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 PowerPoint set of L1-L2 reading, maths and writing tasks. All are based on information a recent UK.gov Home Office fact sheet about Prevent and Channel*. The fact sheet can be found online or downloaded from this page. Main Functional Maths coverage is reading and comparing whole numbers and percentages, and percentage-fraction equivalents. Some questions involve calculating percentages or checking the figures that are quoted in the text (Level 2).
Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L1.17 Read & understand a range of specialist words in context
FE L1.24 Use format, structure & language appropriate for audience & purpose
FE L1.23 Write text of appropriate level of detail & length to meet needs of purpose & audience
FE L2.11 Identify when main points are sufficient & when specific details are important
FE L2.16 Understand organisational features & use to locate relevant information in a range of sources
FE L2.24 Write text of appropriate level of detail & length to meet needs of purpose & audience
FE L2.25 Organise writing for different purposes using appropriate format & structure e.g. standard templates, paragraphs, bullet points, tables
FE L2.27 Use language & register (e.g. persuasive techniques, supporting evidence, specialist words) to suit audience & purpose
Maths
FM L1.1 Read, write, order & compare large numbers (up to one million)
FM L1.8 Read, write, order & compare common fractions & mixed numbers
FM L1.13 Read, write, order & compare percentages in whole numbers
FM L1.14 Calculate percentages of quantities, inc. simple percentage increase / decrease by 5% & multiples of
FM L1.16 Recognise & calculate equivalences between common fractions, percentages & decimals
FM L2.4 Identify & know the equivalence between fractions, decimals & percentages
FM L2.6 Calculate percentage change (any size increase & decrease), & original value after % change
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond
Topical resource based on a news story. Reading comprehension at 2 levels (E3 and L1/L2) plus two writing extension activities with writing frames. Some embedded maths (including a chart in the L1/L2 exercise) and the opportunity to discuss healthy eating. The higher level comprehension aims to get learners to understand in depth what they are reading, rather than just answer the questions from the text.
Students regularly tell me they cannot read bus timetables and just wait for the next one to come along! This activity asks learners to find the most appropriate bus for my journey.
I print the timetables (pages 2-8) out enlarged to A3 and stick them to walls of my classroom.
Update (June 2016)
Answer sheet (and error report for one question) kindly provided by Ray Sheerin and Jay Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks, Adult Learning.
Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Maths
AN MSS1/L1.3 Calculate with and convert between units of time
AN MSS1/L1.2 Read & measure time and use timetables
The main resource has four pages. Three of the pages contain a chart and a brief to a group of students to discuss and write some sentences saying what the chart tells them. The twist is that each group of 3 students has a different chart drawn from the same data as the groups next to them. The fourth page has the table from which the charts were drawn.
The charts used are: dual/clustered bar chart comparing types of drink sold on two days. A stacked/composite bar chart and a percentage bar chart of the same data.
This is a good starter activity to introduce measures, shape and space. It is also useful in dividing classes into small groups.
Using the templates I created I printed them on to card of different colours. I gave the shapes to the learners as they entered the room and told them to find the table with the same shape on it. When they reached the table they found the shape and some questions to answer.
After five minutes I asked for feedback from the learners.
I made this resource to check prior learning of a group I took over from another lecturer. It could work well for assessment, revision or as an extension task.
Editor’s note
Major update May 21. NEW answer sheet is also now available (contributors only) with detailed curriculum mapping for Reformed Functional Maths - visit our ANSWER SHEETS page for more information.
Level
Level 1
Maths
FM Contextualised underpinning
FM L1.22 Calculate area & perimeter of simple shapes inc. those made up of combination of rectangles