Writing prompts
Literacy: Speaking & Listening, Plan, compose and draft, Functional English - speaking, listening & communication, Functional English - writing
ESOL: General ESOL
Level: E1, E2, E3, L1, L2
Resource type: Listening and/or speaking activity, Writing frame, Writing prompts
I developed this simple resource initially as a speaking and listening exercise but quickly discovered I could extend it into a writing activity. The questions are designed not to be too personal. I have used it several times and it has worked well with learners from Entry 1 to Level 2. I particularly like the fact that learners have produced some really excellent writing, which is usually what they find the most difficult.
For the first part of the activiy, learners work in pairs.
Literacy: Functional Skills English, General literacy / English
Numeracy: Functional Maths, General numeracy / maths
Free tags: Diamond Jubilee
Context: History
Level: E1, E2, E3
Resource type: Hands-on / practical activity, Lesson plan, Worksheet or assignment, Writing prompts
This carousel of Jubilee tasks was hurriedly put together for a group of 10 E1-E3 Functional Maths and English 16-19 year old learners who had just (very successfully!) finished all their Edexcel Functional Skills assessments.
After a year of hard work from my students, the emphasis was on celebration and fun. However, learning objectives included: measuring, counting, writing an email, spelling, 2D shapes, estimating, rounding and working with money.
Literacy: Functional Skills English, General literacy / English
Free tags: Diamond Jubilee
Context: History, Leisure Travel Tourism
Level: E3, L1, L2
Resource type: Investigation or project, Worksheet or assignment, Writing prompts
A whole session activity based on the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. I used it to build on some dictionary work we hade been doing in previous sessions as well as paragraph writing and report writing. We had also been talking about open and closed questions so I have used examples of each in this resource to see if learners spotted them (they did!)
We are based in the same building as the library so there is lots of information handily available about local events but I also had internet enabled laptops in the classroom.
Literacy: Rs/E3.2, Rs/L1.1
Resource type: Cloze exercise, Discussion points, Writing prompts
Level: E3, L1
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: 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.
