Making an Appointment Entry1 speaking and listening

Use the Readwrite materials:

Literacy entry 1 Unit 2 

 Page 9 Activity A  Making an appointment  at the doctor

Use alongside audio track 10  

script is here

writing a script : Making an appointment 

phone sounds for role play 

Can't tell the time

My pre entry students can't tell the time and will be unlikely to learn .They can however learn strategies to help them manage time.To tell the time numeracy skills will be at Entry 2 and many of my students with learning difficulties are not at that level.
I have written about the level of skills and the curriculum references in my previous blog entry about time (last paragraph).
The Pre entry curriculum says at Milestone 7 MSS1/M7.1: and MSS1/M7.2 students will be working on an awareness of time and recognising the names of the days of the week
So when I work on time with pre entry students I am developing:

An awareness of time
Awareness of time allows greater independence and choices. It includes the development of the ability to plan for important events and share news about events in the past and future.

Simple time management
The ability to learn routines and arrive on time .

Simple strategies for time management
This will include
Sign and say the days of the week.
Think about the past.Understanding of yesterday today and tomorrow.
The marking of significant events e.g birthdays,holiday and Christmas,bonfire night.
Awareness of the passing of time
Awareness of the length of time
The setting of targets about time management.

I'd be interested to hear from you if you think differently about teaching time telling and the strategies you have used.

Speaking and Listening

Improving the language skills of adults with learning difficulties is at the heart of my embedded basic skills work .The following activity works well for students with speaking and listening skills at Milestone 6 right up to those at Entry 3.

I got this idea from the TES. A modern language teacher had found it was a great way to develop language skills.

I play a CD track : Debbie Harry Hanging on the Telephone . When the music starts pass a chunky mobile phone around the group and just like pass the parcel when the music stops the person holding the phone has to answer it. I play a sound clip of a phone ringing (not essential but really adds effect) and when the phone stops ringing the conversation between you on one phone and the student on another begins. After a short conversation start the music again. Keep playing until everyone has had a go.

Resources:

A chunky old mobile to pass around the group.
An old phone for you.

Deborah Harry: Hanging on the telephone

available from the CD Best of Blondie or for other CD sources Click here

or

download from ITunes or via Windows Media Player.

Remember to choose the format that will play on your college network.

Sound clip of the phone ringing available

free to download click here

Computer to play CD and sound clip

or CD player

How can it be used?

Its a fun way to improve telephone skills -listening and giving key information, appropriate greetings,use of names.

Reinforce information given out in the lesson "hello I'm just phoning to see if you have remembered what you have to bring to college tomorrow?

A fun and different way to hear every one's news "Hello I'm just phoning to see what you did at the weekend?"