Updated Apr 19 2024 (corrections made to pages 1&3 of the main PDF and page 2 of "Your Budget")
This resources uses the Spring 2024 budget and makes it accessible for learners on L1 and L2 English courses. The resource gives them the budget break down and some comprehension questions based on L1 and L2 reading exams.
Learners are then asked to design their own budget and think about why they would give money to certain areas outlined in the budget.
Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
FS Eng L1.5 Express opinions and arguments and support them with evidence
FS Eng L2.6 Express opinions and arguments and support them with relevant and persuasive evidence
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE READING understanding and locating information
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
Maths
FM L1.1 Read, write, order & compare large numbers (up to one million)
FM L2.1 Read, write, order & compare positive & negative numbers of any size
A quick but very useful match-up activity that makes a good starter activity for financial literacy or employment skills courses - and it's bound to prompt discussion.
Editor's note
Written for an Australian audience but I have added a UK version on page 2. Learners can draw lines to match the items or, for a reusable resource, the page could be laminated and/or cut into 12 cards.
Level
Level 1
Level 2
Maths
Functional Maths
General numeracy / maths
Popular topics
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond
An Australian version (i.e. uses A$, Australian vocabulary and minimum wage details, etc.) of the popular Stash the Cash written by Andy Morrell in 2010. In addition to currency changes this version also includes an extra version of the calculations table and other changes. For example, the table on page 3 has extra columns to make the mathematical operations explicit and to allow students to practise writing mathematical “sentences”.
Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
Maths
FM E3.8 Read, write & use decimals up to two decimal places
FM L1.2 Recognise and use positive and negative numbers
FM L1.11 Add, subtract, multiply & divide decimals up to 2 decimal places
FM L2.1 Read, write, order & compare positive & negative numbers of any size
FM E3.10 Calculate with money using decimal notation & express money correctly in writing in pounds and pence
FM E3.21 Extract information from lists, tables, diagrams, charts; create frequency tables
FM E3.23 Organise & represent information in appropriate ways inc. tables, diagrams, simple line graphs & bar charts
FM L1.29 Find the mean & range of a set of quantities
FM L2.23 Calculate the median & mode of a set of quantities
Reading and related activities focusing on a simplified version of a BBC news article reporting the results of the 2021 Australian Census. Ideal for practising reading strategies including: relating images to text, using headings, skimming, scanning and using context to predict. My (Australian) students found it challenging but were engaged in the content. Lots of possible ways it could lead into other written and oral activities. Numbers and a graph involved so can also be used to revise numeracy concepts such as percentages and extracting information from graphs.
Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
General literacy / English
FE READING main points & detail
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE L2.15 Use a range of reference materials & resources (e.g. glossaries, legends/keys) for different purposes
I absolutely love these starter quiz templates for L1 Functional Skills Maths and L1-L2 Functional English from Pearson Edexcel and Jonny Kay. The main link below sends you to an PDF overview - scroll to the end of the PDF for direct links to the templates and sample quizzes.
Practise using reordering strategies with these extra E2 (E1 questions are in a separate Wordwall activity) questions for our recently updated E1-E2 Mental addition strategies (reordering) PDF worksheet (Maggie Harnew, 2005, updated Feb 2022). Match the correct answer to each addition problem. (Reordering involves adding up large numbers first and/or looking for pairs of numbers that add up to 10, 20, 30, etc.). Can be used independently of the original resource.
Practise using compensation strategies with these extra questions for our recently updated E2 Mental addition strategies (compensation) PDF worksheet (Maggie Harnew, 2005, updated Feb 2022). Match the correct answer to each addition problem.
NEW 8/2/22 answer sheet now also available - visit our ANSWER SHEETS page for more information.
New 27/1/2022 A related interactive Wordwall activity (organisational and textual features) is now available to accompany this resource.
A hastily put-together New Year resource based on a short Guardian article about the record breaking temperatures experienced in the UK on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE L1.15 Infer from images meanings not explicit in the accompanying text
FE L1.17 Read & understand a range of specialist words in context
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L1.12 Recognise that language & other textual features can be varied to suit different audiences & purposes
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
FE L2.19 Identify different styles of writing & writer’s voice
Maths
FM Simple one step problem(s)
FM E2.11 Read, write & use decimals to one decimal place
FM L1.11 Add, subtract, multiply & divide decimals up to 2 decimal places
These two PowerPoints cover the properties of 2D and 3D shapes (E2-E3) - faces, edges, vertices and line symmetry. This is assessed using a quiz in PPT1. Both PPTs then move on to recognising nets and drawing nets of cubes and cuboids (now found in Level 1 exams). The second PPT can be printed off and used as a workbook. I have also included two links to You tube but you can use your own favourite shape/nets video links if you prefer.
Editor's note
Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Maths
FM Context free underpinning
FM E2.19 Recognise & name 2-D & 3-D shapes including pentagons, hexagons, cylinders, cuboids, pyramids, spheres
FM E2.20 Describe properties of common 2-D & 3-D shapes including nos. of sides, corners, edges, faces, angles & base
FM E3.19 Sort 2-D & 3-D shapes using properties including lines of symmetry, length, right angles, angles inc. in rectangles & triangles
FM L1.24 Draw 2-D shapes & demonstrate an understanding of line symmetry & knowledge of the relative size of angles
FM L1.25 Interpret plans, elevations & nets of simple 3-D shapes