Writing prompts
Level: L1, L2
Resource type: Listening and/or speaking activity, Writing prompts
Sample dialogue using food idioms for intermediate, upper intermediate ESOL students. Can be used with food idioms list (link provided) to encourage dialogue writing and acting to aid retention.
Literacy: Functional Skills English, General literacy / English
ESOL: General ESOL
Context: Health and safety
Resource type: Bingo, lotto or Pelmanism, Discussion points, Lesson plan, Listening and/or speaking activity, Warm-up, Wordsearch, Worksheet or assignment, Writing frame, Writing prompts
Level: E1, E2
Worksheets and tasks around the theme of emergencies. Written for ESOL but also suitable for adult literacy and Functionakl English.
The worksheets and tasks include reading for information, preparing and practising an emergency phone call, speaking and writing about an emergency situation. The material is set in an Irish context so some of the vocabulary is specific e.g. ‘garda’ is a police officer and ‘gardai’ is police.
Literacy: Writing: text focus (composition), Functional English - writing
Resource type: Interactive presentation, Writing prompts
Level: E2, E3, L1, L2
A set of Power Point slides to get Functional Skills students writing.
I use it towards the end of lessons to get them doing some free writing and to demonstrate whatever they have been working on in the lesson.
Ideas include: smoking, binge drinking, pets, tattoos, Christmas, mobile phones, changing laws, cars and more!
Literacy: Writing: text focus (composition), Functional English - writing
Resource type: Worksheet or assignment, Writing prompts
Level: E3, L1
Aimed at E3-L1 Functional Skills groups but could be used with higher / lower levels and adult literacy groups. It should generate plenty of discussion, too! A scaffolded step by step approach helps learners discuss, plan and draft their writing.
A PowerPoint presentation supplements the task sheet. There are facts and pictures to generate interest and to help students recognise some of the dangers involved.
Fully mapped to the Functional English criteria.
Literacy: Writing: text focus (composition), Functional English - writing
Context: Motor vehicles & Transport
Level: E3, L1, L2
Resource type: Discussion points, Revision material, Worksheet or assignment, Writing frame, Writing prompts
A practice exam question based on the style of Edexcel functional skills writing exam questions. Ideal for motor vehicle students.
One task for L1/L2 (formal letter) and one for E3 (letter) which also has a writing frame. Both tasks are on the subject of proposed changes to the driving test and driving laws for new drivers.
Literacy: Functional Skills English, General literacy / English
Context: Retail Hospitality Customer service
Level: E1, E2
Resource type: Cloze exercise, Discussion points, Reading comprehension, Writing prompts
Text about the 99p shop chain with comprehension questions, cloze exercise, writing numbers as words and more.
The text and picture are adapted from the wonderful First News site and the 99p Store site.
Literacy: General literacy / English, Functional English - reading, Functional English - writing
Context: Politics & News items
Level: L2
Resource type: Revision material, Worksheet or assignment, Writing prompts
A Level 2 Functional Skills English pack based on the troubles in London and other parts of England in the summer of 2011.
Reading and writing activities are included, alongside answers.
Discussions across a range of subjects may stem from this work in order to inform Speaking and Listening skills practice.
Fully mapped to the Functional English criteria.
Literacy: Rs/E1.1, Rt/E1.1
Pre-entry: General pre-Entry
ESOL: ESOL Rs/E1.1a, ESOL Rt/E1.1a
Context: Independent living
Resource type: Cloze exercise, Reading comprehension, Writing frame, Writing prompts
Level: M8, E1
This is a lower-level version of ‘My Busy Day’ Housework by Laurence Fletcher (see below) for a basic literacy for ESOL class. Also suitable for M8-E1 literacy.
Reading comprehension, simplified cloze and sentence exercises.
Literacy: Rt/L2.1, Rw/L2.3, Writing: text focus (composition)
Context: Health, Social care, Early years
Level: L2
Resource type: Reading comprehension, Writing prompts
A set of exercises based on an article from the BBC News website. This article would interest learners with teenage children.
There is a comprehension exercise and vocabulary exercises on antonyms and synonyms. Learners are also invited to write their views. Useful for those working towards Level 2 Certificate in Adult Literacy.
Literacy: Apostrophes, Rt/E2.1, Rt/L2.3, Rw/L2.3, Writing: text focus (composition)
Context: Employment skills & Public services
Level: L2
Resource type: Reading comprehension, Writing prompts
A set of exercises based around an article from the BBC News website during the adverse weather of 2010.
There are multiple choice comprehension questions, together with exercises on apostrophes, vocabulary and synonyms and anagrams. The learner is then asked to write his/her views.
