Adult Numeracy, Functional Maths, and GCSE Resources

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.

This is an Excel file with a basic odd/even activity. I took inspiration from Jean Thomas’ “Reveal the hidden shapes!” activity from 2005.

With this activity, the tutor can design a picture (or one learner can design a picture for another learner) and it produces a printable sheet. The learner then shades all the odd numbers on the sheet in one colour, and all the even numbers in a different colour – revealing a picture or a message.

There are no macros, so cross-compatibility with Excel shouldn’t be a problem.

A short cloze exercise on the Olympic Opening Ceremony based on numbers (E2-L1), plus a writing activity at 2 levels (E2-3 and L1-L2).

Editor’s note
The cloze is also a clever way of embedding some maths (large numbers).

I have created this to enable learners to estimate and calculate and to emphasis the (financial) costs of smoking.
Editor’s note
With Functional maths mapping.

This is a set of part-blanked times tables grids for students to complete and use as a resource. Used with Entry level students. Includes 10×10 and 12×20 grids, with full and gap versions.

Editor’s note
Can be printed and completed on paper, or used on-screen.

Simulations of email and online banking registration forms. Can be used in succession, as for the banking registration form you need an email address. When you press the “create account” button it will open the printing menu. Good luck!

Here is another Level 1-2 variant on the classic ‘Smarties’ investigation which incorporates the use of a PC and Excel. I stopped using Smarties and Skittles because of the health and hygiene issues.

An E3-L1 Functional Maths, English and ICT task first used with learners at Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme. Plan and cost a restaurant meal for 20 officials (originally held at Frank and Benny’s, Chingford, but you will need to provide menus from a favourite local restaurant or chain) and then present your results in a spreadsheet..

An interesting worksheet that covers both literacy and numeracy. Best used with an interactive food label on the UK Government Eatwell site but the questions can also be answered using the provided printout.
Covers reading comprehension (scanning), extracting information from tables, using decimals and place value.

This uses the Olympic games 2012 as a focus.The main emphasis is maths / numeracy but ICT and English reading skills are also covered.

[img_assist|nid=4367|title=|desc=|link=popup|align=left|width=70|height=100]Learners will read dates by looking at a calendar and marking on when the Olympics start and finish (including the Paralympics), read times that the football events start and finish and put these on a clockface, and read prices of tickets of a match that they choose. There are also questions on shapes, number, money and doubling.