I am a teacher in Secondary SEN. Mainly English with some PSHE and other subjects. Resources made with skills in mind and so they are suitable for any age range- dependent on the levels of your students. There are a range of resources available: simplified literacy, visual support, model texts, functional skills based, writing units and motivational topics.
I am a teacher in Secondary SEN. Mainly English with some PSHE and other subjects. Resources made with skills in mind and so they are suitable for any age range- dependent on the levels of your students. There are a range of resources available: simplified literacy, visual support, model texts, functional skills based, writing units and motivational topics.
A short writing activity practising writing compound sentences using conjunctions. Students will explain why they have chosen items to take to a desert island. Three levels of differentiation- supported to write simple sentences or extended to write explanations.
PDF and Word Document included so resources can be editable.
Literacy tasks based around the Moon Landing. Students think about asking questions. Students are provided with a model text and a structure to write their own version. There is a visual structure strip that can be used as a support too.
PDF and Word Document included so resources can be editable.
A leaflet for Camp Green Lake, from ‘Holes’ by Louis Sachar. A model text and comprehension questions in the style of Entry 3 and Entry 2 Functional Skills Reading Papers.
Resource contains:
Entry 3 Leaflet Text and Questions
Entry 2 Advertising Poster and Questions
The leaflet paints Camp Green Lake in a positive light. Use as part of a unit on ‘Holes’ or when completing exam practise for Functional Skills with a motivating context. Compare and contrast the actual Camp Green Lake from ‘Holes’ with the setting presented in the leaflet.
PDF and Word Document included so resources can be editable.
A selection of tasks linked to Wonder that includes:
reading and locating information
links to PSHE with themes such as friendship, bullying and values
creating a class display of precepts from the book
short letter and recount writing tasks
PDF and Word Document included so resources can be editable.
Writing tasks based around the rainforest. Students are provided with a model text and a structure to write their own version. The model text focuses on demonstrating subheadings and list sentences. There is a visual structure strip that can be used as a support too.
PDF and Word Document included so resources can be editable.
A selection of tasks linked to the poem, ‘Chocolate Cake’ by Michael Rosen that includes:
A storyboard template to sequence the main events in the story
Visual support
A review task to review a Chocolate Cake (eating beforehand optional!) written in Entry 1 style with pre-entry support and a conjunction challenge to extend.
Onomatopoeia bingo grids to be used by reading the words or using sound effects. It is great fun to have students create the sound effects to be used when playing the game.
PDF and Word Document included so resources can be editable.
A writing task focusing on sensory description. Students are asked to write a description of Tatooine, a planet which features throughout the Star Wars franchise.
Differentiated to include three levels of diffculty- students are supported to write using sensory details, to enhance with expanded noun phrases using adjectives and extended to include similes and metaphors.
PDF and Word Document included so resources can be editable.
Letter writing tasks based on Macbeth. Students are to write a letter to Lady Macbeth in an informal style, and a formal reply to King Duncan.
These are styled like Functional Skills tasks with the informal letters pitched at a lower level and the formal letter pitched at a higher level. The formal letter includes a model letter from King Duncan that the students are to reply to.
PDF and Word Document included so the resources can be edited.
This resource includes a simplified version of the story of Harry Potter: Goblet of Fire in PowerPoint format and writing templates with two levels of support- both cloze format (fill in the gap) and a symbolised word bank.
This resource is made to supplement watching the film as a class, embedding further literacy skills. The students will read the simplified story as a class and write about the story at six key points so this resource could spread over six separate lessons. My students found this very motivating especially those who love Harry Potter!
PDF, Word Document and PowerPoint included so resources can be editable.
This bundle includes my Superhero Origin Writing Unit and Superhero Sentences Task Books. They complement each other and I often use the Superhero Sentences activities to teach and practise the sentence level skills I want the students to embed in their writing at the end of the unit.
This bundle includes a Class Reader for Star Wars A New Hope with a short version of the story to read along with and a sensory description activity for Tatooine, one of the main settings in the story.
