Latest Resources & Links

Added on 7 October 2019

ESOL E1 Listening development: Buying a ticket

This resource is based on the DfES ESOL Skills for Life recording 'Buying a ticket'. It gives exam practice questions (C&G style) in the first section and in the second section an activity to enable learners to tune in to the sounds of English. The first section can be completed in class and the second at home or the whole sheet can be given for homework. Listening development at home enables learners to listen as often as they wish and tune in until they hear the text more clearly.

Level
E1
English
E1.2 Identify and extract the main information from short statements and explanations
E1.4 Make requests and ask straightforward questions using appropriate terms and registers
E1.7 Understand and participate in simple discussions or exchanges with another person about a straightforward topic
ESOL
ESOL Lr/E1.2a Listen for detail
ESOL Lr/E1.2b Listen for detail & respond, in a face-to-face situation
ESOL Lr/E1.1d Listen for gist & respond
ESOL Lr/E1.2e Listen & extract key information
Context
Leisure Travel Tourism
Motor vehicles & Transport

Added on 4 October 2019

Theme Park L1 Functional Skills Maths Project

This is a resource I've designed to be a homework/classwork support for L1 Functional Skills maths (reform).

Editor's notes

A wonderful 104-page compilation of resources covering almost every aspect of Level 1 Reformed Functional Maths. With curriculum mapping and links to further resources. Note this project includes resources from many excellent free web sites - please read the notes on the front cover sheet and page 104 for further information. 

Level
L1
Maths
FM Context free underpinning
FM Contextualised underpinning
Functional Maths - problem solving
Functional Maths - numbers and the number system
Functional Maths - measures, shape & space
Functional Maths - handling information and data
Context
Leisure Travel Tourism

Added on 23 September 2019

Halloween E2 Reading tasks

Originally written as a mock E2 ESOL reading paper with a Halloween theme. Now amended with extra tasks to reflect the reformed Entry Level 2 Functional English content. Covers alphabetical order / dictionary work, general comprehension, purpose of text (E3) and some writing elements (see below). 

Entry 2 Halloween reading tasks

Editor's note

Level
E2
English
FE E2.7 Read correctly words designated for Entry Level 2
FE E2.8 Understand the main points in texts
E2.10 Use effective strategies to find the meaning of words and check their spelling (e.g. a simple dictionary, spell-checker)
E2.15 Use the first and second letters to sequence words in alphabetical order
E2.18 Complete a form asking for personal information (e.g. first name, surname, address, postcode, age, date of birth)
ESOL
ESOL Reading: text focus (comprehension)
ESOL Rs/E2.1d Use punctuation and capitalisation to aid understanding
ESOL Rw/E2.4a
ESOL Rw/E2.5a
Context
Leisure Travel Tourism

Added on 23 September 2019

Benford's Law - data handling investigation

This is a project based on Benford's law. I had this idea after watching the Numberphile series on YouTube. This is a project based activity that involves many skills including working with large numbers, using percentages, representing data and probability.

The investigation is introduced to learners using the PPT (and optional YouTube links). Learners then split into four groups - each is given a random set of  share prices [see Excel file].  Each group investigates the occurrence of numbers starting with each digit from 1 to 9.

Editor's note

Level
L1
L2
Maths
FM Complex multi-step problem(s)
FM L1.1 Read, write, order and compare large numbers (up to one million)
FM L1.14 Calculate percentages of quantities, including simple percentage increases and decreases by 5% and multiples thereof
L1.15 Estimate answers to calculations using fractions and decimals
L1.27 Represent discrete data in tables, diagrams and charts including pie charts, bar charts and line graphs
L1.28 Group discrete data and represent grouped data graphically
L1.30 Understand probability on a scale from 0 (impossible) to 1 (certain) and use probabilities to compare the likelihood of events
L1.31 Use equally likely outcomes to find the probabilities of simple events and express them as fractions
Context
Business & Money management

Added on 17 September 2019

Guides to Functional Skills Maths Levels 2 & 1

A guide to Functional Skills Maths Level 2 including past papers, equivalent qualifications, the course content, revision, awarding bodies and the benefits of achieving a Functional Skills Maths Level 2 qualification. 

Editor's note

Similar information about Level 1 Maths can be found here: https://www.thinkonlinetraining.com/maths/functional-skills/level-1/

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Added on 17 September 2019

Apollo Missions Functional Maths

A challenging set of L1-2 maths questions that celebrate 50 years since the first Moon landing. Covers new reformed content such as compound measures and 3 figure bearings. Plus an introductory PPT with background information and pop up answers.

Editor's note

Fully mapped to the new reformed Functional Maths content.  The answer sheet, which includes detailed working out and marking guidance, is only available to site contributors. Please see details within the resource.

 

Level
L1
L2
Maths
FM Straightforward problem(s) with more than 1 step
FM Complex multi-step problem(s)
FM L1.1 Read, write, order and compare large numbers (up to one million)
L2.2 Carry out calculations with numbers up to one million including strategies to check answers including estimation and approximation
FM E3.14 Use and compare measures of length, capacity, weight and temperature using metric or imperial units to the nearest labelled or unlabelled division
FM L1.20 Convert between units of length, weight, capacity, money and time, in the same system
L1.26 Use angles when describing position and direction, and measure angles in degrees
L2.15 Calculate using compound measures including speed, density and rates of pay
FM L1.29 Find the mean and range of a set of quantities
Context
Science, Nature & Weather
History

Added on 19 August 2019

Time Plans Functional Maths exam questions

A starter activity (working on a farm - ppt) and three Functional Skills Maths timeline practice questions. 

Editor's note

Three very varied questions for Level 1 (planning a dog's daily tablets as prescribed by the vet, running a caravan park and odd jobs around the house). 

Fully mapped to the E3 and L1 reformed FS content.

Level
L1
Maths
FM Straightforward problem(s) with more than 1 step
FM E3.12 Read, measure and record time using am and pm
FM E3.13 Read time from analogue and 24 hour digital clocks in hours and minutes
FM L1.20 Convert between units of length, weight, capacity, money and time, in the same system

Added on 25 July 2019

Engage Education Blog: Teaching News, Views & Insights

This blog is produced by the recruitment agency Engage Education and covers a wide variety of issues relevant to teachers. It includes advice on how to be a better teacher in the classroom, advice on how teachers can best manage their career, how to look after themselves outside of the school, and so on.

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Added on 19 July 2019

How to write an article

This lesson was designed to help learners prepare to write articles for their L1 writing exam. 

There is a reading text "Woman ran last 18 miles of London Marathon with broken ankle" with vocab, gist and detail questions, and a few questions for genre analysis.

Then a worksheet to support learners to gain top tips from a youtube video (watch till 2:18).

They can check their learning by reconstructing the sample text from the video, cut up into sections.

Level
L1
English
FE L1.24 Use format, structure and language appropriate for audience and purpose
FE L1.9 Identify and understand the main points, ideas and details in texts
FE L1.14 Understand organisational and structural features and use them to locate relevant information (e.g. index, menus, subheadings, paragraphs) in a range of straightforward texts
Context
Sport
Voluntary & Charity

Added on 16 July 2019

Pearson free SoW for reformed Functional Skills Maths

Five really comprehensive, free schemes of work - one for each level of reformed Functional Mathematics.

Each document lists the reformed content and suggests the number of GLH (guided learning hours) to devote to each descriptor. The order of teaching is left to the teacher's discretion. Each topic  / content descriptor is explored in detail with handy lists of:

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