Background

Welcome to the 2025 updated version of Building Strength with Numeracy. This follows the revised 2011 edition of the original resource of 'Building Strength in Numbers' which was based on, 'Breaking the Maths Barrier', and other tried and true numeracy teaching resources developed by Beth Marr and other experienced numeracy teachers. The work in developing and updating the resource has been generously funded by the Adult Community and Further Education Board.

The original publication of Mathematics a New Beginning benefitted from the input of teachers who were at the time, pioneering the new field of adult numeracy, particularly the teaching of maths to the Women’s Project Team. These teachers, who had backgrounds in mathematics, language and literacy, and primary education, came together through professional development events to share their growing wisdom of practice. Sharing their experience and practices not only aided their own professional growth but benefitted others through the publications that were influenced by their discussions. This was a new method of delivery, where numeracy was delivered in a wholistic way using real situations rather than the typical secondary school model where mathematics subjects were taught as standalone units and with little or no real-life context. Numeracy is not limited to applying number knowledge and skills, nor is it limited to the mathematics discipline.

The major task in updating the resources was to select the best and most needed activities from these and other numeracy resources of the eighties and nineties and include new content that reflects growth and new ideas developed from years of ongoing practice with diverse groups of adult learners. A survey of practising literacy and numeracy teachers was conducted to canvas their opinions  of the previous resource. We trust that the resources will be of lasting value, contribute to learning and the professional development, and knowledge base, of a new generation of adult literacy and numeracy teachers.

The major task was to select the best and most needed activities from these and other numeracy resources of the eighties and nineties and include new content that reflects growth and new ideas developed from years of ongoing practice with diverse groups of adult learners. A survey of practising numeracy teachers was conducted to canvas their opinions about which publications were most useful and why, and also to ascertain the levels and skill areas that teachers wanted to prioritise. The number of enthusiastic responses by teachers overwhelmingly endorsed the project. We trust that the resources will be of lasting value and contribute to learning and the professional development and knowledge base of a new generation of adult numeracy teachers.

Contents and Structure

Who is it for?

This resource, like those it is based on, has been written with the needs of inexperienced adult numeracy teachers in mind. It consciously tries to cater for the wide range of practitioners who teach adult numeracy. These can include adult language and literacy teachers with little prior experience of teaching numeracy, as well as mathematics teachers with secondary school backgrounds who have not previously taught adult students.

The style and format chosen is quite specific in several aspects. For those with less experience in teaching mathematics and numeracy, it spells out the mathematics of the activities in detail, attempting to supply the graduated steps which may not be necessary for more experienced maths teachers. For those who are not as familiar with adult learners, it supplies tips about non-traditional approaches in the classroom, use of small groups and pairs and other means of encouraging student interaction in adult classrooms.

Building Strength with Numeracy (2025)