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
Level
L1
L2
GCSE L1-5
English
FE L1.9 Identify and understand the main points, ideas and details in texts
FE L1.10 Compare information, ideas and opinions in different texts
L2.12 Compare information, ideas and opinions in different texts, including how they are conveyed
FE L1.23 Write text of an appropriate level of detail and of appropriate length (including where this is specified) to meet the needs of purpose and audience
FE L2.24 Write text of an appropriate level of detail and of appropriate length (including where this is specified) to meet the needs of purpose and audience
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
Level
E3
L1
L2
GCSE L1-5
English
FE E3.11 Use effective strategies to find the meaning of words (e.g. a dictionary, working out meaning from context; using knowledge of different word types)
FE L1.17 Read and understand a range of specialist words in context
FE L1.16 Recognise vocabulary typically associated with specific types and purposes of texts (e.g. formal, informal, instructional, descriptive, explanatory and persuasive)
FE L2.17 Analyse texts, of different levels of complexity, recognising their use of vocabulary and identifying levels of formality and bias
Aimed at Functional Skills Level 2 learners, this resource is also suitable for the new 9 -1 GCSE requirements (Reading A2 and A3).
It is designed to be done towards the end of a unit on reading skills as it draws together skimming, scanning, information retrieval skills and the ability to collate information.
This is a short explanation with examples of eight sorts of conjunctive adverb arranged by type. There is an activity to complete, as well as some stretch/research activities for differentiation.
Editor’s note
Fully mapped to L2 Functional English and GCSE English
Level
L2
GCSE L1-5
English
FE L2.20 Punctuate writing correctly using a wide range of punctuation markers (e.g. colons, commas, inverted commas, apostrophes and quotation marks)
FE L2.28 Construct complex sentences consistently and accurately, using paragraphs where appropriate
Questioning for understanding is a really useful help sheet that encourages learners to ask relevant questions (any topic, any level). Based on Kipling’s “What and Why and When, And How and Where and Who” with teaching ideas and useful links.
For a related resource using the same idea to investigate and write newspaper reports please see Ellie Walsh’s Looking at Newspapers (below).
Level
E1
E2
E3
L1
L2
English
Poetry
AL SLc/E1.3
SLc/E2.2
SLc/E3.4
SLc/L1.2
SLc/L2.2
General
Study Skills and General Teaching
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond
