NCFM Study Skills Guide

Functional Skills English consists of a

• WRITING paper (you are required to write 2 pieces of text of approx. 250 – 300 words/5-8 paragraphs each. The text could be a formal letter, an email, an article, a speech, a flyer, a report or a blog. You are allowed 80 mins. Pass mark is31/54.
• READING paper (you are required to answer questions on 2 pieces of text. Questions include purposes of text e.g informative, persuasive etc;  identification of and purpose of presentation features/layout features e.g. heading, subheading, images, paragraphs, bullet points, bold, images, font style and size; comparing texts; bias and opinion in texts; inference and implication within texts and also language features within different types of text and how they are used e.g. metaphor, simile, idiom, rule of three, alliteration, hyperbole, cliché. The reading paper is 60 minutes and the pass mark is 20/30.
• Plus 3 SPEAKING, LISTENING & COMMUNICATING assessments ( a formal discussion on an unfamiliar topic, a presentation/extended discussion on a familiar topic and a discussion in response to another person’s presentation/extended explanation.

To pass English you must pass all 5 of the assessments. The reading paper and the writing paper are attempted separately and if you need to re sit you can re sit individual exam papers.

Introduction to bksb An online learning platform Bksb

1. Open page: : https://universityoflincoln.bksblive2.co.uk/bksblive2/Login.aspx?OrgID=univer sityoflincoln
2. Enter the bksb user name given to you by the University of Lincoln, and your password at this point is password. 
3. You will be asked to read and click to agree to the bksbLIVE 2 terms and conditions. (You will need to scroll to the end before you can click “I agree”)
4. You will need to update your password from password to one of your own choice. Your password will need to contain:
   • at least 1 uppercase letter
   • at least 1 lowercase letter
   • at least 1 number
   • at least 1 special character/symbol such as !, ?, #, *, $, etc.
5.  You can then click on FOCUS Functional Skills box
6. Click on either English or maths
7. Click on Initial Assessment

Alternatively you can click on courses in the left hand column and this will take you to the page below where you can click on English (Reforms) FOCUS Functional Skills and/or Maths (Reforms) FOCUS Functional Skills. (Step 5).

Complete the initial assessment for both English and maths. You can choose to do either maths or English first but do remember to complete both. Finally, let our admin team (holbeachadmin@lincoln.ac.uk) know that you have completed the initial assessment. You should then complete the diagnostic as well as this will identify the areas that you are good at and the areas that you need to take care with and further develop. Any problems contact holbeachadmin@lincoln.ac.uk.

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