Education and teaching

English - Applying to university as a mature student

Why might we decide to go to university as a mature student? Slides for L1 and L2 English learners to find out more about their career choices (in this case, applying for a university level course) while building their Functional English skills.

Editor's note

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
FS Eng L1.4 Communicate information / ideas / opinions clearly & accurately on range of topics
FS Eng L1.5 Express opinions and arguments and support them with evidence
FS Eng L2.5 Communicate information/ideas/opinions clearly/effectively with further detail/development if required
FS Eng L2.6 Express opinions and arguments and support them with relevant and persuasive evidence
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE L1.17 Read & understand a range of specialist words in context
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
FE L1.12 Recognise that language & other textual features can be varied to suit different audiences & purposes
FE L2.14 Understand how textual features/devices can shape meaning for different audiences/purposes
FE L1.22 Communicate information, ideas & opinions clearly, coherently & accurately
FE L2.23 Communicate information, ideas and opinions clearly, coherently and effectively
FE L1.24 Use format, structure & language appropriate for audience & purpose
FE L2.25 Organise writing for different purposes using appropriate format & structure e.g. standard templates, paragraphs, bullet points, tables
FE L2.27 Use language & register (e.g. persuasive techniques, supporting evidence, specialist words) to suit audience & purpose
Context
Education and teaching
Employment skills & Public services

English - Career based session - Teaching Assistant

Slides for L1 and L2 English learners to find out more about their career choices (in this case, a teaching assistant) while building their English skills.

Editor's note

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
FS Eng L1.4 Communicate information / ideas / opinions clearly & accurately on range of topics
FE L1.6 Follow / understand discussions & make contributions relevant to situation & subject
FS Eng L2.5 Communicate information/ideas/opinions clearly/effectively with further detail/development if required
FE L1.12 Recognise that language & other textual features can be varied to suit different audiences & purposes
FE L1.15 Infer from images meanings not explicit in the accompanying text
FE L1.17 Read & understand a range of specialist words in context
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
FE L2.15 Use a range of reference materials & resources (e.g. glossaries, legends/keys) for different purposes
FE L2.17 Analyse texts, of different levels of complexity, recognising their use of vocabulary and identifying levels of formality and bias
FE L1.19 Use a range of punctuation correctly (e.g. full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, commas, possessive apostrophes)
FE L2.20 Punctuate writing correctly using a wide range of punctuation markers e.g. colons, commas, inverted commas, apostrophes, quotation marks
FE L1.23 Write text of appropriate level of detail & length to meet needs of purpose & audience
FE L2.24 Write text of appropriate level of detail & length to meet needs of purpose & audience
FE L1.24 Use format, structure & language appropriate for audience & purpose
FE L2.27 Use language & register (e.g. persuasive techniques, supporting evidence, specialist words) to suit audience & purpose
Context
Education and teaching
Employment skills & Public services

Is it good to listen to music while studying or working?

Texts, video and image stimuli to develop and promote speaking and listening discussion to address the question 'Is it good to listen to music while studying or working?'

Activity to be tutor led and therefore delivery can be adapted to suit learner audience to include more analytical discussions about purpose, tone, language and textual features and similarities between sources.  

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE SL&C Discussion
FE L1.1 Identify relevant information & lines of argument in explanations & presentations
FS Eng L1.5 Express opinions and arguments and support them with evidence
FE L1.6 Follow / understand discussions & make contributions relevant to situation & subject
FE L2.1 Identify relevant information from extended explanations or presentations
FS Eng L2.5 Communicate information/ideas/opinions clearly/effectively with further detail/development if required
FS Eng L2.6 Express opinions and arguments and support them with relevant and persuasive evidence
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE L1.17 Read & understand a range of specialist words in context
FE L2.15 Use a range of reference materials & resources (e.g. glossaries, legends/keys) for different purposes
FE L2.18 Follow an argument, identifying different points of view & distinguishing fact from opinion
Context
Art Film Media Music Radio TV
Education and teaching

Should University Students Get a Refund?

Level 2 reading comprehension analysing purpose, fact and opinion, organisational features, main points/arguments, looking for information.

