F U N C T I O N A L S K I L L S E N G L I S H · L E V E L 1
Articles, Leaflets and Reports
WRITING · LESSON 4 OF 10
Lesson by English
This lesson contains 19 slides, with interactive quizzes and text slides.
F U N C T I O N A L S K I L L S E N G L I S H · L E V E L 1
Articles, Leaflets and Reports
WRITING · LESSON 4 OF 10
Functional Skills English Level 1 · Writing · Lesson 4 of 10 (about 60 minutes)
Covers: subject content 24 (format, structure and language for audience and purpose) and 23 (detail and length for purpose and audience). Statements 19 and 21 run through the proofreading.
Before the lesson: print the handout (model article, task, planning frame and writing lines), one per learner.
Sensitivity: sleep, stress and health can be personal. Keep examples general and never ask learners to share their own health details.
Device-free fallback: every activity works with the printed handout, mini whiteboards and hands up.
Description: Functional Skills English Level 1 Writing, lesson 4 of 10. Learners study a college-magazine article about sleep, compare the features of articles, leaflets and reports, then plan and write a leaflet or article for a community health day.
Tags: article writing, leaflet, report writing, headlines, subheadings, bullet points, text features, health and wellbeing, level 1 writing, exam practice, functional skills english, further education, adult learners Image credit: Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash
😄 Great – ready to go
🙂 Good
😐 Okay
😕 Not great today
😴 Tired
Wellbeing check: how's your energy today?
Phase 0 · Wellbeing check (first 2 mins)
A quick, low-stakes check-in. Only totals show, so nobody is singled out. Say: "There's no right answer. It just helps me plan today."
Act on it: if several learners choose the last two options, ease the pace and build in a pair task early. Check in privately with anyone you are concerned about, and follow your college's wellbeing and safeguarding route.
Editor note: if any emoji have not come through, re-add them in the editor.
Device-free fallback: learners show 1–5 fingers, or write a number on a sticky note face down.
Social media or videos
Friends or family
A GP, nurse or pharmacist
Leaflets or posters
Articles or websites
Where do you usually pick up health tips?
Phase 1 · Hook (2–5 mins)
No wrong answer. Ask two or three learners: "Which do you trust most? Why?"
Probe: "What makes you actually read a leaflet or article, instead of walking past it?" (A catchy title, a picture, short chunks, something that feels useful to you.) That is today's lesson.
Device-free fallback: hands up for each option.
What we're doing today
W R I T I N G
Today you will
Why it matters
spot the features of articles, leaflets and reports
write a headline and opening that hook the reader
use subheadings and bullets to organise ideas
You see these texts everywhere: at the GP, at work, at college.
The Level 1 writing exam often asks you to write one of them.
Phase 2 · Goals (5–7 mins)
Frame it as real life first: GP leaflets, college newsletters, a report to a manager at work.
The Level 1 writing assessment lasts about an hour, usually with two writing tasks set in real-life situations. One is often an article, leaflet or report. Marks go to using the right format and organising your ideas, as well as spelling, punctuation and grammar. There is no dictionary or spellchecker.
Device-free fallback: read the slide aloud; learners copy the three goals into their book.
What helps people feel well? Think sleep, food, moving and mind.
Phase 2 · Activation (7–10 mins)
Free association. Every answer counts: sleep, water, walking, fruit and veg, seeing friends, less screen time, talking about worries, fresh air, a routine, laughing.
Then ask: "If you made a leaflet about one of these, who would read it? Where would you leave it?" That is the audience and purpose.
Device-free fallback: pairs list as many as they can in 60 seconds; collect on the board. Image credit: Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash
Three forms, three jobs
W R I T I N G
Article
For a magazine, newsletter or website.
headline and writer's name
an opening that hooks you
subheadings
can be lively and give opinions
Leaflet
Handed out, or left at the GP or library.
a clear title
short sections, bullets, boxes
talks to "you"
what to do next, contact details
Report
For a manager or an organisation.
