History, culture, museums, libraries

Resources that cover any or all of the above topics.

An ESOL reading comprehension based on a BBC News report on the death of Stanislav Petrov, who averted a potential Cold War disaster in 1983.

The text contains several examples of past perfect, reported speech and third / mixed conditionals. The activity combines reading for gist, for detail, identifying vocabulary and identifying parts of speech. An extension activity gives learners an opportunity to write a similar short text, using the same elements of grammar to tell a story about a decision that changed events.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
English
Use knowledge of grammar
Apply grammar
General literacy / English
Functional Skills English
ESOL
ESOL: Reading word focus - vocabulary, word recognition, phonics (Rw)
ESOL: Writing sentence focus - punctuation and grammar (Ws)
ESOL Reading: sentence focus - grammar, punctuation (Rs)
ESOL: Writing - text focus (composition)
ESOL: Reading text focus - comprehension (Rt)
Context
News, Politics & Government items
History, culture, museums, libraries

Designed for Entry 3 – Level 2 Functional Skills English.
Students loved this lesson. Can be designed around other areas but covers:
Writing persuasively.
Fact and opinion.
Research write a factual article
Create a poster using appropriate language.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
Entry Level 3
English
Functional Skills English
ICT
Functional Skills ICT: Finding and selecting information
Context
History, culture, museums, libraries

Literacy – aimed at Level 1-2 and links to imaginative writing at GCSE.
Quirky fun starter – find your pirate name. This can be done on mobile phones if there are no PCs.
Comprehension tasks.
After finding the King’s shilling, write descriptive letter home.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
English
Functional English - writing
Functional English reading
ICT
Functional Skills ICT: Finding and selecting information
Context
History, culture, museums, libraries

A starter or ice breaker featuring random facts about March. Includes some embedded maths and E&D

Editor’s note
With answers and embedding /extension ideas for all levels.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond
Context
History, culture, museums, libraries

A rigorous and fully mapped reading assessment with mark sheet and detailed answers. This resource takes account of the changes demanded since Ofqual published its thematic review of Functional Skills in January 2015. Can also of course be used for normal classwork, revision, homework or private study. Ideal for Pancake day but could be used any time of year.

Level
Level 2
English
Rt/L2.8
Rt/L2.4 Read an argument and identify the points of view
Rt/L2.3 Identify the main points and specific detail
Rt/L2.2 Identify the purpose of a text and infer meaning which is not explicit
Rt/L2.1 Trace and understand the main events of continuous descriptive, explanatory and persuasive texts
Functional English reading
Context
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism
History, culture, museums, libraries
Catering Food Nutrition

This is a reading comprehension and dictionary exercise based on the life of Fidel Castro. I have provided the reading text first and then the vocabulary work. However, with some groups it may be better to work on the vocabulary before tackling the text.
Editor’s note
Also includes a useful research/summarising/timeline activity and points for writing or discussion. Includes curriculum mapping but no answer sheet.

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE READING understanding and locating information
FE Writing composition
Context
News, Politics & Government items
History, culture, museums, libraries

This is a selection of literacy tasks, based on the Poppy Appeal 2016 and John McCrae’s poem ‘In Flanders Fields’, covering aspects of speaking and listening, reading and writing.

Editor’s note: covers all aspects of L1-2 Functional English – also suitable for GCSE.

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
Functional English - writing
Functional English - speaking, listening & communicating
Functional English reading
Functional Skills English
Context
Voluntary, Charity and Community
History, culture, museums, libraries
Employment skills & Public services

A Bonfire Night themed resource covering some aspects of literacy and numeracy.
The resource contains a basic reading comprehension about the History of Bonfire Night. This is followed by a numeracy activity where students have to buy fireworks for a display with a budget of £300. The final activity is a writing task and learners have to create a poster advertising the event.

I created this for an ILS (independent life skills) class but it could be used with Entry Functional Skills learners too.

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
English
Functional English - writing
Functional English reading
Maths
Functional Maths - measures, shape & space
Context
Independent living
History, culture, museums, libraries

A short set of questions based on a pictorial map of The Mall and surrounding area for the Patron’s Lunch event held on June 12 2016. Would make a good starter activity especially if the map was displayed on a large screen or interactive whiteboard (link is provided in addition to an image in the PDF).
Focuses on interpreting map keys; shape, space & position, and basic number.
With curriculum mapping and answers.
Postscript

Level
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 1
Maths
Functional Maths
Context
News, Politics & Government items
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism
History, culture, museums, libraries

This is a reading from a BBC site with questions based on the Edexcel L1 Functional Skills reading paper and a writing task. The topic is ‘Mothering Sunday’. It describes the history and gives information about traditional food.

Editor’s note
Very comprehensive. All aspects of L1 reading are covered – not just “reading for detail”.

Level
Level 1
English
Functional English - writing
Functional English reading
Context
History, culture, museums, libraries