ESOL Rw/E3.2a Read & understand words / phrases commonly used on forms
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Adult ESOL Core Curriculum (DfES 2001) > Reading (R) > Reading word level (Rw) >
E3.2a Read and understand words and phrases commonly used on forms
| Component skill and knowledge and understanding. Adults should learn to: |
Example of application and level | Sample activities |
| (i) Read and respond to form-filling conventions and language commonly used on forms |
Read and identify key words used in a variety of forms, order forms, forms from official agencies (e.g. social services), records of work. Read forms that contain the following kind of language: nationality, spouse, additional information, evaluation, immigration status, make payable to. |
Learners fill in two forms (authentic or devised especially for this purpose) asking for information in different ways (e.g. first name/other name(s)/family name and forename(s)/surname) and with at least one example of each of circle, tick, underline, delete as applicable, and an instruction to use capital letters. Learners discuss the language on the forms, and, where necessary, complete exercises to practise it (e.g. a series of sentences in which the incorrect information has to be deleted). When learners are ready, they tackle a range of everyday forms. As a whole class, learners discuss the difficulties they have with forms in the UK (e.g. how to divide their names to fit form categories), the ways in which forms in the UK are different from forms in other countries, differing cultural conventions for forms in other countries. |
| (ii) Be aware of cultural conventions that underpin certain elements of some types of form | Decide what is meant by the section of a job application form that asks for Any additional information (i.e. that this is the supporting statement and needs to contain details of the candidate's suitability for the job). | Learners examine a range of forms that have been filled in with differing degrees of appropriateness and accuracy, including instructions ignored, information put in the wrong places, inappropriate information in the section Any additional information, etc. Learners identify where cultural conventions have been broken, information has been put in the wrong place or is incomplete, and stated and unstated instructions have been ignored. Learners fill in some of these forms for themselves. |
| (iii) Read and respond to stated and unstated instructions on forms |
- Related ESOL links: ESOL Wt/E2.1b Record information on forms ESOL Wt/E3.5a Complete forms with some complex features
- Related Functional Skills English links: FE E2.18 Complete a form asking for personal information (e.g. first name, surname, address, postcode, age, date of birth)
- Related Adult Literacy links: Rw/E3.2 Read and Understand words commonly used on forms
Source: Adult ESOL Core Curriculum (DfES, 2001) (p229)
