Cut and stick

Scissors and glue sticks required!

I created this activity for my ESOL students but it would also work well for Functional English.
The idea is taken from Laura Jeffrey Kiiza’s text types mind map drag and drop activity (L1) – see link below under See also.

Students first use Laura’s drag and drop activity on the computer (this covers both persuasive and instructive texts).
I then gave them the features of persuasive texts (see page 1 of resource) which they cut up and stick on the text on page 2 (or they could simply annotate the text using coloured pens etc.).

Level
Level 1
Level 2
GCSE L1-5
English
Rt/L2.4 Read an argument and identify the points of view
Rt/L2.2 Identify the purpose of a text and infer meaning which is not explicit
Rt/L1.2
GCSE English Reading AO2 Explain & analyse language & structure
Functional English reading
ESOL
ESOL Rt/L2.4a Understand and identify how written arguments are structured
ESOL Rt/L2.2a Identify the purposes of a wide range of texts, whether inferred or explicitly stated
ESOL Rt/L1.2a Know how language and other textual features are used to achieve different purposes

This is a basic editable word wheel which you can print, cut out and attach together with a brass paper fastener.
Learners can concentrate on one word at a time. Word wheels can be used for building vocabulary, spelling practice and much more. Suitable for all levels of Functional Skills and ESOL.
Instructions and ideas are included within the PPT. For example:
Stretchy:

  • Write positive or negative words in the table
  • Look up words that are unfamiliar

Stretchier:

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE READING and understanding words
FE WRITING Spelling
FE WRITING Sentence structure and paragraphs
AL Apply strategies to spell correctly
AL Recognise and understand a range of words
ESOL
ESOL Writing: word focus - spelling and handwriting (Ww)
ESOL: Reading word focus - vocabulary, word recognition, phonics (Rw)
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond

This resource will help learners recognise words related to personal information. Learners will read, match, fill in the gaps and identify the number of syllables.

Level
Entry Level 1
M8
English
Syllables
ESOL
ESOL Ww/E1.2a Form the letters of the alphabet using upper and lower case
ESOL Ww/E1.1b Use basic sound-letter correspondence & letter patterns to aid spelling
ESOL Rw/E1.3b Recognise digits
ESOL Rw/E1.3a Identify letters of alphabet in both upper & lower case
ESOL Rw/E1.2a Use basic sound-letter correspondence to sound out words
ESOL Rw/E1.1a Recognise a limited number of words, signs and symbols

Little starter activity for E2 learners to use odds and evens in a common real life scenario. Could be cut and stick or learners just write in numbers, for a quicker activity.

Level
Entry Level 2
Maths
Functional Maths - numbers and the number system
Context
Employment skills & Public services

A collection of worksheets asking students to cut out and put the items in order using a given criterion. More able students can measure the items.

Level
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 1
Maths
MSS1/E3.5
MSS1/E2.5
MSS1/E1.4
MSS1/E1.3
Functional Maths - measures, shape & space

Photos and pictures to match with accounts of real emergency situations. All in the present tense. All the accounts are true. Accounts can be cut in to strips and given to pairs of learners who can put them in to a sequence to tell a story. Leads to discussion on how we tell a story, and how we sequence sentences to make sense.
Lots of new, real life vocabulary to provoke discussion.
Some stories shorter and simpler than others to allow for differentiation in group.

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 1
English
AL Rt/E2.1 Follow main points of short texts
AL Rt/E1.1 Read short familiar texts
Functional English reading
ESOL
ESOL Rt/E2.1a Use a range of strategies to trace & understand main events
ESOL Rt/E1.1b Obtain information from texts
Context
Employment skills & Public services

A recap exercise where Functional English learners match the correct aspects of formal letter writing together and lay them out in letter format.

This could be printed out and laminated but I usually give my students a printout of the first pages and they cut out the text boxes and arrange them appropriately. I have included some red herrings such as incorrect text alignment and unsuitable salutations and closures.

I have included my suggestion of the correct layout on the third page.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
English
Functional English - writing
Functional English reading
General literacy / English
ICT
Functional Skills ICT: Developing, presenting and communicating information
Context
Retail Hospitality Customer service

The worksheets can be used as seems appropriate for your learners. My method was for learners to identify the seasons and write the names beneath the pictures – I had put them on the board in a random order for learners to be able to use first and second letter recognition to match the words and pictures.

The days of the week sheet was used as a recapping tool – learners insert the first letter, then fold at the dotted line and write them out again. This was followed by a Q and A session on ‘what do you do on…’ to get learners talkiing about activities.

Level
M8
Entry Level 1
Pre-entry
pre-Entry Rtc/M8.3 When working with texts communicate about persons, characters, events, objects
pre-Entry Rs/M8.1 Understand that words are grouped together to convey meaning, using rules & structure
pre-Entry Rw/M8.2 Associate sounds with patterns in letters, syllables, words,
pre-Entry Rw/M8.3 Recognise & read a growing no. of words signs symbols
pre-Entry Wt/M8.4 Use words, letters, signs, symbols & images in supported writing for simple purposes
pre-Entry Ws/M8.1 Understand that words are grouped together to convey meaning, using rules & structure
pre-Entry Ww/M8.1 Write with appropriate grip making many controlled letter shapes & using a conventional sequence of letters
pre-Entry Ww/M8.2 Associate sounds with patterns in some letters, syllables. words, rhymes, songs
ESOL
ESOL Writing (W)
ESOL Reading (R)

This wonderful pack of differentiated resources is ideal for mixed ability classes from Entry 1 through to Level 2. It takes the learner through:

  • the layout of formal and informal letters
  • formal and informal language
  • typical vocabulary for formal letters
  • sentences and paragraphs
  • writing a range of letters
  • revision and/or assessment exercises

Includes writing prompts, task sheets, matching /sorting cards, and a many cut and stick exercises.

Fully mapped to the Functional English writing criteria.

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
Functional English - writing
Apply punctuation and capitalisation
Organise and present text structure
Plan, compose and draft
Use language style and purpose
Context
Business & Money management
Employment skills & Public services

Label the House is a beautiful labelling (or cut and stick) activity for preEntry-Entry 1 Lit and ESOL. Also makes a great starting point for preEntry discussion about words, images, names of familiar objects etc.

Editor’s note Oct 2013
Thumbnail picture added to description above and minor edits to the original 2008 resource including: font change; removal of an extra, unneeded labelling box; and adjustment to one labelling arrow pointing to the letterbox.

Level
M7
M8
Entry Level 1
English
AL Rw/E1.1 Have limited, meaningful sight vocabulary of words, signs, symbols
Pre-entry
pre-Entry Rtc/M7.1 Distinguish between print, text, symbols, images
pre-Entry Rw/M7.3 Recognise & select up to ten personal words, signs, symbols
pre-Entry Wt/M7.2 Use words/signs/symbols/images & match their meanings to objects, people, places
pre-Entry Rtc/M8.3 When working with texts communicate about persons, characters, events, objects
pre-Entry Rw/M8.3 Recognise & read a growing no. of words signs symbols
pre-Entry Wt/M8.1 Understand that words/signs/symbols/images convey information
pre-Entry Ws/M8.1 Understand that words are grouped together to convey meaning, using rules & structure
ESOL
ESOL Rw/E1.1a Recognise a limited number of words, signs and symbols