A short vocabulary and mind mapping activity exploring genre. Visual support is provided in a word grid. Lesson resources for discussion and an introduction for students into the concept of genre. Students are asked to consider a favourite genre and think of examples in various media.
PDF and Word document included so that resource is fully editable.
A full unit for writing a superhero origin story based on the story pattern in Spider-Man’s origin story (but you will find lots more that fit this pattern). By the end of the unit, Students will have read and mapped out a typical pattern in an origin story. They then design their own hero character and plan and write an origin story for them.
Great for creative ideas- Spider-Man was bitten by a spider- what could happen to your character to make them super-powered? My students came up with so many brilliant, creative origin stories and produced some excellent writing following this structure.
Resource includes:
Spider-Man origin story class reader
Spider-Man origin story simplified version
Origin story mapping and planning frame
Design your own superhero planning sheets
Visuals to support the planning process
Superhero power matching cards
A set of prompts and comprehension strategy ideas in an activity bank to support whole class and guided reading.
Strategies are organised using the acronym POSITIVE and include:
P- Prediction
O- Opinion
S- Summarise
I- Identify
T- Text Features
I- Inference
V - Vocabulary
E- Evidence
The activity bank includes cards to use for assigning roles in group discussions, and templates and prompts for exploring and practising the strategies. The prompt sheets include sentence stems and simplified blank questions for each strategy.
This is a creative writing unit supporting students to write about crash landing on an alien planet including sensory details in description of the planet.
The resource includes:
A Model Text- focusing on sentence openers, sensory description and adjectives
Resources to support students when imagining a new planet setting - differentiated in different formats
Links to Science- Habitats - visual vocabulary included
Planning frame following the structure of the model text
Sensory detail recording frame
My students came up with great original ideas for writing their stories based on their planet designs. Some very reluctant writers produced 5 sentence stories using the structure. My most able writers ran with it and wrote 5 extended paragraphs. The resources can be used in an individual way and the planning formats scaffold various steps in the imagining process.
A series of tasks linking Careers learning and Literacy skills including:
A college brochure to read and answer retrieval style questions
A research template to use when finding information about local colleges
Target setting activity- read the targets and sort into short, medium or long term
Target writing template to write short, medium or long term targets
Job adverts to read and extract key details
Personal Statement to read and extract key details
Personal Statement planning sheet to support writing a personal statement
Every reading text is differentiated to two levels with a simplified version provided for those that need more support when reading. Can be used a lesson starters, homework or as starting point for a unit of learning in Careers.
Word document and PDF file included so resources can be fully editable.
Literacy Tasks linked to the opening of Percy Jackson focusing on reading comprehension, locating information and explicit understanding. A writing task is included in Entry Level 1 and 2 style writing about Camp Half Blood.
PDF and Word Document included so resources can be editable.
A letter writing task setting sheet linked to ‘Holes’ by Louis Sachar. Set at Entry 2 and 3 Level but can easily be adapted for Level 1 also. Also includes a model text about a trip to Disneyland with Functional Skills Reading style questions.
Writing task comprises of a task setting sheet, planning sheet and a marking grid linked to the writing mark scheme for both levels.
PDF and Word Document included so resources can be editable.
A set of Literacy Tasks for ‘The Colour Monster’ including:
A pre-reading activity exploring feelings vocabulary
A colouring activity to read the prompts and colour the correct emotion
A storyboard activity for students to write their own story about the colour monster and his feelings
This is a unit of resources based around the text ‘Holes’ by Louis Sachar for Functional Skills at Entry 2 and 3. It includes model texts, reading questions and writing tasks.
Entry 3 - Model Text Brochure with Functional Skills Style Questions
Entry 2 - Model Text Advertising Poster with Functional Skills Style Questions
Alphabetical Order Challenges using key words from the text
Writing Tasks to retell the story at key points in the opening
Informal Letter Disney Land Model Text with Questions
Entry 2 and 3 Style Writing Task Setting Sheets - Write a letter to Mum from Stanley
PDF and Word Document included so resources can be editable.