Level 1 functional skills lesson that suits the new specification, can also be taught to lower levels if paced out. Starter - Write a different sentence to match a specific purpose. 10 Minutes Recap - skimming and scanning activity - 10 Minutes Parts of the exam explained Purpose and auidence mini text and questions - 15 Minutes Proofreading activity - 10 Minutes Developing your answers and how to start Plenary - quiz to test learning so far. Hour and a half in total. Second lesson (included) Starter - expressing your opinion on three statements - 10 to 15 minutes (dependent on discussions) Recap - match up of purposes - 5 Minutes Plurals and then SPaG activity - 10 Minutes Comprehension activity based on fortnight - 15 minutes How to write an article Choice between two articles to write - 15-20 Minutes Plenary - Age ratings discussion on computer games.

Persuasive and analytical writing. Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

A booklet designed for students to create their own superhero and and quiz to do afterwards. Should take about two hours in total.

A resource looking into the black lives matter movement, why it is important and the struggles of those who have worked for equality. Looks into the civil rights movement of the 1960’s in America. Match up activity where students link the images of four historically significant people with their profiles. A reading comprehension has been included. This lesson has numerous opportunities for discussion and great opportunity to think about the wider issues of segregation and civil rights.

Functional skills lesson on punctuation, paragraphing, writing in different tenses and using this to write a review. Comes with a reading comprehension, a discussion and a recap of a spelling technique I used in a previous lessons. Lesson is complete with sample answers, extension activities and peer marking for the final written piece. Punctuation covered: commas, full stops, exclamation marks, apostrophes and possessive apostrophes.

A lesson on AO1 based on Coventry. The lesson looks at AO1 with skill building for question 5, it introduces the use of techniques, lesson should last around an hour and a half. Techniques: Metaphors, Similes, Personification, Group of 3, Powerful Adjectives and Sensory Language. A good introduction for Creative writing.

A lesson on growth mindset where students learn about the benefits of positive thinking and that most things can be achieved through hard work and dedication. Students also learn about a fixed mindset way of thinking which can be a barrier to success. Activities include Growth or fixed mindset quiz - to see if students are too ridgid in their thought process. Case study of two individuals facing adversity - students select which one is growth and which one is fixed and try to explain why this is. Speaking and listening activity - Students watch a video on growth mindset and fill in a worksheet to see what information they understood, the questions are red, amber and green for differentiation and for students to take on a challenge. Writing to advise activity - students look at a few scenarios of where people with a fixed mindset are asking for help. For more activities please check out my youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-JQchhF9CJakm2Al271olw

A functional skills lesson designed to meet the new spec for 2019 Edexcel functional skills, looks at basic punctuation, using quotes and layout features. Lesson designed to last approximately an hour and a half depending on the ability of the class. Inference and Emphasis

Reading skills and mini texts for functional skills new spec Photo by Nong Vang on Unsplash

A six page workbook that looks at the six main structural techniques (Narrative voice, flashback, perspective shift, cliffhangers, change of focus and paragraphing) used in the AQA GCSE English language exam. A technique is discussed, students are shown an example and asked to write their own (Q5 practice) and then analyse it (Q3 practice)

A lesson looking at the basics of language analysis. In particular question 3 paper 2. I’ve made this lesson with a strong focus on target setting, the students have an option to choose between three SMART targets to be reviewed at the end of the lesson. The lesson focuses on the basics of language analysis, focusing first on students being able to identify language techniques using scanning, then looks at re writing common similes and metaphors. Students are then introduced to PEA paragraphs and those who want to push themselves PEACE paragraphs. There is a self/peer marking slide with a brief explanation as to how it is marked in the exam. My idea was to be for this to be an introduction into into language analysis for grade 3/4 students although I’ve included activities for those who wish to achieve grade 5 and above.

Editable Exam question practice with Mark Scheme A paper 1 exam with a very small text for students who don’t like to read lengthy texts - I’ve used this when my students motivation is low, it has tips on how to answer the questions and writing frames for students to follow the aim of this is simply to make students practice how to answer these questions properly and include everything they need to, to get over a level 5 or below. I also re-wrote the AQA Paper 1 Mark Scheme in as simple language as I could - in the hope that students would be able to help themselves by using the writing frames and then hopefully get an idea of what grade they would achieve. The techniques in the source are relatively easy to spot and have both language and structural techniques. This is aimed at students who already have the skills and want something straight forward to practice with.

A resource called: To what extent? Task 1 - students to think of statements that have some value for debates and they have to explain to what extent they agree with it. Task 2: Students have to provide a counter argument for the first task (to show that complex ideas have more than one side of them (question 5 paper 2) Task 3: Students identify structural and language techniques in a text and then are shown where the techniques are on the next page. Task 4: Sort the techniques into a table of for or against the statement. Task: 5 Students write a PEACE paragraph using a writing frame that is provided. Self evaluation is included in the form of a tick box and students are encouraged to write a target based on this or the lesson objectives that can be ticked off from the first page of the worksheet. Please review and let me know what you think and I will make improvements if required, thanks

A revision activity where students act as intelligence officers and use their skills to interpret information to make decisions revises assessment objectives: AO1, AO2, AO3 and AO5.

Exam Question Practice - Inference A lesson on a word document on the theme of the attitudes towards drug use. Starter activity - students look at attitudes and decide if they are modern or 19th C. Task 2 - read the texts and state which one is 19th and which one is 21st and see if they can explain why. Task 3 - Students list the differences between the two in a Venn diagram Task 5 - students answer an exam style question following a basic writing frame, with a peer marking/self evaluation table at the end. Extension task - How this relates to question 4 paper 2 - students find the language techniques in the text and attempt to answer question 4 following the writing frame.

A functional skills lesson going over purpose and audience that suits the new spec.

A quick listening test activity for anyone on a course that requires speaking and listening. Aimed at functional skills and ESOL learners.

A powerpoint and sample resource of how to write a formal letter, with a video I made for home learning.

A video, power point and resource on common mistakes to avoid for anyone about to do the level 1 functional skills exams. Originally intended as home learning but it can be adapted to suit a face to face lesson. Activity 1 is looking at an article I wrote on ‘Fortnight’ and identifying the labeled layout techniques. Activity 2 answers a question about the common mistakes people make in these exams. Answers included and Youtube version is available on my channel.