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Spelling Workbook

A comprehensive booklet covering all the basics someone needs to know to understand how the English spelling system works. It provides explanations, examples and brief practice activities. The materials are best used over a period of time, supplemented and reviewed for application.

Editor's notes

Level
Level 1
Level 2
GCSE L1-5
English
FE E2.16 Spell correctly words designated for Entry Level 2
FE E3.17 Spell correctly words designated for Entry Level 3
FE L1.21 Spell words used most often in work, study and daily life, including specialist words
FE L2.22 Spell words used in work, study & daily life, including a range of specialist words
GCSE Writing AO6 Vocabulary, sentence structure, spelling, punctuation
GCSE Writing AO6 Vocabulary, sentence structure, spelling, punctuation
ESOL
ESOL Ww/E2.1c Develop strategies to aid spelling
ESOL Ww/E3.1a Apply spelling knowledge to a wide range of common & special-interest words
ESOL Ww/E3.1b Apply knowledge of strategies to aid with spelling
ESOL Ww/L1.1b Use strategies to aid accurate spelling
ESOL Ww/L2.1b Develop strategies to aid accurate spelling
General
Study Skills and General Teaching
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond

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Spelling mnemonics

Spelling mnemonics is a huge list collected by Stella Jales and her students. Includes spellings for all levels (from ‘said’ to ‘accommodation’)

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
Ww/E1.1
Ww/E2.1
AL Ww/E3.1 Spell common words
AL Ww/L1.1 Spell & use spelling strategies
AL Ww/L2.1 Spell technical words

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Spelling strategies

An excellent mind map summarising spelling strategies. Useful for revision and prompting discussion with E2 -L2 learners.

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
Ww/E2.1
AL Ww/E3.1 Spell common words
AL Ww/L1.1 Spell & use spelling strategies
AL Ww/L2.1 Spell technical words

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Homophones check

A self check PowerPoint that uses hyperlinks to show learners whether their answers are right or wrong. Can be used alone or in conjunction with Jenny’s Recognising Homophones PPT (see below) that covers 30 homophone pairs.

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
AL Ww/L1.1 Spell & use spelling strategies
AL Ww/L2.1 Spell technical words

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Remembering tricky spellings

Remembering tricky spellings 1 and 2. Two PPTs, each covers 5 tricky spellings and 6 spelling strategies (mnemonics, stress, rules, words within words, etc.). Makes a great starting point for encouraging students to work on their own spelling strategies.

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
AL Ww/L1.1 Spell & use spelling strategies
AL Ww/L2.1 Spell technical words

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Functional English reading sticks E1-L2

A set of 48 DARTs (directed activities relating to text) that can be stuck onto lolly sticks or used as is to encourage learners of all levels to interact with texts. The sticks are probably best used with realia such as: posters, local leaflets, booklets, instructions, recipes, newspaper/magazine cuttings, business cards, etc. but the resource includes a list of suitable Skillsworkshop texts.

Most of the sticks are based on the Subject content functional skills (SCFS): English (DfE, February 2018)

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
Functional Skills English reading
Functional Skills English - writing

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Language Bias - The problem with waste (L2 assessment tasks)

This pack contains four reading texts, reading comprehension questions, writing tasks and several discussion and presentation ideas/prompts. 

The first two, very short, texts form part of an introductory discussion and reading session to explore biased language. The same event (teenagers in a park) is written about in a blog and in a newspaper article. Both use biased language to present a particular viewpoint.

Level
Level 2
GCSE L1-5
T Levels - embedded maths or English
English
FS Eng SL&C Discussion
FS Eng L2.6 Express opinions and arguments and support them with relevant and persuasive evidence
FE L2.12 Compare information, ideas & opinions in different texts, inc. how they are conveyed
FE L2.13 Identify implicit & inferred meaning in texts
FE L2.14 Understand how textual features/devices can shape meaning for different audiences/purposes
FE L2.17 Analyse texts, of different levels of complexity, recognising their use of vocabulary and identifying levels of formality and bias
FE L2.18 Follow an argument, identifying different points of view & distinguishing fact from opinion
FE L2.19 Identify different styles of writing & writer’s voice
FS Eng WRITING composition
GCSE English Reading AO2 Explain & analyse language & structure
GCSE Reading AO3 Compare writers’ ideas & perspectives across 2 or more texts
GCSE AO4 Evaluate texts critically & support with textual references
TL - Present Information and ideas
TL - Synthesise information
TL - Take part in / Lead discussions
Context
Recycling, the environment and sustainability

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Functional Skills Success

Functional Skills Success is a growing educational platform dedicated to helping learners and teachers prepare for a range of qualifications including Functional Skills Maths (Levels 1 and 2) and FS English (Level 2) 

Fee teaching tools include functional skills maths question generators, interactive manipulatives such as place value counters, word of the day generator, teaching ideas, common exam mistakes guide, links to practice papers, question of the day, teaching blog. 

Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
Functional Skills English
Maths
Functional Maths

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Dictionary and thesaurus skills

A PPT guide on how to use a dictionary and thesaurus tools, with a link to a handy YouTube video. Plus a separate 1 page handout that summarises the information in the PPT.

Editor's notes

Aimed at Entry Level (note thesaurus use is not expected until L2 but widening vocabulary is a useful skill at any level). Finishes with a quick, 4-question quiz that is easy to adapt and contextualise for your own learners.

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
English
FE E2.10 Use effective strategies to find words meanings & check spelling e.g. simple dictionary, spell-checker
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
ESOL
ESOL Rw/E2.4a Use simplified dictionary to find word meanings
ESOL Rw/E3.3a Use a dictionary to find the meaning of unfamiliar words
ESOL Rw/L1.1a Use reference material to find the meaning of unfamiliar words

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A Thesaurus is NOT a Dinosaur

Intro to using a thesaurus to find synonyms and antonyms.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
English
AL Rw/L2.3 Vocabulary (language features, synonyms, formality)
Rw/L1.3
ESOL
ESOL Rw/L2.3a Recognise & understand vocabulary associated with different text types
ESOL Rw/L1.3a Recognise and understand an increasing range of vocabulary