Skills for Life Teaching Resources
Writing Entry 1-3 Skills and Strategies in Skills for Life
Writing Skills
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Communicating information in forms, messages, and letters – Entry Level Skills for Life learners are expected to perform very straightforward predictable tasks reflecting the kind of things they may be expected to do in the real world. It is important for them to be able to communicate any required information clearly.
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Showing the relationship between information/ideas within the text – Candidates should be able to connect the information and ideas within the text in a logical and easy-to-follow way. Knowledge of the appropriate linking words used in English to connect and show relationships between ideas (such as 'because', 'if', ‘but’, 'and', 'so') is needed for this skill.
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Following writing conventions – Candidates need to consider layout, openings and closings, dates, use of capitals and punctuation.
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Using appropriate language – This means that the writer needs to think about the purpose of the writing, who will read it and what outcomes they want from that reading. Thinking about language functions (e.g. requesting, apologising, inviting, explaining) will help here. Also the writer needs to think about issues like politeness.
- Getting help from outside sources – Writing in pairs or in a small group is a good way of using the knowledge and experience of peers and colleagues to improve learners' own writing. They should also learn how to use dictionaries correctly.
- Editing and self correcting – Learners need lots of practice in checking their work. While they are checking it, they should think about how clear it would be to the intended reader.
Writing Strategies
- Planning and organising – In the test, candidates should underline the main points in the instructions that they will need to include in messages, letters etc. If there are no specific content points, candidates should note down what information they are going to include and in what order they are going to write about it.
- Linking – Within paragraphs and between paragraphs information and ideas need to be connected using appropriate linking words so that the writing is easy to read and understand.
- Coping – In the exam, there are lots of ways that a learner can make sure that they perform to the best of their ability. Choosing words that they know how to write in English or choosing to write about things they are familiar with are examples of strategies that can be used.
- Writing clearly – Marks are awarded for legibility at Entry Level Skills for Life. It should be remembered that severe problems with legibility will make it very difficult for writing to be assessed.
- Checking – This is very important in Entry Level Skills for Life as it is in any writing test. When they have finished a task, candidates should go back to the underlining they did in the instructions and check that they have not missed any points that they were asked to include.
