Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond

Resources that are suitable for both literacy (Functional English) and Numeracy (Functional Maths) teaching and learning.

A clever spreadsheet that creates a set of 15 loop or ‘follow me’ cards. Comes with a prewritten set of cards based on multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 100 but can you can easily add your own questions and answers on any topic.

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
Maths
General numeracy / maths
N1/L1.4
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond

A fabulous set of illustrated instructions. Makes a great activity for literacy and numeracy classes (reading instructions, measuring, shapes, etc.) at many levels.
For an easy to use template please see Bryan Fitzpatrick’s accompany resource below.

Level
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 1
English
Adult Literacy Rs/E3.1 Recognise & understand the organisational features & typical language of instructional texts
Adult Literacy: Reading
Maths
Measures shape and space
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond

Celebrating Diwali cleverly combines details about the Hindu festival with information on the common homophones: there – their – they’re.

Level
Level 1
English
AL Ww/L1.1 Spell & use spelling strategies
Homophones, homographs & confusables
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond

Questioning for understanding is a really useful help sheet that encourages learners to ask relevant questions (any topic, any level). Based on Kipling’s “What and Why and When, And How and Where and Who” with teaching ideas and useful links.

For a related resource using the same idea to investigate and write newspaper reports please see Ellie Walsh’s Looking at Newspapers (below).

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
Poetry
AL SLc/E1.3
SLc/E2.2
SLc/E3.4
SLc/L1.2
SLc/L2.2
General
Study Skills and General Teaching
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond

Investigate the possibility of a college stocking fairly traded products in its canteen. Covers many reading, writing, ICT, numeracy, speaking and listening skills inc. data handling, report writing, creating charts and questionnaires, giving a presentation, etc. Ideal for embedding all three functional skills (or literacy, numeracy and ICT) especially for business students.

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
Functional Skills English
General literacy / English
Maths
Data Handling
Functional Maths
ICT
Functional ICT
Level 1 and 2 CLAIT / ECDL
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond
Context
Business & Money management

A web research project that covers money and general reading / research / writing skills. You must plan a trip for 15 pre-school children.

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
English
General literacy / English
Maths
AN MSS1/E3.1 Add & subtract money using decimal notation
ICT
Entry 3 ICT
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond
Context
Health, Social care, Early years
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism

This ‘random number generator’ is an open ended resource that the author originally designed to use for mental maths (adding or taking away 10 from the displayed number). It was later used it as part of a ‘Question of Sport’ quiz (in the spelling round!): learners choose a picture and then spell the ‘random’ number that appears: 49, 32, 28, 46, 67, 55, 21, 74 and 13 (these be edited to suit and could also be linked to any set of numbered, pre-prepared quiz questions on any topic).

Level
M8
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
Maths
AN N1/E2.1 Count reliably to 100, count on in 2s and 10s
AN N1/E2.2 Read, write, order & compare numbers to 100; odd even nos.
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond
Context
Sport and fitness

A great project that covers many L1/2 numeracy elements. You win the lottery, buy a nursery and have to furnish it from catalogues and/or Internet sites.
Learn about budgeting, displaying data, working with areas and floor plans, bank statements, rounding, estimating, and much more. Everything must be written up as a comprehensive report with a clear conclusion (a great guidance page on report writing is included in the resource).

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
Functional English - writing
General literacy / English
Maths
Functional Maths
General numeracy / maths
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond
Context
Health, Social care, Early years

A great way show any Skills for Life learner how to play this popular puzzle and makes a good warm up activity. Use to provoke general discussion on logic-steps and how puzzles help to sharpen the mind and increase brain activity!

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
Maths
General numeracy / maths
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond

A set of 10 questions with optional picture clues and differentiation ideas. Makes a great end of term filler for all levels.

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
General literacy / English
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond