Numeracy is a noun which refers to the ability to understand and work with numbers. Your aim as a teacher is to ensure your candidates become numerate which is the capacity to recognise and understand the role played by mathematics in their life. They will also need to have the ability to apply mathematics in a meaningful way which makes them fully numerate.

Numeracy applies to everyone. It assists us to manage everyday situations. Everywhere you look or do is influenced by numeracy. Each time you use money, create or work within a budget you are using numeracy skills. Numeracy helps us to understand and communicate. For example, when buying or leasing a car you have to consider information such as engine size, seating capacity, miles per gallon. For people working in the trade such as builders and hairdressers, it is important they all understand formulas, ratios and ingredients to be able to fully perform their roles.

Life will be so complicated without a good understanding of numeracy. That is the reason the government encourages all teachers to embed numeracy as part of the minimum core skills as part of their delivery. It will be easy to be cheated or lose out on opportunities without an understanding of numeracy. I remember a few years ago when payday lenders made national headlines due to their interest charges. Due to a lack of understanding, some high street bank were left alone while in practice they had similar or higher charges for overdrafts and other services. As teachers, we have to also consider learner needs such as cognitive understanding, dyslexic or have a visual impairment when embedding numeracy or teaching. How best do we support our learners to understand numbers? The following two videos discuss the impact of numeracy on the curriculum and the training environment.