An introduction lesson for ESOL/Pre Entry to help build learner confidence and introduce them to college rules/expectations.
Editor's note
Two complete and very welcoming lessons. Also covers asking and responding to questions about personal information, recognising letters of the alphabet, and classroom equipment. Lovely :)
Level
M8
Entry Level 1
English
AL SLlr/E1.4
AL SLc/E1.3
AL Rw/E1.1 Have limited, meaningful sight vocabulary of words, signs, symbols
AL Rw/E1.3
AL Ww/E1.2
Pre-entry
pre-Entry SLlr/M8.1 Listen and respond to familiar people in simple/personal contexts
pre-Entry SLlr/M8.2 Listen to & answer simple questions about personal details/experiences/events & narratives
pre-Entry SLc/M8.1 Use key words, signs, symbols when communicating about own experiences, and to recount a narrative
pre-Entry Rw/M8.1Recognise letters of the alphabet by shape, name, sound
pre-Entry Rw/M8.3 Recognise & read a growing no. of words signs symbols
pre-Entry Ww/M8.1 Write with appropriate grip making many controlled letter shapes & using a conventional sequence of letters
ESOL
ESOL Lr/E1.4a Listen and respond to requests for personal information
ESOL Lr/E1.4b Recognise different question words
ESOL Sc/E1.3a Ask for personal details
ESOL Rw/E1.1a Recognise a limited number of words, signs and symbols
ESOL Rw/E1.3a Identify letters of alphabet in both upper & lower case
ESOL Ww/E1.2a Form the letters of the alphabet using upper and lower case
Learners use a gap-fill to complete positive and negative restaurant reviews.
I designed this resource to encourage learners to use a thesaurus to help improve their vocabulary and use more interesting adjectives.
I’ve used it with Entry level and Level 1/2 learners.
Editor's note
Fully mapped to the new 2018 Functional English content which comes into effect September 2019.
Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
English
FE E2.17 Communicate information using words & phrases appropriate to audience & purpose
FS English E2.20 Use adjectives and simple linking words
FE E2.19 Write in compound sentences, using common conjunctions to connect clauses
FE E3.22 Use language appropriate for purpose & audience
FE L1.24 Use format, structure & language appropriate for audience & purpose
This set of steps (taken from Coady & Nation (1988)) with a worked example shows students one process for doing a ‘best guess’ of what to do when they come across a new word. Followed by a set of 10 exercises with some lovely, unusual words.
Editor's note
Fully mapped to GCSE and the new 2018 Functional English content
Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
GCSE L1-5
English
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE L1.17 Read & understand a range of specialist words in context
FE L1.16 Recognise vocabulary typically associated with specific types and purposes of texts (e.g. formal, informal, instructional, descriptive, explanatory and persuasive)
FE L2.17 Analyse texts, of different levels of complexity, recognising their use of vocabulary and identifying levels of formality and bias
GCSE English Reading AO2 Explain & analyse language & structure
I created this activity for my ESOL students but it would also work well for Functional English.
The idea is taken from Laura Jeffrey Kiiza’s text types mind map drag and drop activity (L1) – see link below under See also.
Students first use Laura’s drag and drop activity on the computer (this covers both persuasive and instructive texts).
I then gave them the features of persuasive texts (see page 1 of resource) which they cut up and stick on the text on page 2 (or they could simply annotate the text using coloured pens etc.).
Level
Level 1
Level 2
GCSE L1-5
English
Rt/L2.4 Read an argument and identify the points of view
Rt/L2.2 Identify the purpose of a text and infer meaning which is not explicit
Rt/L1.2
GCSE English Reading AO2 Explain & analyse language & structure
Functional English reading
ESOL
ESOL Rt/L2.4a Understand and identify how written arguments are structured
ESOL Rt/L2.2a Identify the purposes of a wide range of texts, whether inferred or explicitly stated
ESOL Rt/L1.2a Know how language and other textual features are used to achieve different purposes
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)
Very topical resource based on an article about the popular, award-winning Blue Planet 2 series.
General reading comprehension questions (with a focus on reading for detail) followed by a challenging writing exercise where the learner has to email a friend and persuade them not to leave litter on the beach.
With answers and curriculum mapping.
Very topical resource about the the Blue Moon Eclipse due on 31 Jan 2018.
General reading comprehension questions followed by an interesting writing exercise where the learner has to enter a competition to win a telescope.
With answers and curriculum mapping.
This is a basic editable word wheel which you can print, cut out and attach together with a brass paper fastener.
Learners can concentrate on one word at a time. Word wheels can be used for building vocabulary, spelling practice and much more. Suitable for all levels of Functional Skills and ESOL.
Instructions and ideas are included within the PPT. For example:
Stretchy:
Write positive or negative words in the table
Look up words that are unfamiliar
Stretchier:
Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE READING and understanding words
FE WRITING Spelling
FE WRITING Sentence structure and paragraphs
AL Apply strategies to spell correctly
AL Recognise and understand a range of words
ESOL
ESOL Writing: word focus - spelling and handwriting (Ww)
ESOL: Reading word focus - vocabulary, word recognition, phonics (Rw)
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond
This is a spelling/phonetics resource that could be used as a starter, differentiated activity or filler. Learners colour in the squares where the words have an /f/ sound, these words are hidden with words that are ‘gh’ but aren’t pronounced /f/. When completed the grid shows a smiley face. There are a few trap words in here which can be used for dictionary or internet search practice.
A worksheet which aims at getting pre-entry /E1 ESOL learners to practice different responses to greetings; both positive and negative responses. It also includes a picture matching task which helps learners to understand feelings and moods.
Editor’s note
Also suitable for pre-Entry literacy.
Level
M8
Entry Level 1
English
AL SLc/E1.3
AL Rw/E1.1 Have limited, meaningful sight vocabulary of words, signs, symbols
Pre-entry
pre-Entry Rw/M8.3 Recognise & read a growing no. of words signs symbols
pre-Entry SLc/M8.3 Use growing vocabulary to convey meaning to the listener (beyond that of purely personal significance)
