Adult Numeracy, Functional Maths, and GCSE Resources

An ESOL lesson embedding numeracy, diversity and British values, centred on the Spring Equinox and three festivals which happen around / on this day - Purim, Holi and Shunbun No Hi. Learners collect unfamiliar words on a vocabulary sheet and ask and answer questions to elicit meaning / explanation. There is a powerpoint to introduce the topic, using acronyms eg 7DIAW  - Seven Days In A Week to elicit key words, and lead to an explanation of what the Vernal Equinox is and when it is.

I wrote this to add to Timings in a Salon by Carrie Bray (see link left) as I needed to encourage my higher level students in the same area.

I started the session by giving students terminology which they had to define, then work out how much it was worth if a=1p b=2p etc. (see PPT).

I used then used tasks to recap on 24 hour and analogue time next then used the attached worksheets alongside Carrie's worksheet.

I then provided a Tarsia puzzle at the end to recap on time.

Editor's notes

This is a good starter activity to introduce measures, shape and space. It is also useful in dividing classes into small groups.

Using the templates I created I printed them on to card of different colours. I gave the shapes to the learners as they entered the room and told them to find the table with the same shape on it. When they reached the table they found the shape and some questions to answer.

After five minutes I asked for feedback from the learners.

Editor’s note
With Functional Maths mapping

This activity encourages ESOL students:
- To communicate with each other while moving around the classroom,
- To revise Past Simple (questions and answers),
- To practise basic numeracy (subtraction).

With extensive teachers’ notes

This carousel of Jubilee tasks was hurriedly put together for a group of 10 E1-E3 Functional Maths and English 16-19 year old learners who had just (very successfully!) finished all their Edexcel Functional Skills assessments.

After a year of hard work from my students, the emphasis was on celebration and fun. However, learning objectives included: measuring, counting, writing an email, spelling, 2D shapes, estimating, rounding and working with money. Rough lesson outline also included.

A set of cards to cut out and ideally put in plastic balls or a jazzy box. Aimed at E2- E3 Functional Skills learners as an ice breaker, introductory lesson or for revision. Students need to work out the question and identify the maths skills they are using to answer it. Best printed onto card.
Questions are aimed to appeal to young adult students – e.g. clubbing, Facebook, food, mobiles, etc.
Questions cover the 4 operations, money, time, shapes and more.
26 cards. Includes Functional Maths mapping chart.

Find out and record everyone’s favorites from a diverse list of foods. Use as an icebreaker in any Entry Level literacy, numeracy, Functional Skills or ESOL lesson.

Also ties in well with lessons on diversity, healthy eating, collecting data, making / taking simple surveys, tallies, counting, asking questions, etc.

Mapped to Functional Maths and SfL adult numeracy, Functional English (speaking, listening and communication) and SfL adult literacy.

An excellent, detailed lesson plan – focusing on expressing one number as a fraction of another but also touching on other fraction topics.The two hour plan includes a good mix of hands-on practical activities (such as sorting and matching) combined with teacher input, worksheets, discussion, etc.

A fabulous, very clear lesson plan ideal for money-management / personal finance classes. The mathematical focus is on percentages (VAT) but it also covers rounding and extracting data and can be used in mixed ability classes from E2 -L2.
The plan also includes links to online Budget videos, a ‘chop or not’ game, VAT calculators and more!
Also suitable for underpinning L1 Functional Maths, and linked to Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship (ESDGC).