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Mathematical LiteracyMathematical LiteracyWhat is it?What is it?

Should my child take Should my child take it?it?

And other And other questions..questions.. A guide for parentsA guide for parents

WHAT IS MATHS WHAT IS MATHS LITERACYLITERACY??

“I only really understood positive and negative numbers once I had to manage my overdraft on my cheque account.” Readers Digest 1998

A Jamaican man wants a job, but the foreman won't hire him until he passes a little maths test.

Is this maths literacy……?

Here is your first question, the foreman said. Here is your first question, the foreman said. "Without using numbers, "Without using numbers,

represent the number represent the number 99." ."

"Without numbers?" The Jamaican says,"Without numbers?" The Jamaican says,"Dat is easy." "Dat is easy." And proceeds to draw three trees. And proceeds to draw three trees.

"What's this?" the boss asks "What's this?" the boss asks

"Ave you got no brain? "Ave you got no brain?

Tree and tree and tree make nine," says the Tree and tree and tree make nine," says the Jamaican. Jamaican.

"Fair enough," says the boss."Fair enough," says the boss.

"Here's your second question. Use the "Here's your second question. Use the same rules, but this time the number same rules, but this time the number is 99." is 99."

The Jamaican stares into space for a The Jamaican stares into space for a while, then picks up the picture that while, then picks up the picture that he has just drawn and makes a he has just drawn and makes a smudge on each tree. smudge on each tree.

"Ere you go." "Ere you go."

The boss scratches his head and says,The boss scratches his head and says, "How on earth do you get that to "How on earth do you get that to

represent represent 9999?" ?"

"Each of da trees is dirty now. "Each of da trees is dirty now.

So, it's So, it's dirty treedirty tree, and , and dirty treedirty tree, and , and dirty treedirty tree. Dat is . Dat is 9999." ."

The boss is getting worried that he's going The boss is getting worried that he's going to actually have to hire this Jamaican, so to actually have to hire this Jamaican, so he says,he says,

"All right, last question. Same rules "All right, last question. Same rules again, but represent the number again, but represent the number

100100." ."

The Jamaican stares into space some The Jamaican stares into space some more, then he picks up the picture again more, then he picks up the picture again and makes a little mark at the base of and makes a little mark at the base of each tree and says, each tree and says,

"Ere you go. One hundred." "Ere you go. One hundred."

The boss looks at the attempt. The boss looks at the attempt.

"You must be nuts if you think that "You must be nuts if you think that represents a hundred!" represents a hundred!"

The Jamaican leans forward and points to the The Jamaican leans forward and points to the marks at the base of each tree and says,marks at the base of each tree and says,

"A little dog come along and crap by each "A little dog come along and crap by each tree. So now you got tree. So now you got dirty tree and a turddirty tree and a turd, , dirty tree and a turddirty tree and a turd, and , and dirty tree and a dirty tree and a turdturd, ,

which makes which makes one hundredone hundred." ."

"SO, WHEN I START?""SO, WHEN I START?"

Mathematical Literacy provides learners with an awareness and understanding of the role that mathematics plays in the modern world. Mathematical Literacy is a subject driven by life-related applications of mathematics. It enables learners to develop the ability and confidence to think numerically and spatially in order to interpret and critically analyse everyday situations and to solve problems.

Self Managing personsSelf Managing persons They should be able to handle They should be able to handle

the maths of everyday life, and the maths of everyday life, and know something about:know something about: Hire purchaseHire purchase Mortgage bondsMortgage bonds InvestmentsInvestments How to read a mapHow to read a map Following timetablesFollowing timetables Estimating & calculating areas & Estimating & calculating areas &

volumesvolumes Understanding house plansUnderstanding house plans Understanding and using dress Understanding and using dress

patternspatterns Using recipesUsing recipes Using medicines correctlyUsing medicines correctly

Contributing workersContributing workers They should have an They should have an

understanding of maths in understanding of maths in order to meet the demands order to meet the demands of a job, and be able to:of a job, and be able to: Deal with work related Deal with work related

formulaeformulae Read statistical chartsRead statistical charts Deal with schedulesDeal with schedules Understand instructions Understand instructions

involving numerical involving numerical componentscomponents

Participating citizensParticipating citizens

They should be critical of They should be critical of mathematical arguments mathematical arguments presented in the media and:presented in the media and: Be aware that statistics can be Be aware that statistics can be

used to support opposing used to support opposing argumentsarguments

Be able to follow mathematical Be able to follow mathematical arguments in the mediaarguments in the media

Difference between Difference between Maths and Maths Maths and Maths Literacy?Literacy?

Mathematics Mathematics focuses on the focuses on the disciplinediscipline of of mathematicsmathematics

Maths Literacy Maths Literacy focuses on the focuses on the rolerole of mathematics of mathematics in in the real worldthe real world

With maths literacy, With maths literacy, relevant,relevant, current current contextscontexts are used are used

With maths, applications With maths, applications are important, but do not are important, but do not have to be only real life have to be only real life contextscontexts


ML:ML:Only basic Only basic mathematics is mathematics is needed. A few needed. A few new concepts new concepts are introduced are introduced in Grades 10 in Grades 10 and 11.and 11.


Maths:Content is expanded on as the learners progress from one year to another.

ML:ML:ContextsContexts become become more complexmore complex

Maths:Maths:Both Both contentcontent and and contextscontexts become become more complex / more complex / advancedadvanced


Career choices?Career choices?

The Learning Outcomes of Mathematical Literacy are designed to enable learners passing through the Further Education and Training band to handle with confidence the mathematics that affects their lives and so be appropriately educated for the modern world.

.

Students proceeding to Higher Education institutions will have acquired a mathematical literacy that will enable them to deal effectively with mathematically-related requirements in disciplines such as the social and life sciences.

Mathematical Literacy should not be taken by those learners who intend to study disciplines which are mathematically based, such as the natural sciences or engineering.

Questions you should ask Questions you should ask yourselfyourself

Is my child going to be a Is my child going to be a docter, engineer, docter, engineer, scientist? scientist?

Is my child practical or Is my child practical or academic?academic?

Does my child hate Does my child hate maths?maths?

………………

What do the learners What do the learners say?say?

I sucked at maths, but I am loving I sucked at maths, but I am loving ML ML

Things makes more sense to me Things makes more sense to me now that I don’t have to struggle now that I don’t have to struggle with with xx’s and ’s and yy’s’s

It has done a lot for my confidenceIt has done a lot for my confidence It is so practical I do not even feel It is so practical I do not even feel

if I am doing maths!if I am doing maths! It is not really easier, it is different It is not really easier, it is different

and relevantand relevant

The world has changed The world has changed dramatically and dramatically and mathematical mathematical literacyliteracy is the new currency is the new currency

Aarnout BrombacherAarnout Brombacher

This presentatation was compiled by Maggie Verster

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