The Scottish Learning Festival 2011

Today we will get you registered for the Scottish Learning Festival. This major event is where teachers and educators go to see new resources and keep up-to-date.
To register follow the link here.

Numeracy Specifications and Assessment Support Packs

The unit specification and the Assessment Support Pack (ASP)is available on the SQA website. To save you strugling with the SQA website here are the direct links.
SCQF Level 4 (F3GF 10)Specification
SCQF Level 4 Numeracy ASP

SCQF Level 5 (F3GF 11)Specification
SCQF Level 5 ASP

The specifications and ASP for all Core Skills can be found here.

The Metric System

The metric system is used everywhere and the 'old system' (Imperial) will be long gone by the time today's children reach working age.
The link below gives a summary of the Metric System and even if it is the only system you know it is worth working through.
www.thinkmetric.org.uk/index.html
Make sure you do the quiz.

NQ Early Years Percentages

There are two types of percentage question.

type 1 In a nursery there are 8 chidren absent due to food poisoning. If there are 40 children in the nursery, what percentage of the children are absent?

type 2 At Makro prices do not include VAT. What is the VAT (20%) on toys costing £85.00?
What is the price including VAT?

Do you know how to do both types?

Maths for Early Years -Some Links

This link (American) has some ideas for introducing maths to the pre-school child. Although it is designed for parents the ideas can be adopted in any environment.
Early Numeracy
You will not be assessed on this but if you have children yourself or deal with children regularly it is worth reading as many of the articles as possible.

There are also links to some 'grown up maths' but some of them will be too difficult.

Another link which is worth reading is Helping Young Children With Maths

Why Numeracy

Why do those involved with young children need to do Numeracy (and maths is included here)?

Maths is used in many occupations. If children are not confident in maths they will be excluded from many careers later in life. It is unforgivable for anyone dealing with youngsters to make it seem acceptable to be poor at maths. Statements such as 'I can't do Maths' are simply unacceptable. Instead a positive attitude about numbers can 'rub off' on children. A negative attitude can sow the seeds of 'maths anxiety'.
If you feel happy about your number skills the children will pick up on this.
The numeracy you will do can be divided into 3 sections

1. Number skills for everyday life e.g. timetables, money, foreign currency etc.
2. Number skills for work e.g. filling in time-sheets, working out travel claims, costing excursions, purchasing stock etc.
3. Reading reports which include statistics and graphs and being able to write or contribute to reports.

If you are still not convinced have a look at Scottish Executive. They use graphs, charts and tables to provide information. Projections for funding, staffing etc. are based on these figures some of which come from the people working in schools etc.

Week 1 Calculator Skills

The calculator can be a great tool - as long as you know how to use it. Fractions are no longer a problem - especially if you have a nice new scientific calculator. The calculator is pretty dumb - the human being has to know what to tell the calculator to do. Sometimes ( ) are needed.

The numerical brains are probably a wee bit rusty - use it or lose it!
The good news - we have access to IT! A really good website is the BBC skillwise. Follow the link at the right handside to take you there. Next week we will be doing percentages. If you want to get a head start go to the BBC Skillswise site or go to Mymaths (link at the side)

Brush Up on Basics

'Use it or Lose it!'
If you have not used your calculation skills for a while might have forgotten some of the techniques you used in the past.
Brush up on the basics by working through the numeracy section on the BBC Skillwise site.

www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/

This site is good for refreshing your memory. Even if you are confident about your numeracy skills it is worth working through to let you see the potential of the web as an educational tool.
It will also let you shake off any 'maths monsters' you might have.