18 Aug Teaching Adult Numeracy: More than Worksheets
Check out this new, free, numeracy teaching video series now on the Reading Writing Hotline website We are launching this for Adult Learners Week.
The Hotline has responded to adult educators’ requests for help teaching numeracy by producing a series of eight engaging and stimulating new tutorial videos. The series has been developed and is presented by Dr Keiko Yasukawa from the University of Technology, Sydney.
The tutorials are designed for teachers and tutors of numeracy in any adult learning setting – community colleges, TAFE colleges, Vocational Education or workplace training.
Keiko describes numeracy as a social and critical practice: it’s something rarely done alone, better done collaboratively and always connected to real world experiences. She demonstrates this approach in a classroom, using a group of teachers as her learners. They have fun, they learn and they gain confidence as teachers of numeracy.
Each tutorial covers one topic and includes both a demonstration of teaching and an exploration of the theory behind the teaching. Keiko’s clear explanations, practical demonstrations and warm manner make it a pleasure to engage with them.
Collaborative, multi modal and real life connections
The first tutorial is titled: Introduction: Confidence, Context and Collaboration in Adult Numeracy. Here Keiko explains the difference between numeracy and mathematics – numeracy is what we do with mathematics. It’s embedded in everyday life. She addresses learners’ maths anxiety and barriers to numeracy, and ways to help break them down.
Other topics
The other tutorials can be used in any order. The topics are:
- Measurement
- Ratios
- Place value
- Problem solving
- Maps
- Area
- Maths and culture.
We are grateful for Federal Government funding for this project from the Department of Employment & Workplace Relations and for the support of the University of Technology Sydney.
People interested in further study in this area may be interested in the Teaching Adult Literacy & Numeracy specialist stream of the UTS Graduate Diploma in TESOL & Applied Linguistics.
This stream includes subjects on numeracy teaching. For further information, contact the Program Coordinator keiko.yasukawa@uts.edu.au
