Worksheet(s) or assignment

A traditional worksheet or assignment for printing on paper. Many can also be displayed successfully on an interactive whiteboard for group work.

L1-2 English FS Writing - 12 week plan with resources

A writing scheme of work/medium term plan for L1+2 Functional Skills (FS) English, designed for the Pearson assessment. It is a 12 lesson unit designed to equip learners with the skills needed to write successfully and confidently in their wider lives, as well as pass their FS writing assessment. The lessons offer differentiated options for L1 and L2 learners, so the plan can be used at either level, or for mixed ability groups. The plan outlines the content of each lesson, along with PPTs, PDF worksheets, online quizzes and video links.

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE L1.19 Use a range of punctuation correctly (e.g. full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, commas, possessive apostrophes)
FE L2.20 Punctuate writing correctly using a wide range of punctuation markers e.g. colons, commas, inverted commas, apostrophes, quotation marks
FE L1.21 Spell words used most often in work, study and daily life, including specialist words
FE L2.22 Spell words used in work, study & daily life, including a range of specialist words
FE L1.25 Write consistently & accurately in complex sentences, using paragraphs where appropriate
FE L2.28 Construct complex sentences consistently & accurately, using paragraphs where appropriate
FE L1.24 Use format, structure & language appropriate for audience & purpose
FE L2.25 Organise writing for different purposes using appropriate format & structure e.g. standard templates, paragraphs, bullet points, tables
FE L2.27 Use language & register (e.g. persuasive techniques, supporting evidence, specialist words) to suit audience & purpose
FE L1.22 Communicate information, ideas & opinions clearly, coherently & accurately
FE L2.23 Communicate information, ideas and opinions clearly, coherently and effectively
FE L1.23 Write text of appropriate level of detail & length to meet needs of purpose & audience
FE L2.24 Write text of appropriate level of detail & length to meet needs of purpose & audience

Possessive apostrophes

Major update 19/01/24 written in 2005 but updated and re-mapped to reflect the Reformed Functional English Content. Page one is will prompt discussion and is probably best tackled in pairs or small groups. Page 2 is a handout with plenty of examples to study before moving on to the final pages of challenging exercises.

Answers are available (resource contributors only) please see answer sheets page for more details

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
AL Ws/L2.4 Use apostrophes & inverted commas
Adult Lit Rs/L2.2 Use punctuation to help interpret the meaning and purpose of texts
Apostrophes
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
FE L1.19 Use a range of punctuation correctly (e.g. full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, commas, possessive apostrophes)
FE L2.20 Punctuate writing correctly using a wide range of punctuation markers e.g. colons, commas, inverted commas, apostrophes, quotation marks
ESOL
ESOL Ws/L1.3a Use punctuation to aid clarity and meaning
ESOL Ws/L2.4a Use a range of punctuation to achieve clarity in simple and complex sentences
ESOL Rs/L1.2a Use punctuation to help understanding
ESOL Rs/L2.2a Use wide range of punctuation to help interpret meaning and purpose

Common Household Pests

A look at some of the most annoying pests that invade our homes. This article looks at fruit flies and gnats. With reading and SPaG questions, plus two differentiated writing tasks. Suggested range is higher E3 to L1.

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
English
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L1.14 Understand organisational / structural features use to locate relevant information
FE WRITING Use format, structure & language (to meet purpose & audience)
FE L1.24 Use format, structure & language appropriate for audience & purpose
ESOL
ESOL Rt/E3.3a Identify the key organisational features of instructional texts
ESOL Rt/L1.4a Use organisational & structural features to locate information
ESOL Rt/L1.5a Use skimming, scanning and detailed reading in different ways for different purposes
ESOL Wt/E3.2a Structure main points in short paragraphs
ESOL Wt/L1.3a Structure texts sequentially and coherently according to genre
ESOL Wt/L1.4a Choose language suitable for genre, purpose and audience
ESOL Wt/L1.5a Select format and appropriate structure for different purposes and genres
Context
Gardening & Horticulture
Recycling, the environment and sustainability
Animals, animal care, farming & equine

The Art of Persuasion

This is a large multi-page resource (12 pages, plus a shorter document with 2 sets of matching cards and a self-assessment checklist). Aimed at L1-L2 Functional English but also useful for GCSE. 

The main document includes:

Level
Level 1
Level 2
GCSE L1-5
English
FE L1.12 Recognise that language & other textual features can be varied to suit different audiences & purposes
FE L2.14 Understand how textual features/devices can shape meaning for different audiences/purposes
FE L1.24 Use format, structure & language appropriate for audience & purpose
FE L2.27 Use language & register (e.g. persuasive techniques, supporting evidence, specialist words) to suit audience & purpose
FE WRITING Use format, structure & language (to meet purpose & audience)
GCSE English Reading AO2 Explain & analyse language & structure
GCSE Writing AO5(a) Use tone, style and register for different forms, purposes & audiences
Context
Recycling, the environment and sustainability
Science, Nature & Weather
Gardening & Horticulture

Legal Age UK (2025-26)

Quite a large resource that looks at the legal age e.g. marriage, leaving school, voting, etc. in the UK. It is suitable for ESOL, FE and other English related courses.

