Contextual Resources

A set of Entry Level tasks - all based on a vending machine. The main focus is money but positional vocabulary is also covered. Skills covered include: recognising letters and numbers for items in a vending machine, identifying coins to pay with, working out change from £1,  checking answers, rounding and estimating, distinguishing between right and left.

Editor's note

A delightfully functional resource. With teaching notes. Fully mapped to the Reformed Functional Skills content.

Here are few things on cooking verbs and recipes for E1-E2 ESOL and Entry Level 1 Functional English classes. Includes reading, spelling and saying the letters of the alphabet. Includes a recipe for pancakes but useful at any time of year.

Editor's notes

Fully mapped to the new Reformed Functional English content.

Topical set of discussion prompt for World Book Day 2019 - but could be used at any time.

One set of general prompts and a second slightly different set of prompts for learners who are also parents (ideal for family learning situations).

Includes a full list of the revised Functional English speaking, listening and communicating content (for E2, E3 and L1) which comes into effect September 2019.

A set of six linked, differentiated texts about Valentine’s Day, with associated writing assessments.

Two texts and two writing tasks for Entry 1 and for Entry 2. One text and two writing tasks for E3, and one of each at Level 1.

Reading texts: an email, a recipe, a competition, a menu, a press release about a fun fair and a florist’s advert.
Writing tasks include form filling, an email, a restaurant review, a set of craft instructions, and a competition entry.

Answers will be available (to site contributors only) from late February 2018

This is a series of short job ads for a hotel (+ one for a school caretaker). Simple language and uncluttered layout..
Good for introduction to language of employment. I have used these with E1 to E3 and they work well as a differentiated resource

Higher levels can gauge implict information, especially for the school caretaker advert in writing covering application letters to include attributes such as working with children, being trustworthy and reliable etc)

This is a simple activity to get learners used to the concept of writing instructive text. It can be used as an introduction to the topic of ‘Purpose of Text’ and is easily adaptable to different contextualised areas e.g. instructions on how to: hang a door; insert hair rollers; change a tyre; make a bouquet etc.

The activity allows for ease of differentiation between levels, based on your assessment of the output, and works well as a main activity for Entry Level learners, or a fun warm-up for Level 1/2 learners.

Editor's note (18.11.19)  - download PDFs temporarily removed for minor corrections and updated mapping

A Functional Maths and numeracy task sheet written for a mixed group of entry level learners to collect, represent and analyse data on favourite biscuits. The topic is introduced with a news article about Britain’s favourite biscuits. Learners must create a tally chart/frequency table, a pictogram and a bar chart. Pre-drawn grids and squared paper is included.

A worksheet which gives students practice in naming and calculating the fractions most often seen in recipes. 1/2, 1/3 cup etc.
This worksheet can be accompanied with a ‘hands on’ exercise. eg: measuring 1/2, 3/4 cup of rice etc. You need: a tray, a marked measuring cup, a cup and a jar of rice or other suitable medium.
Ideal for, and mapped to, Entry 2 and 3 Adult numeracy and Functional Maths.

A set of exercises to practise timings in a salon. Ideal for, and fully mapped to, embedding Entry Level Functional Maths.