Adult Literacy, Functional English, and GCSE Resources

This resource is based on the DfES ESOL Skills for Life recording 'Changes interview 1'. It gives exam practice questions (C&G style) in the first section and in the second section an activity to enable learners to tune in to the sounds of English. The first section can be completed in class and the second at home or the whole sheet can be given for homework. Listening development at home enables learners to listen as often as they wish and tune in until they hear the text more clearly.

This resource is based on the DfES ESOL Skills for Life recording 'Phoning about symptoms'. It gives exam practice questions (C&G style) in the first section and in the second section an activity to enable learners to tune in to the sounds of English. The first section can be completed in class and the second at home or the whole sheet can be given for homework. Listening development at home enables learners to listen as often as they wish and tune in until they hear the text more clearly.

Delightful reading and writing tasks based on a very short text originally written for a motorbike-loving learner who had difficulties decoding and distinguishing between long and short vowel sounds. Includes comprehension questions and spelling / punctuation tasks. Fully mapped to the reformed Entry 1 Functional English content. This includes detailed phonic breakdown of the reading text.

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.

A set of Functional English tasks that underpin the revised Functional Skills English content, 2018 [1].  Resources will be released gradually (as they are written!) from Oct 21st until Nov 11th 2018. All tasks are based on one or more texts from a graduated set of seven, all focusing on the 2018 Armistice Centenary commemorations. Five sets of tasks, based on Texts A, B, C, D and E are now available.

A set of Entry 1 and Entry 2 English tasks that focus on two short texts about the alphabetical list of winter storm names released by the Met Office. The first Functional English resource I have written based on the revised Functional Skills English content (2018) which will be used by awarding organisations from September 2019 [1]. 

Many of these common spellings used to crop up regularly in the former Level 1 literacy tests. They will also be useful for Level 1 and Level 2 Functional Skills students.

They have been categorised to make learning more manageable for learners, but some spellings will fit into more than one group.

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).

Two Tarsia puzzles based around formal and informal language. Guaranteed to prompt discussion as learners solve the puzzles. I suggest that the smaller one (16 piece triangle) is roughly at L1 and the larger on (24 piece hexagon) is at L2. I have duplicated some of my word choices from Imogen Stewart’s excellent ‘Little Britain’ (Language: formal, informal or slang?) resource which was also about formal and informal language (see link below). ‘Cheers’ has ‘regards’ as its synonym because of email sign offs – which I have found to be an interesting topic for discussion.

A 16 piece triangular jigsaw puzzle where common homophones must be matched to the correct sentence. Use as an ice breaker or plenary activity – great for pairs or small groups. Guaranteed to create promote discussion as learners solve puzzle (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).