Reading comprehension, discussion, writing and more with texts aimed at E1-L2.  Pick and choose those that suit your needs best. 

Editor's notes

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FS Eng SL&C Discussion
FS Eng READING understanding and locating information
FS Eng WRITING composition
ESOL
ESOL: Reading text focus - comprehension (Rt)
ESOL: Writing - text focus (composition)
ESOL Engage in discussion (Sd)
Context
News, Politics & Government items

Jane Starts a New Life

A higher-level narrative that complements City Girl (see links under See Also). This text features Jane/Janiyah, rather than Emily, after she moves to the countryside. 

My suggested Functional Skills English level is L1-L2 (for ESOL - Higher L1-L2). Some questions may be tricky for the lower end of the scale. There are three sections: reading, SPaG and writing. I have included suggested marks for the first two sections but no answer key.

 

 

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
Functional English reading
FE WRITING Spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG)
FS Eng WRITING composition
ESOL
ESOL: Reading text focus - comprehension (Rt)
ESOL Reading: sentence focus - grammar, punctuation (Rs)
ESOL: Writing - text focus (composition)
Context
Mental health, awareness & psychology

Shopping in the UK

A multitask resource for ESOL E3 to lower L1. Includes reading, writing, role-play and questions. 

Editor's notes

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
English
Functional English reading
Functional English - writing
ESOL
ESOL Engage in discussion (Sd)
ESOL Rw/E1.1a Recognise a limited number of words, signs and symbols

Wassailing L1-L2 Reading tasks

Inspired by an article I recently read about a local Oxford wassail, this reading resource covers most aspects of the L1 and L2 reading content (does not cover bias, fact & opinion, or following an argument). Questions are grouped under topics such as reading for detail, language, vocabulary, punctuation, etc. so you can pick and choose to suit your learner group.

I hope to write a similar Entry Level resource but it'll be too late for this year's wassailing season! 

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE L1.17 Read & understand a range of specialist words in context
FE L2.15 Use a range of reference materials & resources (e.g. glossaries, legends/keys) for different purposes
FE L1.14 Understand organisational / structural features use to locate relevant information
FE L2.16 Understand organisational features & use to locate relevant information in a range of sources
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L2.11 Identify when main points are sufficient & when specific details are important
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
FE L1.16 Recognise vocabulary typically associated with specific types and purposes of texts (e.g. formal, informal, instructional, descriptive, explanatory and persuasive)
FE L1.12 Recognise that language & other textual features can be varied to suit different audiences & purposes
FE L1.15 Infer from images meanings not explicit in the accompanying text
FE L2.13 Identify implicit & inferred meaning in texts
FE L2.14 Understand how textual features/devices can shape meaning for different audiences/purposes
FE L2.19 Identify different styles of writing & writer’s voice
Context
History, culture, museums, libraries
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism

Burns Night Functional Maths E1-L1

Themed around two different Burns Night dinner menus, the main focus is money and problem solving. 

In addition, the E3-L1 section covers percentages and rounding, and the E1-E3 section includes questions on time, sorting and classifying, and extracting data. 

Includes extra alcohol-free menus (no whisky or tipsy laird!), curriculum mapping and suggested marks. 

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Maths
FM Straightforward problem(s) with more than 1 step
FM E1.1 Read, write, order, compare numbers to 20
FM E1.3 Add numbers which total up to 20, & subtract numbers from numbers up to 20
FM E2.12 Calculate money with pence up to £1 & in whole £s of multiple items, use correct symbols (£ or p)
FM E3.10 Calculate with money using decimal notation & express money correctly in writing in pounds and pence
FM E3.11 Round amounts of money to the nearest £1 or 10p
FM L1.18 Calculate simple interest in multiples of 5%
FM L1.11 Add, subtract, multiply & divide decimals up to 2 decimal places
FM E1.6 Read 12 hour digital & analogue clocks in hours
FM E1.7 Know the number of days in a week, months, & seasons in a year. Name & sequence them.
FM E2.13 Read & record time in common date formats, & read time displayed on analogue clocks in hours, half hours & quarter hours, & understand hours from a 24-hour digital clock
FM E3.13 Read time from analogue & 24 hour digital clocks in hours & minutes
FM E1.12 Sort & classify objects using a single criterion
FM E2.24 Sort and classify objects using two criteria
FM E1.11 Read numerical information from lists
FM E2.25 Take information from one format and represent the information in another format including use of bar charts
Context
Catering Food Nutrition
History, culture, museums, libraries

Free Printable Maths Worksheets (teachingimage.com)

I like the clean, unfussy layout of these sheets. Although written for primary maths (UK Key Stages 1 and 2) the absence of distracting or childlike images makes them ideal for underpinning all levels and of Functional Skills Maths. In addition to 100s of sheets, the collection includes practical teaching tips and game ideas. Some sheets can be cut into strips for use in quick activities or interventions.

A goldmine! 

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Maths
FM Context free underpinning
FM Addition & subtraction
FM Multiplication & division
FM Fractions, decimals & percentages
FM Time
FM 2D & 3D Shapes
FM Graphs, charts, diagrams, tables & lists
Functional Maths
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