Once a diagnostic assessment for Functional Skills English has been completed by a learner, a Tracking Sheet can then be completed by a tutor/teacher to provide an overall view of the learner’s skills and allows for a “spikey profile”. A topic is not dated on the Tracking Sheet unless the learner shows mastery of the area. The tracking Sheet should be re-visited after learner work reviews (probably every 6 weeks) so that progress can be shown and understood.

An overview of simple and complex sentences that enables learners to practise these skills.

This resource enables individual learning to be easily utilised by English tutors. Individual learning is sometimes difficult to address in GCSE/Functional Skills teaching. Many tutors still rely on whole class teaching and do not know how to prepare and plan for a differentiated approach. Our Skills Check resources will give tutors the tool to build differentiated learning into their schemes of work. Future material will cover all of the subject areas within the GCSE/Functional Skills English syllabus. These are: Sentence Structure including Capitalisation and correct punctuation. Commas Apostrophes Tenses Vocabulary Spelling Understanding text Planning and drafting including paragraphs Language features Creative and factual writing

The GoShop series Entry 1 consists of worksheets mapped to Functional Skills standards. Learners have a passage to read and the worksheets have activities based on spelling, punctuation, error correction, reading exercises and writing. Answers are included. Each worksheet features text based on a supermarket and its workers and customers. These are adult focused and so there is, inevitably, some vocabulary linked to adult learners’ life experiences. They are very short and designed to be read in one session. The accompanying exercises may be completed over several sessions. High frequency and irregular words are introduced gradually. Care has been taken to link, wherever possible, the vocabulary and sounds introduced to the recommended structure for Functional Skills. The materials are designed to support practitioners (teachers, classroom assistants, volunteers, and others) working with learners who are working towards Entry Level 1.

Guidelines for learners to evaluate and understand non fiction text for GCSE English Language. This can be used as a class exercise then as a basis for learners to work through a variety of different texts.