rs/L1.1 Use implicit and explicit grammatical knowledge
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.2 Use implicit & explicit knowledge of word types/order to help with decoding/predicting meaning
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.1 Recognise & understand the organisational features & typical language of instructional texts
General literacy / English

Nice selection of winter activities written for an E3-L2 Functional Skills group (best for E3-L1).
The main activities are a reading comprehension (about the history of poinsettias and how they came to be popular at Christmas time) and a cloze exercise based on an old Mexican religious legend. There are also some maths questions.

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
English
Rt/L1.3
AL Rt/L1.1 Understand continuous texts
Rt/E3.4
AL Rt/E3.1 Understand longer texts
Adult Literacy Rs/L1.1 Use implicit and explicit grammatical knowledge
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.2 Use implicit & explicit knowledge of word types/order to help with decoding/predicting meaning
Context
History, culture, museums, libraries
Gardening & Horticulture

Lovely introduction to nouns, verbs and adjectives. For E2-3 ESOL and Literacy.
Start with the PPT which is based on a very tasty bakery theme and includes information and examples for students to work through. Follow this with the handout and a highlighting exercise.

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
English
Adult Lit Ws/E2.2 Use Adjectives
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.2 Use implicit & explicit knowledge of word types/order to help with decoding/predicting meaning
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.1 Recognise & understand the organisational features & typical language of instructional texts
ESOL
ESOL Ws/E2.2a Use adjectives
ESOL Rs/E3.1b Use knowledge of syntax and grammar to work out meaning
Context
Catering Food Nutrition

This activity is in two parts.Firstly, learners should use the cards to match the words to their meanings. Next they should use the fill in worksheet to give an example for each one. Full instructions included.In addition to parts of speech it also includes synonym and homophone terms.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
English
Rw/L1.3
Rw/L1.2
Rs/L2.1 Use implicit and explicit grammatical knowledge
Adult Literacy Rs/L1.1 Use implicit and explicit grammatical knowledge
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.2 Use implicit & explicit knowledge of word types/order to help with decoding/predicting meaning
Rs/E2.2 Use sentence structure to decipher and predict meaning

David Beckham is an Entry 3 cloze exercise which focuses on past tense verbs. Created as a replacement for the now dated Beckham text in the Skills for Life ESOL materials 2003 (Entry 3, Unit 2 Sport & Exercise, page 2) and is ideal for ESOL and Literacy students who are also football fans.

Level
Entry Level 3
English
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.2 Use implicit & explicit knowledge of word types/order to help with decoding/predicting meaning
ESOL
ESOL Rs/E3.1b Use knowledge of syntax and grammar to work out meaning
Context
Sport and fitness