A new series of comprehensive Functional Skills Maths books now available from talented mathematician and teacher Marsida Horeshka who you may already know from her popular Functional Skills maths site https://marscademy.com/(previously known as Maths Made Fun). The three Entry Level books are now available on Amazon (and soon from other booksellers).
Scroll down the English for Action page until you reach section 6. Here you can find the download link to this superb 76 page toolkit, along with a brief overview. I don't know why I have only just come across this resource! IMO, it makes inspiring and fascinating reading for all teachers, not just ESOL specialists.
Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
General literacy / English
ESOL
General ESOL
General
Staff development
Study Skills and General Teaching
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond
I am absolutely fascinated by this blog written by Lauren Piovesan, the founder of ESL Reads. Despite spending two decades simplifying texts - a task that I enjoy and sometimes find a challenge - I've never really analysed what I'm doing.
Although written for EAL (English as an Additional Language) teachers this is a useful guide for both experienced and new teachers of ESOL, adult literacy (Functional Skills English) and indeed vocational subjects.
I’ve only briefly skimmed through but some of these new mastery resources for L1 & L2 Functional Maths (and GCSE resits) look amazing! Includes full 33 hour (22 x 1.5 hr lessons) schemes of work, lesson plans, handouts and slides.
The Science of Reading blog is well worth a look - especially the Tuesday Teaching Tips.
For example, the entry for Tuesday April 25th included a useful morpheme chart & a lovely idea of pulling out & deeply analysing specific vocabulary over a period of several days (in this case the word 'siphon'!).
A huge collection of links to resources that can be used to support and feedback on English learning in Further Education (Functional Skills and GCSE)
Categorised by Level (FS E2, E3, L1, L2, GCSE) along with other categories such as R&D. You are invited to add what you can. Compiled and created by Nicola Milton with other contributors.
Functional Skills text books are a rare commodity and this pair of Level 2 Functional English books fills a well-needed gap. They’ve been written with the Edexcel on-screen reading and writing assessments in mind, but are ideal for learners taking paper-based or online Functional Skills assessments from any awarding body.
Consulting with industry experts, Open Colleges has complied this comprehensive guide on how to put together a resume. Learn how to use social media to find a job role, network, and gain and succeed at an interview.
Free resources for low-level ESOL learners from Tinder Foundation, the BBC and the British Council. You need to register, but once you have there are loads of resources and training modules.
Editor’s note
I’ve only taken a quick look but this does indeed look excellent. Lovely printable flashcards and great, very clear videos.