These lesson activities are based on scenes from David Lean’s 1984 film, A Passage to India. Topics relating to culture, integration, separation, race, ethnicity, identity and humanity can easily be raised and discussed via the materials and the film scenes. There are many ways of using this original material and the suggestions are just activities that have worked with L2 and [even] L1 students.
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.
This is a scheme of work I have used in EBD schools to get the pupils engaged with English. It is a 7 week scheme of work aimed at between E3-L2, as it can be differentiated. I have also included the lesson plans that go with the scheme.
Editor’s note
Although written for a Key Stage 3/4 school setting this would work well as a way of embedding Functional English into a vocational childcare course or a family learning situation.
Level
Level 1
Entry Level 3
English
General literacy / English
Functional Skills English
ICT
Functional Skills ICT: Developing, presenting and communicating information
Everything you need for embedding literacy / Functional English into a teaching session that looks at drugs.
Learners explore the types types of drugs and also some of the origins of the problem. It covers types of text and some reading and spelling, including segmenting. There is also a ‘DARTs’ type exercise that explores how to treat a person who may become ill, instructions to re-order, and posters to laminate and discuss.
Some of the posters are quite powerful and may require discretion with their use, but are good illustrations of this type of text.
Originally used pre-2010-election in a mixed ability (E1-L2) group but also makes an excellent Functional English resource at any time.
Detailed 2.5 hour lesson plan includes discussion, mini-presentations, web research and paired writing. Includes internet research guidance sheets, scaffolded gap-fill sheet to help with the web research task and a sample MP information sheet. Ideal for (and fully mapped to) E3-L2 Functional English.
Looking at Newspapers is a wonderful example of creative differentiated teaching across all levels (E1-L2). A detailed lesson description, resources and introductory PPT are included. The lesson uses Kipling’s “What and Why and When, And How and Where and Who” to help students analyse newspaper reports and interview other students, or their teacher, to create their own reports.
Supercars (including the President’s Cadillac, and an Aston Martin with an ejector seat) consists of two detailed, differentiated E1-E2 2.5 hr lesson plans complete with resources.
Includes reading and writing sentences (matching cars to scenarios), alphabet, spelling/phonics, discussion and much more.
Two great activities (one long and detailed – suitable for 2-3 sessions; one shorter and quicker, for a single session) ideal for E3-L1 literacy and ESOL students of all ages. Includes step by step detailed session plans which cover speaking and listening (interviewing), reading and writing skills.
The overall idea is to interview people and then plan their perfect holiday – showing the results as a poster or display. An interview sheet is included.
A great 3 hour Key Skills Communication / Literacy Level 1 / Functional English lesson plan for Painting & Decorating students. Also includes cards for hands-on planning and discussion (in small groups) and work sheet / writing frame for drafting a job program for a 3 bedroom house.
