Contextual Resources

Based on three recent articles about sugar in food and drinks – with a special focus on high sugar drinks sold by popular High Street coffee shops.

The articles are followed by six pages of challenging differentiated questions for E3-L2 Functional Maths – all are based on the articles. Topics include large numbers; fraction, decimal & percentage equivalents, averages & range, extracting information from tables, and the four operations.

Also includes embedded Functional English.

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.

This is a combination of speaking & listening, note taking & writing, that I have used successfully as an ice breaker with new groups. It involves learners talking to several people and finding out about their food likes & dislikes (plus allergies, religious considerations etc) before planning a menu for a dinner party. The menu must be acceptable to all the guests! Finally each learner produces their menu presented in a conventional style.

Hands-on extension tasks for various Skillsworkshop cocktail and smoothie resources. (Original resources can be found under “see also” below).

A functional skills activity based on production at microbrewery. Mostly covers measures and percentages. Includes a challenging extension section on calculating excise duty.

Editor’s note
Fully mapped to L1-2 Functional maths. Sorry have no time to create an answer sheet – volunteers welcome!
If your learners are E3-L1 try the equally good “Out for a drink” by the same author.

Reading practice based on a lasagne recipe.
Ideal for mixed ability groups. Questions range from straightforward E3-L1 comprehension through to the features-of-text type that are so important at L1-2 Functional English.

Can be used in conjunction with “Using imperatives “ PPT (see below) and could lead on to a recipe writing type task (writing frame also available below).

A Functional Maths activity based on a group of friends going out for a drink together. The main focus of the activity is on money and time calculations, but there are other elements included for variety.

Editor’s note
Fully mapped to Functional Maths and Adult Numeracy, with answer sheet.
Based on a text about a micro-brewery that also provides reading practice for E3 Functional Englsh.i

This resource is adapted from, and complements, the L1/2 resource with the same title created by Claire Douglas (see below).

The activity is based on recent changes to the minimun wage (Nov 2011). Students have to read the information given on the shop employees’ ages and new minimun pay to work out how much the staff are paid for their work.

I used this activity with my E3 students and they enjoyed it.