ICT Resources

Update 24/2/22: written by Paula Fulton and Alexandra Bates, both of Essex ACL. 
A fun activity for ESOL learners which draws on the popularity of the online word guessing game, Wordle.

Editor's note

A complete mini-lesson for ESOL or Functional English! Introductory PPT and a detailed and very useful lesson plan. A great way to integrate spelling strategies with basic ICT skills. Includes discussion about the 26 letters but 44 phonemes of the English language. 

This is a set of worksheets in a MS Excel workbook that deals with fractions.
- Sheet one: a set of pictures (pie charts) that shows fractions from halves to tenths
- Sheet two: equivalent fractions with two pie charts, learners can input fractions and see if they are equivalent by looking at the shape of the pie charts
- Sheet three: starting to look at fractions being equivalent to decimals with two pie charts one for fractions and one for decimals

Simulation of completing an online CV. Very easy to use, fill in the boxes and print after completion.

Simulations of email and online banking registration forms. Can be used in succession, as for the banking registration form you need an email address. When you press the “create account” button it will open the printing menu. Good luck!

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.

A demonstration of how not to make a PowerPoint. This has been used for all levels as an extreme example of the worst PowerPoint ever.

A 4 week scheme of work for OCN E3 Garden Horticulture. Great example of embedding aspects of all three Functional Skills into a vocational course. 4 × 2 hour sessions covering identifying weeds and vegetables; sowing seeds, bulbs and tubers; and preparing growing beds.
With detailed E3 Functional Maths,English and ICT mapping charts showing embedding of measuring, internet searching, reading instructions, writing plant profiles, etc.

A wonderfully detailed plan for 3 × 2 hours sessions for computer beginners. It is also mapped to the literacy curriculum – making it ideal for embedded learning and Entry Functional ICT. Includes scheme of work, session plans, feedback/evaluation forms and 7 resource sheets.
ICT covers creating, opening, printing a document; formatting, printing, copying, proof reading. Mapped to Entry 2 and 3 speaking & listening, and writing (including several exercises on conjunctions and compound sentences).

A very useful sheet (best used on-screen) providing online links to a range of mouse exercises where learners can learn about right and left clicking, double clicking, drag and drop, etc. Activities range form straightforward tutorials to ‘Dress the Eggplant’, Join the Dots and a bubble game. Many also provide very useful practice on reading instructions.