Adult Literacy, Functional English, and GCSE Resources

[img_assist|nid=5297|title=|desc=|link=popup|align=left|width=100|height=70]A functional skills practice writing task for English at E3-L2. Learners write to the Bayfords, recent winners of the £148m Euro Millions jackpot, suggesting what they could spend the money on to help others (or themselves!).

Could be linked to maths: examining costs, interest, odds of winning etc. and discussions around spending, working, and life after a big lottery win could be undertaken.

Layout reflects the City & Guilds exam format for E3 and L1/2.

I developed this simple resource initially as a speaking and listening exercise but quickly discovered I could extend it into a writing activity. The questions are designed not to be too personal. I have used it several times and it has worked well with learners from Entry 1 to Level 2. I particularly like the fact that learners have produced some really excellent writing, which is usually what they find the most difficult.

This carousel of Jubilee tasks was hurriedly put together for a group of 10 E1-E3 Functional Maths and English 16-19 year old learners who had just (very successfully!) finished all their Edexcel Functional Skills assessments.

After a year of hard work from my students, the emphasis was on celebration and fun. However, learning objectives included: measuring, counting, writing an email, spelling, 2D shapes, estimating, rounding and working with money. Rough lesson outline also included.

A whole session activity based on the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. I used it to build on some dictionary work we hade been doing in previous sessions as well as paragraph writing and report writing. We had also been talking about open and closed questions so I have used examples of each in this resource to see if learners spotted them (they did!)

We are based in the same building as the library so there is lots of information handily available about local events but I also had internet enabled laptops in the classroom.

Predicting words from context in a text about youth clubs. It then opens up discussion for how they might help reduce youth crime.

Editor’s note: cloze exercise with opportunities for writing / commenting. With answer sheet.

A set of Power Point slides to get Functional Skills students writing.
I use it towards the end of lessons to get them doing some free writing and to demonstrate whatever they have been working on in the lesson.
Ideas include: smoking, binge drinking, pets, tattoos, Christmas, mobile phones, changing laws, cars and more!

Aimed at E3-L1 Functional Skills groups but could be used with higher / lower levels and adult literacy groups. It should generate plenty of discussion, too! A scaffolded step by step approach helps learners discuss, plan and draft their writing.

A PowerPoint presentation supplements the task sheet. There are facts and pictures to generate interest and to help students recognise some of the dangers involved.

Fully mapped to the Functional English criteria.

A practice exam question based on the style of Edexcel functional skills writing exam questions. Ideal for motor vehicle students.

One task for L1/L2 (formal letter) and one for E3 (letter) which also has a writing frame. Both tasks are on the subject of proposed changes to the driving test and driving laws for new drivers. A fictional story in Great Britain (currently) but real in Northern Ireland, this task also promotes lots of discussion from students which could be used for speaking and listening practice.

This is an activity on New Year. It was written for an E3 ESOL class but could be adapted for E2 fairly easily too. There is a reading comprehension, a group activity, writing practice and also an optional cut-up “top Ten” resolutions activity.

I haven’t done a lesson plan to go with the resources as I think they could be easily adapted and used in different ways.

A practice paper written for Entry 3 Adult Literacy C&G exams at E3 but suitable for, and fully mapped to, Functional English.

All activities are based on a New Year’s Eve theme. The main text and related comprehension questions are about New Year’s Eve superstitions. Other activities include form filling, alphabetical order, dictionary work, planning and writing, and group discussion.