Teaching Literacy and Numeracy Skills

Mathematical Thinking
Mental Arithmetic
Restrict use of calculators.
Calculate the difference between dates along a
timeline.
Calculate the time until; or since an event.
Percentages increase, decrease.
Add/subtract up to 3 digits.
Make estimates and have strategies for
checking their accuracy (e.g. distances between
places on a map).

Diagrams, Charts and Tables

Interpret information from tables, diagrams and
charts and knowing how to use keys.
Use spreadsheet software to speed up the
production of tables, charts.

Problem Solving
'Warm up' puzzle starter activities e.g.
www.businessballs.com/games.htm
Get students to talk though how they solved a
problem.
Using features on a calculator correctly, e.g.
brackets.
Use spreadsheet modelling to answer what if
questions.
Talk through problem solving techniques, e.g.
what do we know already? What else do we
need to know? Have I solved a similar problem
before? Etc.
Promote reasoning vocabulary, e.g. ifis true
then therefore, it follows that

Arguments/Logic

Comparing Data sets.

Back up statements with statistics

Comparing prices of similar products.

Identifying and using patterns

Comparing dates, percentages.

Developing logical sequences

Geometry
Drawing accurate 2D and 3D shapes
Use IT based tools for quickly drawing geometric
shapes.
Identifying and using symmetry

Predicting and hypothesising based on logic and

evidence
Using graphical organisers to sort and classify
information e.g. Venn diagrams

Numeric Skills
Proportion

Using Units
Insist on the correct unit of measurements being
written after a number. E.g. 10mm, 10KG etc.
Using appropriate unit for a particular
measurement
Conversion from one measurement to another,
e.g. grams to kilograms.

Equivalents
Ratios
Scale
Coordinates
Fractions
Average, mode, median (manual and electronic
calculation)