Not Just a Number: Critical Numeracy for Adults :: Numeracy Mathematics Education Essays

non Just a Number Critical Numeracy for AdultsIt is difficult to understand wherefore so many people must struggle with concepts that are rattling simpler than most of the ideas they deal with every day. It is far easier to calculate a ploughshare than it is to drive a car. (Dewdney 1993, p. 1) To many people, the words math and simple do not belong in the same sentence. Math has such an annulus of difficulty around it that even people who are quite able in other areas of life are not ashamed to recognize they jakest do math. Innumeracy is more socially acceptable and tolerated than illiteracy (Dewdney 1993 Withnall 1995). Rather than discussing unique(predicate) ways to teach math to adults, this Digest looks at emerging perspectives on numeracy and their social, cultural, and policy-making implications as a context for modern ways of thought about adult numeracy instruction.What Is Numeracy?Numeracy involves the usageal, social, and cultural dimensions of mathematics. Numeracy is the type of math skills needed to function in everyday life, in the home, workplace, and community (Withnall 1995). Although not always recognised as such, math is used in many everyday situations-cooking, shopping, crafts, fiscal transactions, traveling, using VCRs and microwave ovens, get a lineing information in the media, taking medications. divergent people need different sets of math skills, and their numeracy needs change in response to changes in life circumstances, such as buying a car or house or learning a new hobby (Gal 1993 Withnall 1995). Like literacy, numeracy is not a fixed entity to be realize and possessed once and for all (Steen 1990, p. 214), nor a skill one either has or doesnt have. Instead, peoples skills are situated along a continuum of different purposes for and levels of acquirement with numbers.Beyond daily living skills, numeracy is now being defined as knowledge that empowers citizens for life in their particular society (Bishop et al. 1993). Thus, numeracy has economic, social, and political consequences for individuals, organizations, and society. low-spirited levels of numeracy limit access to education, training, and jobs on the job, it can hinder performance and productivity. neglect of numeracy skills can cause overdependence on experts and professionals and uncritical acceptance of charlatans and the claims of pseudoscience (Dewdney 1993). Inability to interpret numerical information can be costly financially it can limit full citizen participation and make people vulnerable to political or economic manipulation.