Contextual Resources

Read a sample leaflet about taking children to the dentist. Use it as a model for planning and writing your own leaflet about neighbourhood safety.
Suitable for Entry 3 through to Level 2 English Functional Skills.

Editor's note

I think it’s so important for learners to have realistic exemplar/model pieces of writing so they know what they’re aiming for. Also useful for ESOL. 

Read an example of written instructions that include several typical layout features of instructional texts. 
Followed by a choice of writing tasks to complete.

Suitable for Entry 3 through to Level 2 English Functional Skills.

Editor's note

Love the wide appeal of this resource: the sample instructions are those left for a babysitter but also include pets and cooking! The writing tasks cover preparing for a job interview or how to play a game (for example, online or board games).

Read an exemplar answer to a writing question about Disappearing High Streets. Then plan and write your own article. Choice of two writing tasks (for Level 1-2 Functional Skills English). 

• Gambling and the National Lottery 
• How to get children off their computers and more active 

Editor's notes

This is just what other Functional English teachers need: I think it’s so important for learners to have realistic exemplar/model pieces of writing so they know what they’re aiming for. Also useful for ESOL.

What is International Men's day? Why is it important and what can we learn from it?

Slides for L1 and L2 English learners to find out more about the importance of gender equality while building their English skills.

Editor's note

Interested in becoming a nurse or working in the Healthcare sector? What are the benefits? What do you need to know before you get started? Slides for L1 and L2 English learners to find out more about their career choices (in this case, joining the healthcare sector) while building their English skills.

Editor's note

Why might we become a care worker, and what are the benefits? Slides for L1 and L2 English learners to find out more about their career choices (in this case, becoming a care worker) while building their English skills.

Editor's note

I put this together when I found so many of my learners trying to hone their employability skills did not know what a lot of the words on job descriptions meant. 

Resource 1 (Definition matching cards: job skills and attributes): I laminated these and cut them up and they worked in pairs or threes to match them up.

There are two other linked resources, as below, to help students with getting to grips with the keywords used in Job Descriptions and Person Specifications. 

Update - apologies, when I added this resource on April 1st I forgot to upload the Word document. It is now available below. Maggie 10/4/20

Functional Skills Level 2 (and T Level General English Competencies) writing tasks consisting of writing a report and a letter to apply for a job (both based on the current Covid-19 crisis).

Topical resource based on a news story. Reading comprehension at 2 levels (E3 and L1/L2) plus two writing extension activities with writing frames. Some embedded maths (including a chart in the L1/L2 exercise) and the opportunity to discuss healthy eating. The higher level comprehension aims to get learners to understand in depth what they are reading, rather than just answer the questions from the text.

Cloze activity, reading and a writing exercise to mark National Obesity Awareness Week which runs 12th-18th January 2015, although the activity does not specifically refer to this and so can be used at any time. The cloze acts as an introduction, while the reading should stimulate discussion and provide the background for the writing activity. The writing task includes space for planning and drafting.