The National Certificate in

Adult Numeracy

Level 2 Skills for LifeSupport Strategies

Module 1:Programme overview

and taster session

Course aim

To enable participants to brush up and consolidate personal numeracy skills at Level 2, explore Skills for Life support strategies and gain the National Certificate in Adult Numeracy at Level 2.

2

Course objectives

To provide participants with an enjoyable experience of learning that meets their personal goals and interests.

To cover all numeracy concepts included in Level 2 tests.

To build participants’ confidence – particularly in responding to the Skills for Life support needs of learners within their organisations.

To enable participants to experience the benefits of group teaching and learning and peer support.

To enable participants to achieve the NationalCertificate in Adult Numeracy at Level 2.3

Module 1: Outcomes

Participants will have:

an understanding of the contents of the training programme

gained knowledge of their skills in relation to starting levels that will inform an individual learning plan

sampled skills and test taster exercises

explored a range of teaching and learning resources to support them and their learners.

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Context for training

Skills for Life strategy launched in March 2001 to raise the standards in literacy, numeracy and language of the UK’s adult population.

Targets: 75,000 by 20041.5 million by 2007

Introduction of national standards, curricula and qualifications.

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Adult Literacy in England 2002/03 (aged 16–

65)

3% 2%

11%

40%44%

Entry level 1 Entry level 2 Entry level 3 Level 1 Level 2+

Base: all respondents with literacy score (7873)

1.1 m 0.6 m

3.5 m

12.6 m14.1 m

5.2 m with below Level 1 literacy

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Adult Numeracy in England 2002/03 (aged 16–65)

5%

16%

25%28%

25%

Entry level 1 Entry level 2 Entry level 3 Level 1 Level 2+

Base: all respondents with numeracy score (8041)

1.7 m

5.1 m

8.1 m8.8 m

8.1 m

15 m with below Level 1 numeracy

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National standards

Separate strands of literacy/numeracy.

Specify full range of skills required for an adult to communicate and apply numeracy effectively and confidently.

5 levels: Entry levels 1, 2 and 3Level 1 and Level 2

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National Qualifications: the National Certificates in Adult Literacy and

Numeracy

Part of National Qualifications Framework

Short (1 hr literacy, 1¼ hr numeracy) and accessible

40 multiple choice questions – 1 mark each

Four possible answers – three wrong, but plausible

Pass mark 75%

Numeracy coverage: • Number• Measures, shape and space• Handling data 9

National Qualifications Framework

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Skills for Life:national professional qualifications

Progression opportunities

Certificate in Adult Learning Support at Level 2

Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Support at Level 3

Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Specialists at Level 4

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Purpose of assessment

Formative Assessment

Mini-test could inform either stage

Practice Test could inform either stage

Practice Test could inform Formative Assessment

Final Practice Test

Take the National Test in Adult Literacy and/or

Numeracy

Skills check

Initial Assessment

Diagnostic Assessment

Summative

For level of skills

To show who would benefit

For detailed learner profile informs ILP

Completion of ILP for strand 1

For regular review of progress to inform learning programme

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What the experts say

• ‘A man whose mind has gone astray should study mathematics.’

Francis Bacon

• ‘Medicine makes people ill, mathematics make them sad and theology makes them sinful.’

Martin Luther

• ‘In mathematics you don’t understand things, you just get used to them.’

Johann von Neumann

• ‘There are three kinds of mathematicians: those who can count and those who cannot.’

Anon13

The language of maths

How many ways are there of saying:

• add?

• subtract?

• multiply?

• divide?

• do a question?

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Mind your language!

Think about division:

divide 6 into 12

• Does this mean ‘divide 12 by 6’?

• Does it mean ‘divide 6 into 12 parts’?

• What is the answer in each case?

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