Based on the BBC article 'Coronavirus: Should university students get a refund?'.

Editor's note

Due to the length of the very interesting text I have mapped it only at Level 2. However, some questions might be suitable for Level 1.
There is no answer / mapping sheet for this resource. If you would like to create and share one, please get in touch.

 

Level
Level 2
English
FE L2.11 Identify when main points are sufficient & when specific details are important
FE L2.14 Understand how textual features/devices can shape meaning for different audiences/purposes
FE L2.16 Understand organisational features & use to locate relevant information in a range of sources
FE L2.18 Follow an argument, identifying different points of view & distinguishing fact from opinion
Context
Education and teaching

Returning to Education Functional English packs

Reading comprehension and writing tasks designed to prepare adults who are returning to education and taking Functional English at Level 1 or Level 2.

Level 1 reading comprehension is based on two texts about returning to education. This is followed by two writing tasks. Level 2 includes all the L1 texts and questions plus an additional lengthy text and questions that involve summarising, and comparing and contrasting two or more texts.

Editor's note

Level
Level 1
Level 2
GCSE L1-5
English
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L1.10 Compare information, ideas & opinions in different texts
FE L2.12 Compare information, ideas & opinions in different texts, inc. how they are conveyed
FE L1.23 Write text of appropriate level of detail & length to meet needs of purpose & audience
FE L2.24 Write text of appropriate level of detail & length to meet needs of purpose & audience
GCSE Reading AO3 Compare writers’ ideas & perspectives across 2 or more texts
GCSE Writing AO5(a) Use tone, style and register for different forms, purposes & audiences
GCSE Writing AO5(b) Organise information using structural and grammatical features
Context
Education and teaching

Joining the PTA (parent teacher association) role play

A role play to encourage learners to join their schools' PTA.  A parent asks at school about joining the PTA. Later she goes to a meeting and offers to help on a face painting stall at the Christmas fete.

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
ESOL
ESOL Speak to communicate (Sc)
ESOL Engage in discussion (Sd)
Context
Education and teaching

World Book Day discussion prompts for Functional English

Topical set of discussion prompt for World Book Day 2019 - but could be used at any time.

One set of general prompts and a second slightly different set of prompts for learners who are also parents (ideal for family learning situations).

Includes a full list of the revised Functional English speaking, listening and communicating content (for E2, E3 and L1) which comes into effect September 2019.

 

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
English
FE SL&C Discussion
ESOL
ESOL Engage in discussion (Sd)
Context
Education and teaching

Analysis of the reading level of an Entry Level text

An analysis of an Entry Level 3 (E3) Functional Skills reading text about Walter Tull, contributed by  Laura Bell (2018) - see right for the link to Laura's resource.

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
English
FE READING and understanding words
FE WRITING Spelling
General
Staff development
Context
Education and teaching

Things for class wordsearch

An easy word search (downwards and across only – no diagonals of backward-spelt words). Ideal for consolidating a vocabulary lesson on things to bring to class. A first lesson warmer / homework / filler.

Level
M8
Entry Level 1
English
AL Rw/E1.1 Have limited, meaningful sight vocabulary of words, signs, symbols
Pre-entry
pre-Entry Rw/M8.1Recognise letters of the alphabet by shape, name, sound
pre-Entry Rw/M8.3 Recognise & read a growing no. of words signs symbols
ESOL
ESOL Rw/E1.3a Identify letters of alphabet in both upper & lower case
ESOL Rw/E1.2a Use basic sound-letter correspondence to sound out words
ESOL Rw/E1.1a Recognise a limited number of words, signs and symbols
Context
Education and teaching

Homework Horror!

A resource based on a current (Jan 2016) Huffington Post news report about a piece of homework that was sent home for a child to learn which contained incorrect spellings.
Learners are to identify and correct the errors, write a full explanation of their thoughts on the matter and write an appropriate email to the head teacher.

Editor’s note
A wonderful, real-life and very functional task!

Level
Level 2
Level 1
English
Functional English - writing
Wt/L2.7
Wt/L1.6
Context
News, Politics & Government items
Education and teaching
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