By the end of the course you can expect to be able to: • Use and apply mathematical information including numbers, symbols, simple diagrams and charts. • Recognise, understand and use simple mathematical terms appropriate to the home and workplace. • Use the methods given above to produce, check and present results that make sense to someone else. • Put yourself in a strong position to cope with an accredited maths course leading to a Functional Skills Mathematics qualification at Levels 1 and 2.
Course aim
Improve your maths skills for use in everyday situations whether to find work, improve prospects in current employment or about the home.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- You will need your own personal email address so that you’re able to login to the WEA’s digital learning platform: WEA Canvas. You will need to be able to understand how to follow URL links to pages on the internet. If you want to understand more about Canvas please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
- You will need to be able to follow links to join our WEA live video learning platform: WEA Zoom. If you’d like to understand more about our video learning platform, Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline and http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
- This course is for a group of around 15 students studying in a live video-learning platform conference and an online digital learning environment platform from the comfort of your own home.
- This course is for improvers
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Add, subtract, multiply and divide sums of money using a calculator.
- Calculate percentages of amounts of money using a calculator and calculate percentage increase and decrease (to include % wage increases and ‘%-off’ special offers).
- Measure length, weight and capacity using the metric system of measurement and convert, for example, a length given in centimetres to metres.
- Name and describe the properties of some common two-dimensional shapes (e.g. square and circle) and three-dimensional shapes (e.g. cube and cylinder). Calculate the perimeter and area of a rectangle and the volume of a cube.
- Derive information from a bar chart, line graph and conversion graph. Calculate the mean and range of a set of data.
How will I be taught?
- The WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas will be used to provide resources or to support lessons, enable assessment, provide learner feedback and for other activities for individuals away from the course. If you want to understand more about our digital learning platform please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
- The WEA tutor will use a range of different teaching and learning methods and encourage you and the group to be actively involved in your learning
- You will be expected to carry out a range of activities in your own time
What kind of feedback can I expect?
- You will be able to keep a record of your progress and achievement using photos, audio, text or documents uploaded into the WEA’s digital learning platform, WEA Canvas.
- Your tutor will provide written, text and audio feedback recorded in WEA Canvas, WEA’s digital learning platform.
- You will be able to keep a digital portfolio of your work on WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas.
- A range of informal activities will be used by the tutor to see what you are learning which may include quizzes, question and answer, small projects and discussion
- You will have opportunities to discuss your progress with your tutor
- You will be encouraged to share your work with the group and discuss your learning
What else do I need to know?
- What you need: You will need an internet connection, speakers, a microphone and a webcam so that you can use our video learning platform, Zoom. If you’d like to understand more Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
- You will also need access to the internet outside of your sessions. You could do this using a smart phone, tablet, laptop or a desktop computer (at home or through a library etc.).
- You will need a personal email address to join the WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas so that you can receive resources, record your progress and achievement and to work with others and share ideas. If you want to understand more about our digital learning platform please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
- You will need a calculator with a percentage function, a 30 cm ruler, paper and pens/pencils.
Pre-course work, reading and information sources
- It will be helpful to recall and practise your timestables (multiplication tables) in advance of this class.
What can I do next?
- Access the WEA What Next? booklet here http://www.wea.org.uk/learn-wea/what-can-i-do-next
- Get Ready for Functional Skills, Employability Pathways.
Download full course information sheet
