FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts

E3.9 Identify, understand and extract the main points and ideas in and from texts

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

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

Primary School bus crash shocks the community

Simplified news article about a bus crash in Australia. Reading activity with DARTs. Can be extended into a speaking and listening and writing activity.

Editor's notes

A very sad story. Ideal for E2-E3 reading and discussion (and equivalent Australian levels). Dictionary/vocabulary work, T/F questions, sentences, cloze exercise and discussion prompt.

Level

Entry Level 2

Entry Level 3

English

FE E2.6 Make appropriate contributions to simple group discussions with others about a straightforward topic

FE E3.6 Make relevant contributions to group discussions about straightforward topics

FE E2.10 Use effective strategies to find words meanings & check spelling e.g. simple dictionary, spell-checker

FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types

FE E2.8 Understand the main points in texts

FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts

FE E2.11 Read & understand sentences with more than one clause

ESOL

ESOL Reading

Context

News, Politics & Government items

Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism

Using English at Work and College

A set of tasks to practise reading and writing skills. Read about a student and his work and college life.

Practise using conjunctions.
Learn synonyms
Practise using punctuation correctly.
Write about your own experience of studying and working

Editor's notes

So practical and down to earth! Find out about Joseph's day to day college life and his busy job with Deliveroo. Also very useful for E2-E3 Functional Skills English students.

Level

Entry Level 2

Entry Level 3

English

General literacy / English

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 E2.8 Understand the main points in texts

FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts

FE E2.19 Write in compound sentences, using common conjunctions to connect clauses

ESOL

ESOL Rt/E2.1a Use a range of strategies to trace & understand main events

ESOL Rw/E2.2a Recognise a range of familiar words

ESOL Rt/E3.1a Understand how meaning is built up in a variety texts of more than one paragraph

ESOL Ws/E2.1a Construct simple and compound sentences

ESOL Ws/E2.3a Use correct punctuation, e.g. capital letters, full stops, question marks

ESOL Ws/E2.1a Construct simple and compound sentences

ESOL Ws/E3.3a Use punctuation to aid clarity in relation to beginnings and ends of sentences

ESOL Ws/E3.2a Use basic sentence grammar accurately

Context

Education and teaching

Employment skills & Public services

Independent living

Travel and Transport - E3 ESOL tasks

Various activities to practise travel and transport themes and ideas. Read about a journey to college, answer comprehension questions and exam style questions, form questions, use adverbs of frequency and conjunctions, along with speaking, listening and writing practice - all on the subject of a journey to college.

Editor's notes

Engaging and relevant! Written for E3 ESOL but the reading text and several of the exercises (for example: conjunctions) also provide useful and relevant practice for E2-L1 Functional Skills English.

Level

Entry Level 2

Entry Level 3

Level 1

English

FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts

FE E2.19 Write in compound sentences, using common conjunctions to connect clauses

FE E2.20 Use adjectives & simple linking words

FE E3.21 Use compound sentences & paragraphs where appropriate

FE E3.1 Identify & extract relevant information & detail in straightforward explanations

FE E3.3 Communicate information & opinions clearly on a range of topics

ESOL

ESOL Rt/E3.7a Scan different parts of texts to locate information

ESOL Rw/E3.3a Use a dictionary to find the meaning of unfamiliar words

ESOL Rt/E3.4a Extract the main points and ideas, and predict words from context.

ESOL Wt/E3.3a Show sequence through the use of discourse markers and conjunctions

ESOL Wt/E3.1a Recognise the process of planning and drafting

ESOL Ws/E3.2a Use basic sentence grammar accurately

ESOL Lr/E3.2a Listen for detail in narratives & explanations

ESOL Sc/E3.4c Give an account/narrate events in the past

Context

Motor vehicles & Transport

Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism

Education and teaching

Unusual Hobbies E3-L1 Reading practice

A reading practise exercise in the style of formal reading exams. Read about unusual hobbies and then choose multiple choice, true/false, and other questions to check a range of reading skills including tone, layout features, vocabulary and general comprehension.

Editor's notes

Written for E3 ESOL but also provides useful and relevant practice for E3-L1 Functional Skills English. Includes a proof reading question on grammar, spelling and punctuation. Interesting article on ghost hunting and keeping ants!

Level

Entry Level 3

Level 1

English

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 L1.12 Recognise that language & other textual features can be varied to suit different audiences & purposes

FE L1.15 Infer from images meanings not explicit in the accompanying text

ESOL

ESOL Rw/E3.3a Use a dictionary to find the meaning of unfamiliar words

ESOL Rs/E3.2a Recognise function of CLs, full stops, commas, question- exclamation- and speech marks, bullet points /numbering

ESOL Rs/L1.1a Use implicit & explicit grammatical knowledge to predict meaning & check for sense

ESOL Rt/E3.4a Extract the main points and ideas, and predict words from context.

ESOL Rt/E3.5a Locate organisational features, such as contents, index, menus

ESOL Rt/E3.7a Scan different parts of texts to locate information

Context

Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism

Hobbies and Freetime Activities - Reading Practice

Reading activities to practise reading skills and prepare for exams. The first activity is 3 reading texts and exam style questions focussing on purpose, tone, features and other skills. The second activity asks students to select the correct word practising spelling, grammar and vocabulary skills. All activities are along the theme of hobbies and free time activities. Help to prepare for Entry 3 reading exams.

