Functional Skills English

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.

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.

I have had feedback from people using the Big Brother PDF discussion worksheet (see link below – under see also) but without any pictures! The fun part of the session (and for it to really work) is to show the students the people they have chosen: this generates plenty of discussion about prejudice and stereotyping. So, here are the 20 pictures to match to each description given in the earlier resource. (You should feel free to edit and adapt according to the demographics / prejudices / preconceptions of own students).

Video task and reading comprehension based on the style of Entry ESOL reading exams. Taken from BBC Newsround website.

Editor’s note
Questions suitable for mixed ability classes from E2-L1 and make good discussion prompts for further work.

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.

A huge and extremely comprehensive pack of resources. Written for ESOL learners but many parts are also suitable for Functional English and/or Job Skills groups. Includes:

Using a diary and a timeline to consolidate the use of past and future tense.
Answering and forming questions. What did she do yesterday? She went…
What is she going to do tomorrow? She’s going to ….
Good for practising the day before / after.
Includes answer sheet, other suggested activities and a ‘make your own’ blank diary.
Editor’s note
Page 1 of the resource should be printed in colour if at all possible (or display on a large screen) as colour is cleverly used to distinguish between past, present and future.

A text based around Ramadan to practise E3 -L1 English reading in detail / skimming & scanning for information.
There is also a related form filling exercise (E2-E3), dictionary work, and a discussion prompt (all levels)

The letter-writing task focuses on charity, so it could also tie in to employability qualifications if you are teaching community project modules or similar.

Editor’s note
With answers and curriculum mapping

This integrated set of worksheet tasks develops speaking, listening & communication; reading and writing skills in relation to a topic of individual interest to the learner and also encourages independent research and planning.

Updated June 2017
New Entry 3 reading and writing tasks added. Available below as a separate PDF file. You will also need to download the L1-2 version as it uses the same text.