Adult Literacy: Engage in Discussion

Adult Literacy Core Curriculum (DfES 2001) > Speaking and Listening (SL) > Engage in discussion (SLd)

Resources listed below are likely to cover several SLd curriculum elements - often at more than one level.

A reading comprehension and vocabulary activity suitable for both ESOL and Literacy / Functional Skills. The activities are based on a BBC News article about John Cronin’s online business, John’s Crazy Socks. John, who has Down’s Syndrome, is a co-founder of the business, along with his father, Mark.

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
English
Adult Literacy: Engage in Discussion
Use reading strategies
Rw/L1.2
Identify main points and detail
Plan, compose and draft
Follow and understand
Functional Skills English
ESOL
ESOL: Reading word focus - vocabulary, word recognition, phonics (Rw)
ESOL: Writing - text focus (composition)
ESOL: Reading text focus - comprehension (Rt)
Context
Employment skills & Public services
Business & Money management

A quick paper based quiz on the EU adapted from the on-screen version on the uk.gov site at: www.eureferendum.gov.uk
[img_assist|nid=5907|title=|desc=|link=popup|align=left|width=69|height=100]
It isn’t directly about the referendum but might be useful to spark debates. Multiple choice, questions such as ‘how many countries are in the EU’ etc…..

Level
Level 2
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
English
Adult Literacy: Engage in Discussion
Rw/E3.5
Rw/E2.4
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond
Context
News, Politics & Government items

I have been covering how to make an appointment with the GP and taking part in a role play with the GP with my ESOL group, so I have prepared these materials.

My courses are not accredited, so I don’t know how this fits into the ESOL SFL criteria and my classes are, inevitably, a mix of Pre-Entry and E1 learners. Hope it might be useful.

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 1
English
Adult Literacy: Engage in Discussion
ESOL
ESOL: Reading word focus - vocabulary, word recognition, phonics (Rw)
ESOL Listen and respond (Lr)
ESOL Engage in discussion (Sd)
Context
Independent living
Health, Social care, Early years

A list of passport prices (converted into £ January 2012) and a set of associated questions.
Useful in Functional English as a discussion or research prompt, especially just before the summer holiday season.

Level
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
English
Adult Literacy: Engage in Discussion
Functional English - speaking, listening & communicating
Context
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism

This task was originally used for Functional Skills although it can be applied just as effectively to literacy sessions. The task aims to encourage learners to work in small groups to discuss what each phrase really means and therefore explore the different interpretations that other people have of them. Also makes a good ice breaker. Includes proverb cards, answer sheet and worksheet.

Level
Level 1
Entry Level 3
English
Adult Literacy: Engage in Discussion
Functional English - speaking, listening & communicating

I first used this was used as practice for the written and spoken part of Functional Skills exams.

Learners need to begin by discussing TV shows and hopefully someone will mention Big Brother. Then they have to write about 150 words about what sort of housemate they would be in the house.

Next they have to read through the 20 housemate descriptions and choose 10 of them to join them. This needs to be a team decision.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
English
Adult Literacy: Engage in Discussion
Functional English - writing
Functional English - speaking, listening & communicating
Context
Art Film Media Music Radio TV

This is an adapted and expanded version of Jodie Travis’ ‘Hired or Fired’ resource which is of course based on the popular TV show “The apprentice”. I used Jodie’s resource last year with a really big group, getting them to create a poster to ‘sell’ Manchester. I added some more ‘Apprenticey’ bits in, such as getting them to pitch their ideas at the front of the class after they’d made the posters, and it worked really well.

Level
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
English
Adult Literacy: Engage in Discussion
Functional English - writing
Adult Literacy: writing composition (Wt)
Present information
Functional English - speaking, listening & communicating
Context
Employment skills & Public services
Art Film Media Music Radio TV

Set of challenging L2 discussion, writing (and even movie production!) tasks. Particularly suitable for older learners who remember the Tomorrow’s World TV show and/or technology lovers. A link to the BBC video archive is included. Writing tasks include informal and formal letters and a persuasive essay.

Level
Level 2
English
Adult Literacy: Engage in Discussion
Adult Literacy: writing composition (Wt)
Context
Electrical, Electronics & Technology
Art Film Media Music Radio TV

I created these hand-outs for my Entry 1 to Level 1 learners and used them to accompany Saul Pope’s E3-L2 Problem Page resource (see below for a link to Saul’s resource).

I found the resources very useful for both motivational purposes (all students enjoyed the discussion aspect) and also to inform future planning (all students found it difficult putting pen to paper when writing their response).

Level
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
English
Adult Literacy: Engage in Discussion
Functional English - writing
Adult Literacy: writing composition (Wt)
Functional English - speaking, listening & communicating
Context
Independent living
Health, Social care, Early years

This is a topical lesson, looking at the Japanese tsunami disaster and its coverage in the media.

It introduces students to identifying facts and opinions. It also allows students to discuss their own views (appropriately) about this disaster. Students are also given the opportunity to write their own newspaper article based around the facts of the events.

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
Adult Literacy: Engage in Discussion
Functional English - writing
Adult Literacy: writing composition (Wt)
Rt/L2.8
Rt/L2.5 Read critically to evaluate information and compare information, ideas and opinions from different sources
Rt/L2.4 Read an argument and identify the points of view
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
AL Rt/L1.1 Understand continuous texts
Functional English reading
Functional Skills English
Context
News, Politics & Government items