Maths and Numeracy in the Real World
Mathematics can be considered as aspect of involving the idea of communication, problem-solving, and searching for patterns. Mathematics happens to be one of the important subjects in any school curriculum, together with sciences and English. The reason behind it being so highly regarded is that it exhibits essential life skills. Numeracy on the other may be simply stated to mean numerical literacy. Numerical literacy involves the use of some mathematical aspects to achieve various purposes in varying context.
As much as numeracy is under mathematics the two differ in various aspects. In school, mathematics is important as it develops the young person’s level of numeracy. It is true to say that the various implemented mathematics curriculums applied in schools are surely responsible for developing and introducing mathematics, which in the long run facilitates numeracy. Numeracy has a both short and long term impacts on an individual’s life in general. It crosses their life from childhood to adulthood. Numeracy implies during their time in education and the lifelong further learning, in non-traditional setting, and the work place. The relationship between numeracy and school mathematics is problematic not least because numeracy does not seem to be an automatic outcome to the many after years of compulsory schooling .
3. Provide three examples of how everyday experiences can enhance children’s numeracy skills,
- Going to the shops.
- Working a schedule or
- Telling time.
4. Describe each experience in five steps.
- Going to the shops.
- ‘Do I really need this?’
- Check the fridge for need supplies.
- Look for a catalogue to check on the special offers.
- Writing a shopping list.
- Checking the available budget.
- Go for some shopping via bus.
- Working a schedule
- Developing mental agility to work the schedule
- Understanding the purpose and intention of the schedule.
- Checking on the schedule requirements.
- List the various specifications of the schedules.
- Fit the requirements in the schedule.
- Telling time.
- Acquiring the knowledge of telling time.
- Creating or occurrence of an urge to tell time.
- Use reasoning to read the time.
- Analyze the time read if it appropriate.
- Tell out the time read.5. Explain your reasoning with reference to your research and links to the:
Before the beginning of any of the tasks, one should begin by prompting the extent they have been introduced to numeracy experiences and activities. By identifying where numeracy plays in the activity to be undertaken and how it contributes to the specific activity is the first and foremost part. Prompting questions such like, does the activity to be undertaken involving estimation, and does it entail measuring anything.
Other prompting questions that results to the steps of an activity are; how managing and use of time is involved in the activity and does it involve carrying out calculations involving money just like in the case of going for shopping. In highlighting the outcome of the prompted questions that involves aspects of mathematics in the above mentioned activities, then are vital contributions to numeracy development are achieved. Lastly, by developing of the problem-solving capabilities and metal agility to be applied when taking part in the activities, relevant numeracy context and experiences are applied.
Works Cited
O’donoghue, John. "Numeracy and Mathematics." Irish Math. Soc. Bulletin 48 (2002): 47-45.
Sage Publishers. "Maths and Numeracy in the Real World." 3 November 2006. Sage Publications. 6 April 2014 <http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CEAQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.uk.sagepub.com%2Fupm-data%2F13902_Sample.pdf&ei=ObpBU_KCBsr74QSgp4AI&usg=AFQjCNGEH7d7Dw8ovqmWHMc1R9Zu52bdOw&sig2=8nCZBeoSBd5RcXScHCGIFw&bvm=bv>.
