Australia

The majority of our site users are from the UK but over the past 20 years we have had visitors from every country in the world (except North Korea!).
After Great Britain, our most frequent visits are from the US, India, Ireland, Australia and Canada (when updating this page on Jan 14 2023 my interesting visit of the day was from the Portuguese town of Ponta Delgada, on São Miguel Island in the Azores!).

Resources with an Australia tag  fall into one or more of the following categories:

  • cover Australian topics 
  • written by Australian contributors
  • written by UK contributors that live or have lived in Oz
  • include Australian currency in addition to UK currency (maths worksheets)

A reading based on a news item. Includes comprehension questions, wordsearch puzzle, crossword, putting words in order to make sentences.

Editor’s note
Aimed at E2-E3 but some parts are suitable for E1 (with support). With Functional Skills mapping.

Level
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
English
AL Rt/E3.1 Understand longer texts
AL Rt/E2.1 Follow main points of short texts
Functional English reading
Context
Animals, animal care, farming & equine

A worksheet giving details of 4 different whale watching tours (times, cost, accessibility, activities, etc.).

This is followed by 4 different scenarios, each describing a family or group. Students must choose the best tour for each group and work out the costs. As this holiday activity is in Australia, the price are in $AUD. An extra exercise could be to use the current exchange rate to work out the cost in your own currency.Includes answers.

Level
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Maths
General numeracy / maths
Functional Maths
Context
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism

A simplified reading about cyclones with reference to the two cyclones in Australia in February 2015 followed by some exercises. The exercises are at different levels to meet the very different abilities of students in my class.

Editor’s note
Lovely selection of reading materials and exercises – includes fill-in tables, questions, word searches (two levels), and a blank map to add cyclone paths. E1-E3.

Update (28/2/15)
Small error in wind speed chart now corrected.

Level
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 1
M8
English
AL Ww/E1.2
AL Rt/E3.1 Understand longer texts
AL Rt/E2.1 Follow main points of short texts
Functional English reading
Context
News, Politics & Government items

A short description of the famous Australian horse race followed by comprehension questions. Includes suggested answers.

Level
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
English
AL Rt/E3.1 Understand longer texts
AL Rt/E2.1 Follow main points of short texts
Functional English reading
ESOL
ESOL Rt/E3.1a Understand how meaning is built up in a variety texts of more than one paragraph
ESOL Rt/E2.1b Use reading strategies to obtain information from texts
Context
Sport and fitness
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism
Animals, animal care, farming & equine

An easy reading for beginners followed by complete the sentence exercise and a prompt to write about themselves. Two sheets – one for British students, one for Australian learners.

Level
Entry Level 1
English
AL Rt/E1.1 Read short familiar texts
ESOL
ESOL Rt/E1.1b Obtain information from texts
ESOL Rt/E1.1a Follow a short narrative on a familiar topic or experience

A short reading text for beginners, followed by fill the gap sentences. Two sheets – one for British students and one for Australian students.

Level
Entry Level 1
English
AL Rt/E1.1 Read short familiar texts
ESOL
ESOL Rt/E1.1b Obtain information from texts
ESOL Rt/E1.1a Follow a short narrative on a familiar topic or experience
Context
Catering Food Nutrition

A set of questions about an advertisement for motorbikes. Students are asked to find information about the store, as well as comparing the prices of motorbikes for sale. Provides practice in scanning, skimming, comparing numbers, etc.
Answer key included.

Level
Entry Level 2
English
Functional English reading
Maths
Functional Maths - numbers and the number system
Context
Motor vehicles & Transport

A first person autobiographical account of life in outback Australia.
Exercises include comprehension questions using when, where etc.
A revision of past tense verbs – regular and irregular.
A fill the gap using the correct verb tense.
A writing prompt for students to write about themselves – emphasising the use of conjunctions and short paragraphs.
A Wordsearch.
Includes a glossary of Australian words used in the text.

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
English
Adult Lit Wt/L1.1 Plan and draft writing
Wt/E3.2
AL Wt/E3.1 Plan & draft writing
Ws/L1.2
Adult Lit Ws/L1.1 Write in complete sentences
Ws/E3.2
Ws/E3.1
AL Rt/L1.1 Understand continuous texts
AL Rt/E3.1 Understand longer texts
ESOL
ESOL Wt/L1.1a Apply genre-specific planning strategies as appropriate
ESOL Wt/E3.2a
ESOL Wt/E3.1a Recognise the process of planning and drafting
ESOL Ws/L1.2a
ESOL Ws/L1.1a Write using complex sentences
ESOL Ws/E3.2a Use basic sentence grammar accurately
ESOL Ws/E3.1a Write using complex sentences
ESOL Rt/L1.1a Understand how meaning is built up in paragraphed texts
ESOL Rt/E3.1a Understand how meaning is built up in a variety texts of more than one paragraph
Context
History, culture, museums, libraries

A simplified worksheet which covers labelling fractions, writing the words and a practical exercise in estimating eg: Mark 1/2 cup etc. Uses fractions commonly found in recipes and other practical situations. Ideal for, and mapped to, Functional Maths.

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Maths
N2/E2.1
Functional Maths - numbers and the number system
N2/E3.1
N2/E2.2

Using packet seasoning to make tacos. Worksheet provides practice in finding and using printed information such as steps to be followed and other ingredients needed to be purchased when cooking with packaged seasonings etc.
Includes illustration of sample package, questions to be answered, and suggested answers.
Ideal for, and fully mapped to, Entry Level 2 Functional English reading.

Level
Entry Level 2
English
AL Rt/E2.1 Follow main points of short texts
Rs/E2.1
Functional English reading
Context
Catering Food Nutrition