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 series of slides with really small sample paragraphs that have particular techniques in them for the students to spot. The resource has been designed to show students how to answer question 4 of paper 1 of AQA GCSE English language paper 1. Students read only a few lines on the powerpoint and are given five mins to spot the techniques, they are then asked if they agree, partially agree or disagree, they are then asked to explain themselves in relation to the question making reference to the text and basing their answers on the technique they have found. I did this because it is very very simple and it shows just how easy question four can be. This has been designed for students new to this question who need to practice finding the techniques and knowing how to actually answer this question. I used it for a thirty minuet revision session before my students sat a mock and for individual tutorial sessions.

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)

I made a question 4 paper 2 resource on two very different viewpoints on MMA. The texts are small with a lot of different techniques to write about. There is also a tick box of all the necessary things that I believe you must have in a question 5 answer. We are always told ‘quality over quantity’ so I produced five things that students can mark themselves against as they write. Either use it as self assessment or as a planning tool. There is also a sheet on identifying the specific effect of language techniques. All three took my class over an hour to complete I have used it for revision or last minuet practice before exams. Photo by Davide Cantelli on Unsplash

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.

The first page goes through the terms of narrative structure. Task 1: Looking at the narrative structure students explain which should be the most exciting part. Task 2: look at a basic plot and see if they can show where it occurs in terms of narrative structure. Investigating and using Suspense techniques. Task 3: students do a basic plan using the narrative structure model (sample answer shown first) this is aimed at encouraging the use of flashback. Task 4: students write a couple of paragraphs of their story, experimenting with structure and there is a peer/self marking table for the students to complete. Photo by Sara Aho on Unsplash

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.

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

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

Functional skills lesson focusing on writing development and reading skills, with some preparation towards GCSE or level 2. Goes into detail about using conjunctions, using commas, skimming and scanning

Functional Skills Level 1 Two lessons on using information and writing speeches and emails based around the idea of voting and mortgages. Reading skills - Information retrieval from texts. Synonyms

A reading and writing lesson based on wilderness survival, students have to make decisions on what they should do if they crashed in a desert and then respond to an web forum. Students should learn how to use information from a text and how to argue in a web forum, combined with a Bear Grylls video it can be pretty enjoyable. Photo by Arto Marttinen on Unsplash

A short powerpoint and worksheet on linking words and their usages, this can be used as homework as I’ve made a video going through this, or it can be adapted and used as part of a lesson. The worksheet has some questions on paragraphing (video to follow shortly) and all answers are included.

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.