1. Functional Skills Development Course
West Suffolk Consortium
Course Outline
This five session, intensive training course will equip you with the necessary skills, practical
knowledge and resources to enable you to tackle the challenge of classroom delivery of functional
maths and English. Delivered by two experienced practitioners and teacher educators the course
covers generic themes in sessions one and five, with specific input relevant to either Functional
Maths or English in sessions two, three and four with resources and teaching approaches modelled
by the tutors. After the first generic session participants can choose to follow either the English or
Maths specialist route.
Week 1
Introduction
Week 2 Week 2
English Maths
Week 3 Week 3
English Maths
Week 4 Week 4
English Maths
Week 5
Review
Generic Themes
The first workshop introduces some key messages about Functional Skills and related teaching
approaches that underpin the delivery of the course. These are then explored in different ways
within the two specialist strands of the course -
 the importance of developing Personal Learning and Thinking Skills
alongside Functional Skills
 problem solving strategies
 active learning approaches
 integrated approaches to delivery
 revision strategies
 use of e-learning tools

2. Functional English specialist route – three sessions covering:-
 a review of the demands of FE assessments
 active learning approaches to developing reading and writing
 developing awareness of context, audience and purpose
 planning a piece of writing and organising ideas
 exploring grammar: sentence structure, connectives, common errors
 tips on supporting with spelling
 use of e learning tools
 integrating speaking and listening skills
Functional Maths specialist route – three sessions covering:-
 a review of the demands of functional maths across all levels
 group, collaborative tasks
 problem solving techniques
 entry level specific issues
 levels 1 and 2 specific issues
 active revision & exam technique
 accelerated learning techniques for maths
 calculator skill development
Throughout the programme a range of useful websites and free resources will be explored and
recommended. The course will be fully supported throughout its length via a blog so that
participants can collaborate and communicate between sessions, with on-line moderation from the
tutors.