Personal Reflection: Learning to Cook

 

When I was younger, my mum got me a little cookery book called How to Boil an Egg by J Arkless.

It was simple and aimed at beginners — just one person at a time — and it helped me start learning cooking skills safely. Even something as small as boiling an egg felt like an achievement at first.

Having a resource like that gave me confidence to try more things in the kitchen, one step at a time. It reminded me that independence starts with small, achievable steps, and that learning can be fun.

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You could also pair this with the “Life Skills Module” or Easy Read activities we’ve been creating. For example, learners could:

• follow the instructions in the book

• take photos or draw pictures of each step

• write the steps in a numbered list

• reflect on what they learned

This makes the lesson interactive, visual, and confidence-building — just like your own experience with early cookery guidance.

Easy Read Activity: How to Boil an Egg 🥚

Goal: Learn to cook a simple egg safely and independently.

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What you need:

• 1 egg 🥚

• Bowl 🥣

• Spoon 🥄

• Salt and pepper 🧂 (optional)

• Saucepan or microwave ⏱

• Water 💧

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Prepare the egg

• Put the egg in a bowl. 🥚

• Optional: draw a picture of your egg here ⬜

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Step 2 – Add water

• Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover the egg. 💧

• Optional: draw a picture of the water ⬜

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Step 3 – Heat the water

• Put the saucepan on the stove. 🔥

• Bring water to a boil. ⏱

• Optional: draw a picture of the saucepan ⬜

Tip: If using a microwave, put the egg in a microwave-safe container with water and cook carefully with supervision.

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Step 4 – Cook the egg

• Boil for about 7–10 minutes for a hard egg. ⏱

• Optional: draw a timer or clock ⬜

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Step 5 – Cool the egg

• Take the egg out carefully. 🥄

• Put it in cold water to cool down. ❄️

• Optional: draw a picture of the cooled egg ⬜

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Step 6 – Peel and eat

• Crack the shell and peel it. 🥚

• Add salt and pepper if you want. 🧂

• Enjoy your egg! 😋

• Optional: draw a picture of your cooked egg ⬜

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Questions to Think About

1. What did you do first?

2. How did you know the egg was ready?

3. What step helped you stay safe?

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Tips for Teachers / Support Staff

• Encourage learners to follow the steps one at a time.

• Let learners draw pictures or paste images for each step.

• Supervise safely when using hot water or a microwave.

• Use this activity to teach confidence and independence.

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