Adult Numeracy, Functional Maths, and GCSE Resources

A quick but very useful match-up activity that makes a good starter activity for financial literacy or employment skills courses - and it's bound to prompt discussion.

Editor's note

Written for an Australian audience but I have added a UK version on page 2.  Learners can draw lines to match the items or, for a reusable resource, the page could be laminated and/or cut into 12 cards. 

Practise using reordering strategies with these extra E2 (E1 questions are in a separate Wordwall activity) questions for our recently updated E1-E2 Mental addition strategies (reordering) PDF worksheet (Maggie Harnew, 2005, updated Feb 2022). Match the correct answer to each addition problem. (Reordering involves adding up large numbers first and/or looking for pairs of numbers that add up to 10, 20, 30, etc.). Can be used independently of the original resource.

An introductory PPT based task to find the value of the three words in ‘Happy New Year’, given certain values for each letter. This is followed up by a set of question cards on calculations with the letters of Happy New Year and an algebra worksheet with the same given values, using BODMAS.

A great way to start a class – provides mental maths practice for E2-E3 but also suitable for higher level learners who can try it out with with large numbers and discuss how it works!

A super, quick-to-prepare paired game (all you need is paper, pencil and two dice) that is easily differentiated for any E1-E3 group. Example games include addition, subtraction and times tables.

A quick-to-prepare game that is easily differentiated for any E1-E3 group. Example games include addition and times tables – or make up your own. If you don’t have Monopoly a link is provided so you can print your own Monopoly money!

A great warm-up or starter activity – covers many aspects of the numeracy curriculum (E3 upwards) plus general knowledge. Originally written when the author was bemused to find that many people did not know how many weeks there are in a year!

THOAN (think of a number) makes a great starter and can be adapted for all levels.

Mental maths starter (doubling, halving, addition and subtraction) that can also be used as a gentle introduction to substitution.

Times tables matching cards. All the tables from 2 to 10 ( 9 sets of 22 cards) for individual, paired or small group work. With teaching ideas.