FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information

E3.12 Understand organisational features & use to locate relevant information (e.g. contents, index, menus, tabs and links)

Subject content [reformed] functional skills: English (DfE, Feb 2018): 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/functional-skills-subject-content-english

A set of activities based on the Ask for Angela scheme, an important initiative set up with the aim of keeping people in social situations safe. 

The tasks include reading comprehension, SPaG and writing tasks, along with research and discussion opportunities. Planning should be encouraged as part of the writing tasks. There's also a separate task on organisational and presentational features using two Ask for Angela posters.

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE L1.6 Follow / understand discussions & make contributions relevant to situation & subject
FE L2.8 Make relevant and constructive contributions to move discussion forward
FE E2.12 Use illustrations, images & captions to locate information
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE L1.14 Understand organisational / structural features use to locate relevant information
FE L2.16 Understand organisational features & use to locate relevant information in a range of sources
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L2.11 Identify when main points are sufficient & when specific details are important
FE L1.19 Use a range of punctuation correctly (e.g. full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, commas, possessive apostrophes)
FE L1.12 Recognise that language & other textual features can be varied to suit different audiences & purposes
FE L2.14 Understand how textual features/devices can shape meaning for different audiences/purposes
FE L2.20 Punctuate writing correctly using a wide range of punctuation markers e.g. colons, commas, inverted commas, apostrophes, quotation marks
FE L1.24 Use format, structure & language appropriate for audience & purpose
FE L2.27 Use language & register (e.g. persuasive techniques, supporting evidence, specialist words) to suit audience & purpose
ESOL
ESOL Rt/E3.4a Extract the main points and ideas, and predict words from context.
ESOL Rt/L1.3a Understand how main points and specific detail are presented and linked
ESOL Rt/L2.3a Identify the main points and specific detail in different types of text of varying lengths & detail
ESOL Ws/E3.3a Use punctuation to aid clarity in relation to beginnings and ends of sentences
ESOL Ws/L1.3a Use punctuation to aid clarity and meaning
ESOL Ws/L2.4a Use a range of punctuation to achieve clarity in simple and complex sentences
ESOL Sd/L1.2a Express views and opinions
ESOL Sd/L2.1a Make relevant contributions and help to move discussions forward
ESOL Rt/E2.4a Obtain information from illustrations, maps, diagrams and captions
ESOL Rt/E3.5b Use organisational features in a range of reference sources
ESOL Rt/L1.4a Use organisational & structural features to locate information
ESOL Rt/L2.6a Use organisational features and systems to locate texts and information
ESOL Rt/L1.2a Know how language and other textual features are used to achieve different purposes
Context
Health and safety
Equality and safeguarding

Health and Safety text covering common Health and Safety Acts and Regulations with questions throughout the text, written in the style of the Functional Skills English Reading exams. 

Editor's notes

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE L1.17 Read & understand a range of specialist words in context
FE L1.17 Read & understand a range of specialist words in context
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L2.11 Identify when main points are sufficient & when specific details are important
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE L1.14 Understand organisational / structural features use to locate relevant information
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE L1.16 Recognise vocabulary typically associated with specific types and purposes of texts (e.g. formal, informal, instructional, descriptive, explanatory and persuasive)
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond
Context
Health and safety

Reading text for Entry Level 3 - Level 2 FS English with exam-style questions. Practice material for the Reading exam. Especially for students with an interest in Boxing. 

Editor's notes

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE L2.15 Use a range of reference materials & resources (e.g. glossaries, legends/keys) for different purposes
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L2.11 Identify when main points are sufficient & when specific details are important
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE L1.14 Understand organisational / structural features use to locate relevant information
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE L1.12 Recognise that language & other textual features can be varied to suit different audiences & purposes
Context
Sport and fitness
Faith & Religion

Reading text for Entry Level 2 - Level 1 FS English with exam-style questions. Practice material for the Reading exam. Especially for students with an interest in Boxing. 

Editor's notes

The text is shorter and less challenging than the other three titles in this series (find these under See Also). The questions cover general comprehension , vocabulary, punctuation, etc.) so there's something to suit everyone from E2-L1 - especially boxing fans!  

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
English
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE L1.14 Understand organisational / structural features use to locate relevant information
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE L1.12 Recognise that language & other textual features can be varied to suit different audiences & purposes
Context
Sport and fitness

Reading text for Entry Level 3 - Level 2 FS English with exam-style questions. Practice material for the Reading exam. Especially for students with an interest in Boxing. 

Editor's notes

The text is lengthy and challenging and some Entry Learners will need support. However, the questions cover a good range of topics (vocabulary, punctuation, detail, purpose, etc.) and reading abilities so there's something to suit everyone here - especially boxing fans! A wonderful example of contextualised and embedded English teaching. 

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE L2.15 Use a range of reference materials & resources (e.g. glossaries, legends/keys) for different purposes
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L2.11 Identify when main points are sufficient & when specific details are important
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE L1.14 Understand organisational / structural features use to locate relevant information
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE L1.12 Recognise that language & other textual features can be varied to suit different audiences & purposes
Context
Sport and fitness
Catering Food Nutrition

Reading text for Entry Level 3-  Level 2 FS English with exam-style questions. 

