Adult Numeracy, Functional Maths, and GCSE Resources

A light-hearted poem to celebrate International Pi Day and British Pie Week.  Pi Day is celebrated on 14th March every year (3.14) and British Pie Week is usually during the first full week of March.

In English classes this poem could be used as a discussion starter on the theme of food likes and dislikes, vegetarianism and diet.

In Maths classes it could be used as a humorous introduction to Pi.

Editor's notes

Love this  :) 

Reading and related activities focusing on a simplified version of a BBC news article reporting the results of the 2021 Australian Census. Ideal for practising reading strategies including:  relating images to text, using headings, skimming, scanning and using context to predict. My (Australian) students found it challenging but were engaged in the content. Lots of possible ways it could lead into other written and oral activities. Numbers and a graph involved so can also be used to revise numeracy concepts such as percentages and extracting information from graphs.

An updated version of 'Numeracy during the Summer' by Judith White (2006). 

Numeracy during the summer. Keep your students’ skills going during the summer break with these ideas. One page for Entry Level learners, one for Levels 1/2.
Covers number, measures, shape and space, and data.

A reading comprehension based on the BBC news website with related writing activities, one at E3 (informal letter) and one at L1-L2 (email).

Editor’s note
There is also some maths thrown in for good measure! A great resource for the start of (spring) term.

A short topical reading comprehension at two levels (L1/L2) and Entry 3 on the 29th February. The higher level text requires learners to write a short paragraph in a specific context. Some embedded maths is included. I have also added a short fact sheet about when Leap Years occur, for when someone asks those technical questions!

Editor’s note
With detailed curriculum mapping and answer sheet.

Topical resource based on a news story. Reading comprehension at 2 levels (E3 and L1/L2) plus two writing extension activities with writing frames. Some embedded maths (including a chart in the L1/L2 exercise) and the opportunity to discuss healthy eating. The higher level comprehension aims to get learners to understand in depth what they are reading, rather than just answer the questions from the text.

This resource has been designed using ideas in the popular Celebrity BMI resource (From Janet Wilkins – see below) already available on Skillsworkshop but adapted to suit the needs of Entry/ Level 1 learners.

Written as a resource for distance learners with good reading skills who were challenged by some of the questions in the Level 1 Numeracy test.

I wanted to give them different methods of working out multiplication and division questions in particular – emphasising that multiplication is the reverse of division, and that multiplication is the same as repeated addition. The idea of division as repeated subtraction is also introduced.

A set of posters / cards / checklists designed to prompt discussion, check learning and keep a record of student progression. Designed for Entry Level Functional Maths and English learners in an FE setting but suitable for all levels and subjects.
This resource was inspired by discussion on the NCETM (National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics) site about “understanding versus doing” and I would like to thank the forum members for their ideas and feedback.

This PDF is an amalgamation of methods and worked examples, sorted by topic, for both L1 and L2 Adult Numeracy/Functional Skills (some sections are also suitable for Entry 3). It is not intended as an exhaustive resource, but more of a selection of “hot topics” and exam-friendly examples (some of which are paraphrased from actual past papers).