Functional Skills English Level 1

Course Title:Functional Skills English Level 1

Brief course description:

This is a 7-week, Level 1 Functional Skills English exam course.

(This course will take place three times a week)

In this course, you will learn a range of practical skills in English that are essential for everyday life, work, and further education. You'll learn how to read and understand different types of texts, such as articles, instructions, and reports. You'll also learn how to write clearly and effectively for different purposes, such as letters, emails, or reports. The course will help you become familiar with punctuation, technical vocabulary, and literary devices like similes and metaphors. You'll explore how to participate in discussions, express your views, and respond to others.

By the end of the course, you should feel more confident and capable in handling essential tasks and challenges of everyday life. You’ll use the skills you have learned on the course to help you progress further into work, college, university or life progression.

Objectives:

1. Listen, understand and make relevant contributions to discussions with others in a range of contexts.

2. Identify relevant information and arguments, make requests, and ask questions effectively.

3. Respond to detailed inquiries, clearly communicating ideas, and expressing opinions with evidence. Participate in discussions, adapt communication to different audiences and purposes, and respect turn-taking in conversations.

4. Read a range of different text types confidently and fluently, applying their knowledge and understanding of texts to their own writing.

5. Identify main points, ideas, and details in texts. You'll learn to compare information and opinions across different texts, distinguish between fact and opinion, and recognise how language adapts for various audiences and purposes.

6. Reference materials, understanding text structures to find information, inferring meanings from images, recognizing genre-specific vocabulary, and using punctuation to enhance comprehension.

7. Communicate information, ideas, and opinions clearly and accurately in writing. You'll learn to write with appropriate detail and length, tailored to the purpose and audience. The course emphasises using suitable formats, structures, and language, and writing in complex sentences with accurate paragraphing. You'll also practice writing within a specified word range during assessments.

8. Using a range of punctuation correctly, ensuring proper grammar, and spelling commonly used and specialist words accurately. You'll learn to apply correct subject-verb agreement, consistent tense usage, and proper articles, enhancing your writing clarity and precision.

Entry requirements:

You will need to have completed an Entry level 3 qualification or be able to demonstrate language at the required level. This means you will be able to compose a range of texts, both formal and informal, give a presentation, take part in discussions, read or listen and understand a wide range of real-world texts.

Equipment required:

Please bring to every lesson:

• A folder
• Pens & pencils
• Lined A4 paper
• A smartphone (if you have one)
• A reusable water bottle

We will give you the WIFI details in the first lesson.

If you do not have access to a smart phone or a computer, speak to your tutor.

You will also need a personal Gmail account to access the Google classroom, which will be used for submitting coursework and accessing course materials. If you do not have a Gmail account speak to your tutor.

What courses can I go on to:

There are other courses you can do after or at the same time as this course:

• Getting ready for Functional Skills English Level ½
• ESOL level 2
• Functional Skills English Level 1/2
• Functional Skills Maths Level 1/2
• Becoming Confident in Digital Skills
• Digital Skills Entry 3/Level 1
• Digital Skills for creating: How to organise a community event
• Digital Skills in the workplace: Promoting and Selling your product or business online
• Digital Skills in the workplace: Using Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Please ask your teacher for more information or contact Functional Skills email: functionalskills@towerhamlets.gov.uk

What examination is there:

You will undertake the Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills Qualification in English at Level 1.

There are four components that you must pass to gain the qualification.

Speaking and Listening: Responding to detailed inquiries, clearly communicating ideas, and expressing opinions with evidence. Participate in discussions, adapt communication to different audiences and purposes, and respect turn-taking in conversations.

Reading: The use of reference materials, understanding text structures to find information, inferring meanings from images, recognizing genre-specific vocabulary, and using punctuation to enhance comprehension.

Writing: Use suitable formats, structures, and language, and writing in complex sentences with accurate paragraphing. You'll also practice writing within a specified word range during assessments.

Spelling, punctuation, and grammar: Using a range of punctuation correctly, ensuring proper grammar, and spelling commonly used and specialist words accurately. You'll learn to apply correct subject-verb agreement, consistent tense usage, and proper articles, enhancing your writing clarity and precision.

The exam is taken at The Shadwell Centre at the end of the course therefore, you MUST attend all your classes.

How will I know I am making progress:

At the start of the course, your tutor will talk with you about which parts of your English you need to practise most and help you create an individual learning plan. Throughout the course, you will have a tutorial meeting to discuss your strengths, areas for improvement, and any problems you may have. You will keep a folder with your work, which will help you review your learning outside of class. Your tutor will give you regular feedback on your class work and homework to help you improve. To make progress, you need to attend all your classes and do work outside of class.

You will lose your place if your attendance is less than 80%.

Other info:

One of our aims is to help you make progress in work or future studies. We also want to help you participate in your communities and become an active citizen. In our classes, you will develop important skills that employers value and that will help you in everyday life. Here’s what you will learn:

• Communication Skills: You will learn to speak and write more clearly and confidently. This includes practising conversations for work, writing emails, and filling out forms.
• Decision-Making: You will learn how to make good choices by evaluating different options and thinking critically about situations.
• Teamwork: You will learn how to work well with others.
• Problem-Solving: You will develop the ability to identify problems and find effective solutions, useful in both work and daily life.
• Time Management: You will practice managing your time effectively, including setting goals and meeting deadlines.

By improving these skills, you will increase your chances of finding a job, advancing in your career, and becoming an active member of your community.

Extra support

We can help you if you tell us you have a learning difficulty, disability or other support needs. Please tell us when you enrol or in your first class.