To, From, Date, Subject
headings: Introduction, Findings, Recommendations
formal: facts first
Phase 3 · Teaching (10–14 mins)
Click to bring in each form. For each, ask: "Where would you see one? Who is it for?"
Article: for readers of a magazine, newsletter or website; can be lively and give opinions. Leaflet: for the public; short chunks, easy to scan, tells you what to do next. Report: for a manager or organisation; formal, facts first, then recommendations.
Misconception: learners often write every task as a letter. "Dear…" and "Yours sincerely" do not belong in an article or leaflet.
Vocabulary: findings = what you found out; recommendations = what you think should happen.
Device-free fallback: draw three columns on the board and fill them in together.
Hook, then guide
Headline: short and catchy. It tells the topic.
Opening: a question, a surprising fact or "you" pulls the reader in.
Subheadings: split the text into chunks, so readers find what they need.
Phase 3 · Teaching (14–17 mins)
Say: "Readers decide in seconds whether to keep reading. Your headline and first sentence do that job."
Model it: "Exercise" (dull) → "Ten minutes that could change your day" (hooks). Ask: "Which would you read? Why?"
Misconception: a headline is not a full sentence with a full stop. Keep it short: 3–8 words.
Probe: "How do subheadings help someone who is in a hurry?" (They can jump to the part they need.)
Device-free fallback: write two headlines on the board; learners vote with hands up. Image credit: Amy Vann / Unsplash
www.ashworthcollege.ac.uk/magazine/wellbeing
MODEL ARTICLE · 1 of 2
Ashworth College Magazine · Health and wellbeing
Five small habits for a better night's sleep
By Jamal Mensah, Student Wellbeing Team
Tired in class? You're not alone. In our survey of 200 Ashworth College students, more than half said they sleep less than seven hours a night. The good news is that small changes can make a big difference.
Why sleep matters
Sleep helps you concentrate, remember what you learn and stay in a good mood. "Most adults need seven to nine hours," says Grace Okoro, a nurse at Ashworth Health Centre. "Even one extra hour can help."
Keep your bedroom dark and calm
**Headline.** Short, clear and tells you the topic. "Small" makes it sound easy to try.
**Byline.** Who wrote it. Articles have one; leaflets usually don't.
**Hook opening.** A question, then a surprising fact. It makes the reader think: is that me?
**Subheading.** Tells you what this section is about.
**Expert quote.** Words from a nurse make the advice easier to trust.
Phase 3 · Model article, page 1 (17–21 mins)
Learners follow on the handout. Read it aloud, then open hotspots 1–5.
Probe: "Who is this written for?" (Students at Ashworth College.) "How can you tell?" (College magazine, "Tired in class?", a college survey.)
Vocabulary: a byline is the line that says who wrote it; to concentrate is to keep your mind on something.
Misconception: a fact or number in the opening is not boring. "More than half" makes the reader think "Is that me?"
Device-free fallback: printed article; learners label the headline, byline, opening, subheading and quote. Image credit: Jp Valery / Unsplash
www.ashworthcollege.ac.uk/magazine/wellbeing
MODEL ARTICLE · 2 of 2
Try these five habits
Keep to a routine. Go to bed and get up at the same time, even at weekends.
Switch off screens. Put your phone away 30 minutes before bed.
Cut the caffeine. Avoid coffee, cola and energy drinks after 4pm.
Get moving. A 20-minute walk in the day helps you sleep more deeply.
Make it dark and cool. Your bedroom should be dark, quiet and not too warm.
Still struggling?
Start with one habit this week. If you still can't sleep after a month, talk to the Student Wellbeing Team in Room B12, or see your GP.
**Subheading.** Tells the reader what comes next: the tips.
**Numbered list.** Five separate tips, easy to read and remember.
**Command verbs.** Keep, Switch, Cut, Get, Make. Clear advice that talks straight to "you".
**The ending.** A small first step and where to get help. No "Yours sincerely" in an article!
Phase 3 · Model article, page 2 (21–24 mins)
Read it aloud, then open hotspots 1–4. Ask learners to spot the features before you open each one.
