Contextual Resources

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.

Practice for E2 exams with a pet theme. Reading comprehension, alphabetical order, writing and discussion are all covered.

A clever grammar/vocabulary/spelling task that combines a cloze exercise with homophone practice. The text is about the Victorian era and is particularly suitable for students with an interest in history.

A Functional Maths resource using area, multiplication, division and money. I have used Wickes catalogues with my students as they are small and easy to use, but combining the task with internet research to find the best price would be a really good way of doing this lesson.
Fully mapped to L1-2 Functional Maths criteria.

A set of exercises based on an article from the BBC News website.
The article concerns a survey conducted by iPhone. There is a comprehension exercise, an exercise involving the identification of spelling errors and a synonym exercise. The learner is also asked to write their views. Useful for those working towards the Level 2 Certificate in Adult Literacy.

An article from BBC News on-line.
There is a set of comprehension questions, a homophone exercise and an
anagrams puzzle. There is a short writing task.

A set of exercises based on an article from the BBC News website.
This may interest learners who are keen on computer technology.
There is a comprehension exercise, exercises involving the identification of punctuation and spelling errors, and a vocabulary exercise.
Useful for those working towards Level 2 Certificate in Adult Literacy.

A scaffolded investigation created for my Level 1 numeracy group but ideal for, and fully mapped to, L1-2 Functional maths.
Part 1 involves reading a description of a room and drawing simple scale diagrams (a grid is provided) before pricing up a carpet from a discount company.
Part 2 is more complex: calculate the length of skirting board, wallpaper, paint, dado rail and door framing required.

First used with a group of E1-E2 numeracy students who had done an ICT based project involving cookery work and visiting a cafe to buy a snack. Print on A4 and fold into a very nice A5 leaflet.
The self assessment check boxes focus on basic money skills (recognising coins, giving change – but also slecting items from a list, weighing, etc.) but there is also the opportunity to link learning to numeracy at home or at college. Ideal for Entry Functional maths / catering / hospitality students.

Two practice Christmas cards to help E1-E2 learners with writing their cards. Print off and fold in half.

I also recommend bringing in some sample envelopes to help learners recognise how to lay out a name and address.