A reading comprehension and vocabulary activity suitable for both ESOL and Literacy / Functional Skills. The activities are based on a BBC News article about John Cronin’s online business, John’s Crazy Socks. John, who has Down’s Syndrome, is a co-founder of the business, along with his father, Mark.
Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
English
Adult Literacy: Engage in Discussion
Use reading strategies
Rw/L1.2
Identify main points and detail
Plan, compose and draft
Follow and understand
Functional Skills English
ESOL
ESOL: Reading word focus - vocabulary, word recognition, phonics (Rw)
A list of simple sentences, some of which are common sayings. They all contain a word which has more than one meaning. The list can be used to improve vocabulary, and also to show students the importance of context in understanding the meaning of a word. Could be used as a warm-up for a reading lesson.
Level
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
English
Adult Literacy: Reading at word level (phonics & vocabulary)
Rw/E3.5
Functional English reading
Homophones, homographs & confusables
ESOL
ESOL: Reading word focus - vocabulary, word recognition, phonics (Rw)
ESOL Rw/E3.5a Use variety of reading strategies to read/understand unfamiliar words
This resource has a range of activities to help students learn useful expressions/ language to make a complaint.
It is useful in building confidence in making complaints in person and on the telephone.
Editor’s note
Includes sample dialogue with questions (can also be used as a reading comprehension), matching cards, sammple scenarios, curriculum mapping and teaching notes.
Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
English
Functional English - speaking, listening & communicating
Functional English reading
Adult Literacy: Speaking & Listening
ESOL
ESOL Sc/E3.4d Give an explanation
ESOL Sc/E3.4a Express clearly statements of fact
ESOL Sc/E2.3d Give an explanation
ESOL Sc/E2.2a make requests: ask for things or action
ESOL Lr/E3.2b Listen for detail face to face or on the phone
A simplified reading comprehension based on the origins of Halloween with accompanying questions.
Two versions: one for E2 – low E3, another for high E3 – L1.
A simplified reading about cyclones with reference to the two cyclones in Australia in February 2015 followed by some exercises. The exercises are at different levels to meet the very different abilities of students in my class.
Editor’s note
Lovely selection of reading materials and exercises – includes fill-in tables, questions, word searches (two levels), and a blank map to add cyclone paths. E1-E3.
Update (28/2/15)
Small error in wind speed chart now corrected.
This is a series of short job ads for a hotel (+ one for a school caretaker). Simple language and uncluttered layout..
Good for introduction to language of employment. I have used these with E1 to E3 and they work well as a differentiated resource
Higher levels can gauge implict information, especially for the school caretaker advert in writing covering application letters to include attributes such as working with children, being trustworthy and reliable etc)
This is an exercise designed to have learners find particular information in a table. They then have to enter some information on circuit details forms – they also have to use an atlas or similar to identify the correct national flag for each circuit.
This is a popular resource for all-male classes where they already may have an interest in Formula One. It can make a great classroom display as well. As an extension, they have “plotted” the circuits on a blank world map, which helps for general knowledge/geography.
This resource helps learners hear rhymes and recognise corresponding letters/digraphs, rimes and onsets etc. Take simple limericks and poems and get your learners to put them together.
I created my own limericks to match work we had been doing on long vowel sounds (it is not that difficult to do once you get started). Well-known poems and nursery rhymes also proved particularly popular as many knew them already by heart from childhood and some were doing them now with their children.
Level
M8
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
English
Poetry
SLlr/E1.2
AL Rw/E2.2 Recognise high frequency words & words with common spelling patterns
AL Rw/E1.2 Decode simple, regular words
Functional English reading
Pre-entry
pre-Entry Rw/M8.2 Associate sounds with patterns in letters, syllables, words,