Probe: "Why a numbered list here, not a long paragraph?" (Five separate tips; quick to read and remember.)
Grammar point: each tip starts with a command verb (Keep, Switch, Cut, Get, Make). That is how you give clear advice in a leaflet or article.
Misconception: an article does not need a sign-off like a letter. It ends with a short message or what to do next.
Device-free fallback: learners circle the command verbs and box the ending.
Which is the best opening for a magazine article about walking?
This article is about walking.
Could ten minutes a day change how you feel? For many people in Ashworth, it already has.
I am writing to inform you about walking.
Walking is good and you should do it.
Phase 4 · Check (24–26 mins)
Answer: B. A question pulls the reader in, and the second sentence makes them want to know more.
Why the others are weaker: A tells you the topic but gives no reason to read on. C is a letter opening, not an article. D is bossy and gives no detail.
Probe: "How could you improve D?" (Add a fact or talk to "you": "A short walk each day can lift your mood.")
Device-free fallback: learners hold up A–D cards or fingers.
Drag each feature to the best fit: article, leaflet or report?
Article
Leaflet
Report
To, From and Date at the top
A catchy headline and the writer's name
Short chunks you read at a glance
What to do next and contact details
Written for a college magazine
Headings like Findings and Recommendations
Phase 4 · Practice: which form? (26–30 mins)
Learners drag each feature to the form it belongs to. Then ask: "Which features could fit more than one?"
Answers: Article: a catchy headline and the writer's name · written for a magazine or newsletter. Leaflet: what to do next and contact details · short chunks you read at a glance. Report: To, From, Date at the top · headings like Findings and Recommendations.
Discussion: some features overlap (an article can use bullets; a leaflet can have a headline). Ask for the best fit.
Device-free fallback: read each card aloud; learners show A, L or R on a mini whiteboard.
Findings – what happened
To, From, Date
Recommendations – what should change
Introduction – why you are writing
Title: Report on the Health Day
A manager asks you for a report. Put the parts in the right order.
Phase 4 · Practice: report order (30–32 mins)
Learners drag the parts of a report into order, then check.
Answer: Title → To, From, Date → Introduction → Findings → Recommendations.
Say: "A report is like a doctor's visit: why you came, what they found, what you should do next."
Common slip: putting recommendations first. Give the facts before you say what should change.
Device-free fallback: write the five parts on strips of paper; pairs put them in order.
Headline race
Spin for a health topic.
In 60 seconds, write:
a headline that grabs attention
one subheading
Show a partner. Would they read on?
minute
second
Phase 4 · Practice: headline challenge (32–36 mins)
Spin, read the topic aloud, start the 60-second timer. Learners write a headline and one subheading on a mini whiteboard or paper. Play 3–4 rounds.
Good examples: Drinking more water → "Thirsty? Your brain is too" / subheading "Easy ways to drink more". Walking to college → "Swap the bus for your boots" / "Three routes under 20 minutes".
Speaking and listening: partners say whether they would read on, and why.
Support: give the pattern "Question? + topic" or "Number + tips". Stretch: add a hook first sentence too.
Device-free fallback: pull topics from a hat.
Improve this leaflet opening – “This leaflet is about the health day.” Write one sentence that hooks the reader.
Phase 4 · Check: improve the opening (36–39 mins)
Learners type one improved opening sentence. Show a few answers and ask: "What makes this one work?"
Model answers: "Want to feel healthier in just one day?" · "Free health checks, a cooking show and a walk in the park: all on one Saturday." · "Did you know that one in three adults has high blood pressure and doesn't know it?"
Look for: a question, a fact or "you"; the topic is clear; a capital letter and the right end mark.
Device-free fallback: learners write their sentence on a mini whiteboard and hold it up.
