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 literacy resource based around a recent news story. There are a range of tasks relating to an anti-litter app called ‘littergram’ and legal challenges made to the use of its name, with the potential to extend tasks into other aspects of littering and how the litter problem might be resolved. A final extension task asks students to take their own photographs of local examples of litter as supporting evidence for a writing activity.

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.

Learners must choose the next manager of the England football team. Using the task sheet to guide them, they must research, collate and present information for five candidates and then make the final choice.

There is scope for plenty of lively discussion around the choices made and also about what the manager’s job entails.

A Power Point presentation is included as an example, but can also be printed out to use in some of the additional activities described.

Fabulous set of resources used first with OCNW Construction students but also suitable for building services and engineering. Written for L1 Functional Skills students but can easily be simplified/extended to cover Entry 3 and Level 2.
Includes detailed mapping to Functional English, Functional Maths and Functional ICT.

Lovely workbook for E1 ESOL, Literacy or Functional English. Use a prompt for discussion about the importance of keeping in touch, letting people know where you are, and asking for help. With plenty of opportunities for students to write their own texts.

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).

Set of two resources
PowerPoint Straightforward but very useful introduction to computers for preEntry and Entry 1 students. Ideal to use before playing the accompanying bingo game.
Bingo Eight different boards. Call out the name of the part (or write on the class whiteboard for a literacy group). First to complete a line wins (use counters to cover, or laminate and cross off with a dry wipe pen).

MS Office card game can be used to create lots of multi-sensory hands-on games and activities for Basic Skills/Functional Skills/ICT students at all levels. With detailed teaching ideas.