Recent Changes

Major update 17/5/23 written for Legacy FS in 2011 but fully updated to reflect the Reformed Functional English Content. 

This is a handout aimed at L1 Functional English learners. It contains brief guidance on exam technique for the reading exam followed by detailed, updated help with the writing exam. This has tips on maximising marks in the 7 key areas that an examiner looks at (4 areas for composition and the three SPaG areas)
Although written for Level 1 it would also serve as a useful reminder for Level 2 students 

Based on Maggie Harnew's Halloween Complex Sentences resource, this resource is aimed at Entry 3 ESOL students working towards the City and Guilds ESOL writing assessment, but may also be useful for Level 1 students.  Students look at examples of complex sentences and answer some questions about them. Finally they are asked to complete some complex sentences, as in Task 1 of the C&G assessment. 

Nice introduction to the tricky topic of complex sentences – followed by a matching exercise. Fully mapped to Functional English and adult literacy.

A series of tasks designed to help learners improve their sentences and hence their writing style. These tasks assume no previous knowledge of complex sentences or subordinating conjunctions. They do assume the learner is familiar with simple sentences (i.e. one clause, one verb) and compound sentences. (See my related Entry Level ‘Halloween Compound Sentences’ resource for more on compound sentences and coordinating conjunctions).

Aimed at L1-2 students but parts could be useful at Entry 3. All tasks have a Halloween theme.

10/10/17 Several minor and one major correction made

These tasks assume no previous knowledge of compound sentences and/or conjunctions. They do assume the learner is familiar with simple sentences (i.e. one clause, one verb).
Aimed at E2-E3 students but could be useful at Level 1.

Tasks include joining pairs of Halloween sentences with a suitable conjunction; extending simple sentence with a suitable ‘ending’, and rewriting texts that are initially written using only simple sentence (in order to improve their organisation and readability).

Read a sample leaflet about taking children to the dentist. Use it as a model for planning and writing your own leaflet about neighbourhood safety.
Suitable for Entry 3 through to Level 2 English Functional Skills.

Editor's note

I think it’s so important for learners to have realistic exemplar/model pieces of writing so they know what they’re aiming for. Also useful for ESOL. 

A L1/L2 Functional English card match resource. Serves as a tactile supplement/plenary for the recognition of text and layout features assessed at Level 1/2. Colour coded to aid learners in organising the columns, this resource allows learners to place the layout feature next to its descriptor and layout effect.

A quick interactive add-on exercise, created in Wordwall, for the popular New Year 2022 (Warmest New Year's Day) reading resource. Match the organisational and textual features to the correct places on the text.

https://wordwall.net/resource/28051407/new-year-2022-e3-l1-functional-english-and-maths-tasks

I have used this organisational features matching exercise in two ways, either to test learners initial knowledge of the features or as a revision tool. 

Editor's note

Two versions - one, with images, for Entry Level and another for higher levels. Fully mapped to the reformed Functional English content which comes into effect in September 2019.

A set of activities based on the Ask for Angela scheme, an important initiative set up with the aim of keeping people in social situations safe. 

The tasks include reading comprehension, SPaG and writing tasks, along with research and discussion opportunities. Planning should be encouraged as part of the writing tasks. There's also a separate task on organisational and presentational features using two Ask for Angela posters.