Your turn: plan, then write
minute
second
Ashworth Community Centre is holding a free Health Day. Write a leaflet or a college magazine article to get people to go. Write about 150–200 words.
The facts: Saturday 14 March, 10am–3pm, Ashworth Community Centre, Park Road. Free.
What's on: blood pressure checks · healthy cooking show · walking group · advice on sleep and stress.
Include: what it is · what people can do there · why it's worth going.
Plan first (3 mins): headline → opening → 2–3 subheadings → ending.
Useful words
Did you know…?
Why not…?
Don't miss…
Also · Finally
Find out more at…
Phase 5 · Plan and write, exam style (39–55 mins)
Learners choose a leaflet or an article. Give 3 minutes to plan (headline, opening, 2–3 subheadings, ending), then start the 15-minute timer. Leave the last 2 minutes for checking.
Support: use the planning frame on the handout; a leaflet with a title, an opening and three short sections is fine. Stretch: add an expert quote or a fact, and finish with a clear call to action ("Come along and…").
Watch for: "Dear…" or "Yours sincerely" (not needed); a leaflet written as one long paragraph; missing the date, time or place.
Device-free fallback: the task and planning frame are on the handout, with writing lines.
Check your writing
W R I T I N G
1. Right form?
2. Headline and hook?
3. Subheadings or bullets?
4. All the key facts?
5. Proofread?
No "Dear…" or "Yours sincerely".
Would you read on?
One job for each section.
Check them against the task.
There is no spellchecker in the exam.
Leaflet: title, short sections, contact details. Article: headline, your name, paragraphs.
A short, catchy headline. Open with a question, a fact or "you".
Each part has a clear subheading. Bullets for lists, sentences for the rest.
When, where, cost, what's on, and why people should go.
Capitals, full stops, apostrophes (don't, it's). Spell healthy, pressure, community.
Phase 6 · Check your writing (55–57 mins)
Learners swap with a partner (or self-check). Click each yellow marker to reveal what good looks like; partners tick or circle each point.
Common errors: "Dear…" in a leaflet; no subheadings; missing date or time; it's/its; "heathy" for healthy; "pressue" for pressure.
Proofreading habit: read it once for sense, then once slowly for capitals, full stops and spelling, finger under each word.
Device-free fallback: read the five points aloud; learners tick them on the handout checklist.
You can now…
W R I T I N G
tell an article, a leaflet and a report apart by their features
write a headline and an opening that make people read on
organise ideas with subheadings and bullet points
Phase 6 · Celebrate progress (57–58 mins)
Click to bring in each tick. Ask: "Which of these feels solid now? Which needs more practice?" Name it as real progress: the right format and clear organisation earn marks in the writing assessment.
Device-free fallback: learners tick the three statements in their book, adding a question mark next to any they are unsure about. Image credit: LessonUp Studio (made for this series)
A catchy headline
A hook opening
Subheadings and bullets
Planning before I write
Proofreading at the end
Which tip will you use first in your next piece of writing?
Phase 6 · Reflect (58–60 mins)
No right answer. Ask one or two learners why they chose theirs, and where else they could use it (a work notice, a social media post for a club, a report to a manager).
Device-free fallback: learners write their choice and one next step on an exit slip.
Take it further
W R I T I N G
Stretch: in class
Before next lesson
Imagine the Health Day has happened. Write a short report to the centre manager.
Use To, From, Date and the headings Introduction, Findings and Recommendations.
Pick up a real leaflet: at the GP, a pharmacy, the library or college.
Write down:
its title and two subheadings
one thing it asks you to do
one way it could be better
Take it further
Stretch is for early finishers in class. It practises the third form: a short report keeps the facts, adds To/From/Date and uses the three report headings.
Before next lesson needs no device. Learners bring their notes to Lesson 5 (Plan It, Paragraph It), where we plan and organise paragraphs.
Device-free fallback: this slide is already paper-based.