Functional Skills English for SEN Students

This Functional Skills Level 2 Reading and Writing pack contains resources designed to assist students, particularly those with dyslexia, in improving their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. Below is an overview of each text and how these will benefit dyslexic students and students with additional needs:

The Writing Guide booklet focuses on writing persuasive emails and letters, with exercises that enhance vocabulary, sentence construction, and persuasive techniques. It also includes a model email, gap fill exercises, and writing tasks that are practical and relevant.
Benefits for Dyslexic Students: The incremental approach to building writing skills, starting with spelling and sentence construction and progressing to full writing tasks, supports dyslexic students by scaffolding the learning process. The model email serves as a concrete example, helping students visualize the final product. Gap fill exercises reinforce vocabulary and sentence structure, making the task of writing less daunting.

The Reading Skills Guide focuses on the reading skills needed to answer questions in functional skills exams, including identifying main ideas, making inferences, understanding tone and purpose, and analyzing text structure. It also provides quizzes to reinforce learning.
Benefits for Dyslexic Students: The explicit teaching of reading strategies, such as identifying main ideas and making inferences, helps dyslexic students approach reading tasks with confidence. The quizzes and exercises provide opportunities for practice and self-assessment, reinforcing the skills needed to navigate and understand complex texts. The emphasis on understanding text structure and layout is particularly beneficial for students who struggle with reading comprehension.

A Persuasive Writing Plan and Rubric document provides a structured framework for writing persuasive essays. It includes criteria for evaluating persuasive writing, audience analysis, research and evidence gathering, and step-by-step guidance for organizing an essay. It also includes a checklist for revision, ensuring that all essential elements of a persuasive essay are addressed.
Benefits for Dyslexic Students: The clear and organized layout helps dyslexic students break down the essay-writing process into manageable steps. The visual structure, including bullet points and organized sections, aids in understanding and retention. Additionally, the checklist reinforces self-assessment and helps students focus on key areas to improve their writing.