Adult Numeracy, Functional Maths, and GCSE Resources

An interesting meld of description, investigation, paired discussion and tasks.
Ideal introduction to L1 averages – also useful at high E3.
Adapted from one page of Nikki Gilbey’s Data Collection and Averages – functional tasks (listed below under See also).

A counting game along similar lines to Snakes and Ladders. Learners will learn turn-taking, following instruction & basic counting skills. In addition, they will pick up social and communication skills along the way.

(Print onto A3 – a dice and counters needed)

Editor’s note
A PPT version is also included to enable the game to be played on a smartboard.

The main resource has four pages. Three of the pages contain a chart and a brief to a group of students to discuss and write some sentences saying what the chart tells them. The twist is that each group of 3 students has a different chart drawn from the same data as the groups next to them. The fourth page has the table from which the charts were drawn.

The charts used are: dual/clustered bar chart comparing types of drink sold on two days. A stacked/composite bar chart and a percentage bar chart of the same data.

Print and cut in to 3 sets of cards. Can be used in a number of ways – match the underlined digit with the corresponding card for it’s place value OR match the words with numbers OR use for ordering numbers. Can be differentiated with size of numbers.

Place value game involving dice and calculators. Helps build confidence with place value.
Can be used with all ability levels and easy to adapt.
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A power point and interactive cards to introduce the students to reversing calculations / formulas.

The animated PPT demonstrates the basics of how to rearrange formulae and use reverse calculations to self check answers.

The cards with symbols, can be used to physically rearrange the formula showing the moves of each symbol. These allow the tutor to spend some time talking the less able students through the process. Students can then use the card to complete a short worksheet.

A set of cards that can be used to play a game where students have shares in a small company. Each group of three players receives ‘market updates’ in the form of cards that require them to divide a number in a ratio, or find the value of an amount given the value of part of the amount. Students are encouraged to keep full financial records. As a differentiation task for confident students, it is possible to calculate the percentage change in value of the shareholding at the end of the game.

The package contains a range of worksheets and activities for E1-L1 Functional Maths.

A set of cards where learners have to find percentages of money.
Note that it is percentage of not off – this should be discussed.

Use as a paired game. Learners share the cards between them, then both turn over one card each. They work out how much their card is worth then the “winner” or person whose card is worth more keeps both cards. Play continues until 1 player has all the cards.

Adapted from Emma Shaw’s Fractions of quantities top trump cards see below.

An activity to explore money management and negative numbers. Be prepared to signpost students if need be.

The activity starts with discussing who is most likely to get into debt and then by recognising that anyone can if they don’t have good money skills.