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE L2.15 Use a range of reference materials & resources (e.g. glossaries, legends/keys) for different purposes
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L2.11 Identify when main points are sufficient & when specific details are important
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE L1.14 Understand organisational / structural features use to locate relevant information
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE L1.12 Recognise that language & other textual features can be varied to suit different audiences & purposes
Context
Sport and fitness
News, Politics & Government items

An updated version of Laura Bell's 2017 Solstice resource (also uses information from British Heritage), this topical resource is bound to be popular. It includes an introductory PPT (with a final differentiated article-writing task and an informative video link) along with a PDF set of reading tasks

Editor's notes

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE L1.14 Understand organisational / structural features use to locate relevant information
FE L1.17 Read & understand a range of specialist words in context
FE E3.16 Use 1st, 2nd & 3rd letters to sequence words alphabetically
FE E3.19 Write text of appropriate length & level of detail
FE L1.23 Write text of appropriate level of detail & length to meet needs of purpose & audience
FE L1.24 Use format, structure & language appropriate for audience & purpose
FE L2.24 Write text of appropriate level of detail & length to meet needs of purpose & audience
FE L2.25 Organise writing for different purposes using appropriate format & structure e.g. standard templates, paragraphs, bullet points, tables
Context
History, culture, museums, libraries
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism
Faith & Religion

Created for ESOL Reading E2-3, but also useful for E3 Functional English. This is a multifaceted resource that includes a range of text types all based on the same story.  It was made because learners struggled identifying types of text.  In this resource the documents are all based on a single topic - Jane. 

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
English
FE E2.8 Understand the main points in texts
FE E2.9 Understand organisational markers in short, straightforward texts
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
ESOL
ESOL Rt/E2.1a Use a range of strategies to trace & understand main events
ESOL Rt/E3.1a Understand how meaning is built up in a variety texts of more than one paragraph
ESOL Rt/E2.2a Understand & identify the different purposes of short, straightforward texts
ESOL Rt/E3.2a Distinguish between different purposes of texts at this level
ESOL Rt/E2.1b Use reading strategies to obtain information from texts
ESOL Rt/E3.6a Skim read key textual features (title, heading and illustrations) for different purposes
ESOL Rt/E3.4a Extract the main points and ideas, and predict words from context.
Context
Education and teaching

A bumper set of E1, E2 and E3 reading and writing resources. Can be used throughout leap year but probably best before or on February 29th! Based on a light hearted article from Metro newspaper there are two sets of reading tasks (one for E1-E2 and one for E2-E3), three writing composition tasks (E1, E2 and E3) and three sets of underpinning writing questions covering spelling, punctuation and alphabetical order at each Entry Level. Pretty much all Entry Level Content descriptors are covered. 

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
English
FE E1.8 Read correctly words designated for Entry Level 1
FE E2.7 Read correctly words designated for Entry Level 2
FE E2.10 Use effective strategies to find words meanings & check spelling e.g. simple dictionary, spell-checker
FE E3.8 Read correctly words designated for Entry Level 3
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE E1.10 Understand a short piece of text on a simple subject
FE E2.8 Understand the main points in texts
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE E2.12 Use illustrations, images & captions to locate information
FE E2.9 Understand organisational markers in short, straightforward texts
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE E1.9 Read simple sentences containing one clause
FE E2.11 Read & understand sentences with more than one clause
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE 1.14 Write letters of alphabet in sequence & in upper / lower case
FE E2.15 Use 1st & 2nd letters to sequence words alphabetically
FE E3.16 Use 1st, 2nd & 3rd letters to sequence words alphabetically
FE E1.11 Punctuate simple sentences with capital letter & full stop
FE E1.12 Use capital letter for pronoun ‘I’ and proper nouns
FE E1.13 Use lower-case letters when there is no reason to use capital letters
FE E2.13 Use basic punctuation correctly (e.g. full stops, question, exclamation marks)
FE E3.13 Use a range of punctuation correctly (e.g. full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, commas)
FE E1.15 Spell correctly words designated for Entry Level 1
FE E2.14 Form regular plurals
FE E2.16 Spell correctly words designated for Entry Level 2
FE E3.14 Form irregular plurals
FE E3.17 Spell correctly words designated for Entry Level 3
FE 1.16 Communicate information in words, phrases & simple sentences
FE E2.19 Write in compound sentences, using common conjunctions to connect clauses
FS English E2.20 Use adjectives and simple linking words
FE E3.21 Use compound sentences & paragraphs where appropriate
FE E2.17 Communicate information using words & phrases appropriate to audience & purpose
FE E3.20 Use appropriate format & structure inc. appropriate use of headings & bullet points
FE E3.22 Use language appropriate for purpose & audience
FE E3.18 Communicate information, ideas & opinions clearly & in logical sequence e.g. chronologically, by task
FE E3.19 Write text of appropriate length & level of detail
Context
News, Politics & Government items

Based on a short, simplified text about Burns Night, this set of 14 questions covers all E3 Functional Skills English reading content descriptors plus a couple of writing elements. Unlike assessment papers, the questions are arranged under topics such as purpose, punctuation, organisation, etc. 

Editor's note

Every year I say I'm going to create a Burns Night resource and every year (until this one) I leave it too late!  An L1-2 version is also available. Happy Burns Night!

 

Level
Entry Level 3
English
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE E2.14 Form regular plurals
FE E3.14 Form irregular plurals
FE E2.15 Use 1st & 2nd letters to sequence words alphabetically
FE E3.16 Use 1st, 2nd & 3rd letters to sequence words alphabetically
FE E3.13 Use a range of punctuation correctly (e.g. full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, commas)
Context
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism
History, culture, museums, libraries