GCSE L1-5

This reading resource is designed for Functional Skills English learners.  It is aimed at level 1 and level 2, although it may be adapted for Entry level 3 also.  The resource is comprised of two texts that suggest how teenagers and young people can look after their mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.  Text A is adapted from the UNICEF website, and Text B is an informal email written from one worried friend to another.   The questions are written to model the reformed Edexcel Functional Skills exams, and are aimed to gi

Functional Skills Level 2 Reading Task on Convid-19. 

Two texts based on the current Corona virus crisis.

• Text 1 - opinionated, news article from a professor
• Text 2 - factual guide from Gov.Uk 

Editor's note

This resource covers all the Functional Skills content descriptors relating to ratio and proportion. It was written with mixed L1-L2 classes in mind. I wanted to experiment with inverse proportion questions (a new topic in Reformed Functional Maths) but wanted to build up to them gradually. The questions are contextualised and problem based, with no underpinning taught, so learners will need an introduction to ratios (or a refresher) beforehand. Ratios, direct and inverse proportion are covered.

Challenging set of  questions based on an infographic from a recent TV Licensing annual review.  Aimed at L1-2 but a few questions are Entry 2/3 - there are also  a couple of  "stretch questions" making a bridge to GCSE. Two main topics are covered: working with very large numbers and percentages. Extracting data, equivalents and ordering decimals are also touched upon.

These two lessons explore the Windrush Scandal. 

The video gives an opportunity to listen for gist and detail, and is followed by a focus on sentence stress and intonation.

The article gives an opportunity for learners to analyse the purpose of the text and look at persuasive techniques, and is accompanied by a vocabulary from context exercise.

A L2 reading lesson around the optimism of Spring, and Easter and pagan traditions, especially suitable for the start of the Summer term, as a springboard to setting intentions for the rest of the course. Suitable for ESOL or Functional Skills courses.

Editor's note

Fully mapped to the reformed FS content - and GCSE English. Also includes a vocabulary consolidation task for the next lesson.

Whilst I designed this resource for Adult Numeracy learners, it has found much use over the years across the maths cohorts I've worked with from pre-GCSE to ESOL, and with GCSE learners.

It is in Excel format - 3 tabs for different activities and the second Excel file is the solution sheet.

The sheets are formatted to print off as A4 landscape to allow learners to have their own copies to work on.

This has always worked well as a starter activity with learners in small groups (or teams) and having a competitive edge.

Reading comprehension and writing tasks designed to prepare adults who are returning to education and taking Functional English at Level 1 or Level 2.

Level 1 reading comprehension is based on two texts about returning to education. This is followed by two writing tasks. Level 2 includes all the L1 texts and questions plus an additional lengthy text and questions that involve summarising, and comparing and contrasting two or more texts.

Editor's note

This revision aid for L1/L2 (mainly L2) Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills maths gives a side-by-side comparison of perimeter, area and volume, the sort of units that would be involved with each and a worked Functional Skills example of each with a PAV mnemonic for remembering which is which. I have also looked through the last few years of Pearson Edexcel FS for the sorts of questions that require each one. 
Note: All images from Pixabay, so do not need crediting.

Editor's note

This set of steps (taken from Coady & Nation (1988)) with a worked example shows students one process for doing a ‘best guess’ of what to do when they come across a new word. Followed by a set of 10 exercises with some lovely, unusual words.

Editor's note
Fully mapped to GCSE and the new 2018 Functional English content