Adult Literacy, Functional English, and GCSE Resources

These resources were created to support learners in developing knowledge of spelling rules.

Handout 1 can be used to support learners who struggle with spelling words with an interior /ks/ sound, such as access and excess.

Handout 2 can be used to support learners who struggle with spelling words that start with PER and PRE.

A classic anonymous poem that has the correct spelling but the wrong words.

Read the poem aloud to your students before they have sight of it. Then give them page 1 of the work sheet.

Root word family cards are two sets of flash cards that can be used to visualise the concept of root words to entry level and L1 students.

The entry level cards contain a number of root words and their word families, with a picture representation of each word. The level one sheet contains a higher level of vocabulary and the pictures have been removed.

Lesson Ideas

This is a set of ‘shun’ suffix word cards to accompany the “Which suffix -cian -ssion, sion or tion?” resource (see below).

Print the sheets onto card or have them laminated, then cut up the individual root word cards for learners to sort under the correct headings.

This colourful PowerPoint aims to teach learners about the structure of words in the English language. Numerous examples are given to help learners think of their own root words, suffixes and prefixes.

Visual colour-coded resource, explaining the main plural spelling rules. Created for E2/E3 learners, but could also be useful for all visual learners working between E2-L2.

Includes: colour-coded fact sheet, blank table, worksheet and flash cards to cut out and laminate. Could be used for a number of different activities.

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 Powerpoint suitable for an end of lesson assessment. Includes omissive and possessive apostrophes.

This resource was created for Adult Literacy Entry 3 Learners but can be used with mixed ability groups from E2 – L1. It includes reading comprehension and related exercises covering many curriculum areas, based on the Guy Fawkes Night theme.

The first section is a comprehension based on the history of Guy Fawkes and Bonfire Night. The text is suitable for E3-L2. Questions cover general comprehension, punctuation, homophones/spellings, proper nouns, alphabetical order and dictionary work. Some questions are also suitable for E2.

A 12 piece follow me game where homophones must be matched to the correct sentence. A good mix of common and more unusual homophones such as preys/praise/prays and there/their/they’re. First used in a Motor Vehicles Functional English group but suitable for any L1-2 English / literacy group.

Guaranteed to create promote discussion as learners play the game (best laminated). As usual with Tarsia puzzles, you can choose to print a standard or large puzzle (select Output – large, i.e. 3 pieces per A4 sheet).