Editor's notes

Level

Entry Level 3

Level 1

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 L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details

FE L2.19 Identify different styles of writing & writer’s voice

ESOL

ESOL Rw/E3.3a Use a dictionary to find the meaning of unfamiliar words

ESOL Rw/E3.5a Use variety of reading strategies to read/understand unfamiliar words

ESOL Rs/E3.1b Use knowledge of syntax and grammar to work out meaning

ESOL Rt/E3.2a Distinguish between different purposes of texts at this level

ESOL Rt/E3.5a Locate organisational features, such as contents, index, menus

ESOL Rt/E3.6a Skim read key textual features (title, heading and illustrations) for different purposes

ESOL Rt/E3.7a Scan different parts of texts to locate information

ESOL Rt/E3.8a Read every word to obtain specific information

ESOL Rt/L1.2a Know how language and other textual features are used to achieve different purposes

ESOL Ww/E3.1a Apply spelling knowledge to a wide range of common & special-interest words

ESOL Ww/E3.1b Apply knowledge of strategies to aid with spelling

Context

Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism

US Gun Laws (E3-L2 comprehension activities)

A simplified version of a news report taken from ABC's Behind the News. Dating from 2020 it talks bout US Gun Laws from an Australian perspective. The reading text also comes with comprehension questions, a cloze passage, dictionary activities and a writing prompt. There are related tasks at two levels E3/L1 and L1/2.

Editor's notes

Also ideal for stimulating discussion (and thus great practice for the FS speaking and listening assessments). The L1-2 questions provide the opportunity to write longer answers and include a writing prompt.

Level

Entry Level 3

Level 1

Level 2

English

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 E3.11 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 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/E3.1a Understand how meaning is built up in a variety texts of more than one paragraph

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 Rw/E3.5a Use variety of reading strategies to read/understand unfamiliar words

ESOL Writing: text focus (composition)

ESOL Rw/L1.1a Use reference material to find the meaning of unfamiliar words

ESOL Rw/L1.3a Recognise and understand an increasing range of vocabulary

Context

News, Politics & Government items

Bored Security Guard Functional English tasks

Reading, writing and discussion tasks based on this news story from the Metro website: 'Bored' security guard draws eyes on £740,000 painting in gallery | Metro News

For E3, L1,L2 Functional Skills English.

Editor's notes

A lovely engaging story with a wide range of reading questions, three writing tasks (article/blog, letter, description) and a discussion prompt.

Level

Entry Level 3

Level 1

Level 2

English

FE SL&C Discussion

FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts

FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details

FE L1.16 Recognise vocabulary typically associated with specific types and purposes of texts (e.g. formal, informal, instructional, descriptive, explanatory and persuasive)

FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts

FE L2.17 Analyse texts, of different levels of complexity, recognising their use of vocabulary and identifying levels of formality and bias

FE WRITING Use format, structure & language (to meet purpose & audience)

Context

Art Film Media Music Radio TV

Heatwave! Functional English tasks for all levels

Written in and inspired by the July 22 heatwave where temperatures in the UK exceeded 40 degrees!

Three texts about hot weather and its effects on the body. Questions start at Entry Level 1 and progress to Level 2. L1-2 Learners will still need to access the Entry Level texts as the final questions involve comparing two or more texts.

Level

Entry Level 1

Entry Level 2

Entry Level 3

Level 1

Level 2

English

FE E1.9 Read simple sentences containing one clause

FE E1.10 Understand a short piece of text on a simple subject

FE E1.11 Punctuate simple sentences with capital letter & full stop

FE E2.8 Understand the main points in texts

FE E2.12 Use illustrations, images & captions to locate information

FE E2.14 Form regular plurals

FE E2.15 Use 1st & 2nd letters to sequence words alphabetically

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 E3.16 Use 1st, 2nd & 3rd letters to sequence words alphabetically

FE L1.10 Compare information, ideas & opinions in different texts

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 L1.16 Recognise vocabulary typically associated with specific types and purposes of texts (e.g. formal, informal, instructional, descriptive, explanatory and persuasive)

FE L1.17 Read & understand a range of specialist words in context

FE L2.15 Use a range of reference materials & resources (e.g. glossaries, legends/keys) for different purposes

FE L2.12 Compare information, ideas & opinions in different texts, inc. how they are conveyed

FE L2.19 Identify different styles of writing & writer’s voice

Context

Health, Social care, Early years

Health and safety

Add-on E3-L2 questions for Shrove Tuesday L1 reading assessment

A reading, spelling and punctuation add-on Wordwall quiz for our popular Shrove Tuesday L1 reading assessment (Maggie Harnew, 2016). Select the correct answer(s) for each question. Uses a Pancake Day text from an online newspaper article. 12 quick questions covers purpose, source, main points and detail, comma use and vocabulary. Can be used independently of the original resource.

Level

Entry Level 3

Level 1

Level 2

English

FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts

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 L1.21 Spell words used most often in work, study and daily life, including specialist words

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

Context

History, culture, museums, libraries

Congratulations to the GB Olympic curling teams - Wordwall quiz for E3-L2

An interactive onscreen exercise, created in Wordwall, to celebrate the successes of the GB curling teams in the Beijing Winter Olympics. Based on the Queen's congratulatory message of Feb 20, 2022. 12 multiple choice questions cover purpose, style, main points and detail, punctuation and vocabulary. Also makes a great discussion prompt. Written for Level 1 and beyond but many questions will be accessible to Entry Level 3.