Making Britain Numerate and Making Britain Literate
 | Author: Kevin Norley Email: knorley1@tiscali.co.uk |
Making Britain Numerate (2nd edition) and Making Britain Literate (2nd edition) by Kevin Norley are two new publications written for work-based (or FE college) learners studying for Functional Skills, or Skills for Life, qualifications.
"The books contain a detailed analysis of the main issues surrounding the development of learners' literacy, language and numeracy skills as well as a wide range of ideas, methods and up-to-date contextualised materials. The resources offer worked examples and a step by step guide through all areas required for achievement of functional skills maths and English (including numerous reading, writing, discussion and presentation exercises)."
Campaign for Learning (Learning at Work Day E-Newsletter, 'Functional Skills: essential resources', May 17th 2012)
The books focus on the areas of difficulty that many learners face with numeracy, literacy and language, and offer solutions in the form of a range of ideas, methods and resources to resolve those difficulties. They are designed both to support learners directly and to support tutors in supporting their learners.
Functional Skills maths
The second edition of Making Britain Numerate includes additional resources to support achievement of level 2 Functional Skills maths. The questions reflect the type of real life, topical questions that are set in level 2 Functional Skills maths tests. They allow for the amount and level of reading required to successfully complete the tests, and reflect the need for learners to be able to interpret, extract and utilise relevant information from a range of sources. Real life situations covered include: on-line shopping; energy bills; fuel costs and fuel efficiency; internet research and understanding your payslip.
Making Britain Numerate
- Focuses on areas of difficulty that many learners face with numeracy, and offers solutions in the form of a range of ideas, methods and resources to resolve those difficulties.
- Offers a range of clear, direct and contextualised methods and strategies together with detailed explanations as to how and why such methods and strategies should be used and reinforced.
- Comes in the form of a workbook which offers a step by step guide for learners to progress from L1 numeracy to L3 numeracy.
- Contains L1, L2 and L3 practice questions (along with answers at the back), with each question supported by one or more worked examples.
- Offers a critique of, and an alternative to, current initial and diagnostic assessments (paper or computer-based) in the form of a learning assessment together with a rationale for its use.
- Sets a minimum level and standard for tutors supporting learners with their numeracy.
- Contains extension work in the form of a L3 numeracy learning guide (also with a step by step guide and worked examples).
- Acts as a guide and support for tutors in developing their learners' numeracy skills.
- Was developed as a result of working with a wide range of learners from a wide range of backgrounds in a wide range of environments.
- Is suitable for learners studying functional skills on work-based or college apprenticeship programmes.
- Draws upon studies, from employers' organisations and government bodies, detailing the effects of poor numeracy skills upon individuals and employers.
- Considers the needs and concerns of employers with regards to developing their employees numeracy skills
- Considers the language needs of ESOL learners (e.g. see rationale behind part A of the learning assessment.)
- Took some inspiration from the numeracy subject specialist course at Bedford College.
- Is rooted in a high level of expectations of students and tutors.
- Comes in the form of a workbook which gives learners the opportunity to demonstrate, and compare and contrast, methods (a useful skill for the functional skills mathematics papers) and tutors the opportunity to check them and engage in their learners' learning, and in so doing serves as a motivational tool for learners.
- Focuses on developing everyday numeracy skills and gives learners the opportunity to learn from the assessments and guides, and from their own mistakes.
- Adopts an integrated approach to learning numeracy whereby conversions are illustrated and used to solve a range of problems.
- Contains a range of very favourable reviews.
"This is a superb book which can be used as a study guide for anyone wishing to improve their own numeracy skills, or help someone else with theirs. I have used the book with many of my staff, and all have commented at how easy it is to grasp the concepts within it. All have shown improvements in their numeracy skills."
S Winch, Area Manager, East of England, VT Training, March 2009, Amazon.co.uk
"The level 3 numeracy staff training carried out by Mr Norley was based on a range of strategies that built on clear and precise methods, all of which are detailed in his book, 'Making Britain Numerate.' All the group passed their level 3 application of number test."
Kevin George, Internal Verifier - Training, Babcock International Group
The exercises are good, and the text is very easy to read. I like the topics for some of the questions- for instance I doubt if you have seen a question on trans-gender issues before in a maths text book. Although I disagree with Kevin on some important points, this book is a must read for Numeracy teachers in FE and work based learning.
Maths with Graham (blog). For full review, see: http://www.mathswithgraham.org.uk/?tag=making-britain-numerate
Making Britain Literate
- Offers a range of ideas and strategies for improving learners' literacy and language skills.
- Comes in the form of a workbook which contains a range of L1 and L2 literacy exercises (including spelling, vocabulary, punctuation and grammar).
- Considers (through examples and exercises) how tenses can be learnt in the context of comparing the use of one tense in relation to another.
- Offers a critique of, and an alternative to, current initial and diagnostic assessments (paper or computer-based) in the form of L1 and L2 learning assessments together with a rationale for their use, and the answers.
- Acts as a guide and support for tutors in developing their learners' literacy and language skills.
- Is divided into 2 sections, entitled, 'How is English used today?' and 'English as an Additional Language (EAL), English for Speakers of Other Languages.'
- Examines the effects of social class on language and learning
- Reflects on the theory and practice of learning English
- Was developed as a result of working with a wide range of learners from a wide range of backgrounds in a wide range of environments.
- Is suitable for learners studying functional skills on work-based or college apprenticeship programmes.
- Draws upon studies, from employers' organisations and government bodies, detailing the effects of poor literacy skills upon individuals and employers.
- Is rooted in a high level of expectations of students and tutors.
- Took some inspiration from the literacy and ESOL subject specialist courses studied at Bedford College.
- Contains a range of very favourable reviews (see inside cover of book).
- Reached the final of the people's book prize for non-fiction in 2009/2010 (see www.peoplesbookprize.com)
"Making Britain Literate and Making Britain Numerate by Kevin Norley cover key requirements for teaching basic literacy and numeracy. Suitable for professional teachers and homeschoolers, both books include helpful examples and exercises."
Newsletter No 70, Spring 2010, Campaign for Real Education
"One of the things I find interesting about 'Making Britain Literate', is that it attempts to address both the literacy and language needs of native speakers and ESOL students in one book. It values, for example, the importance of the understanding of grammar and word classes in developing literacy and language skills."
Michael Murphy, English Language Tutor, Challney Community College, Luton
"Making Britain Numerate (2nd Ed) and Making Britain Literate (2nd Ed) are two workbooks written to support learners (including ESOL learners) studying Functional Skills either as part of an apprenticeship or as stand-alone qualifications.
How to buy
The books are competitively priced at £10 each, and are available from Waterstone's bookshops or on line at www.waterstones.com and www.amazon.co.uk
Reviews
'I found Making Britain Literate an excellent, comprehensive and thought-provoking book. Crucially, it should be an extremely effective tool and a remedy for all kinds of entrenched malaise within our educational system. And it manages to combine rigour with accessibility and fun. It deserves great praise.'
Lee Monks (Plain English Campaign)
"Making Britain Literate and Making Britain Numerate by Kevin Norley cover key requirements for teaching basic literacy and numeracy. Suitable for professional teachers and homeschoolers, both books include helpful examples and exercises."
Newsletter No 70, Spring 2010, Campaign for Real Education
"This is a superb book which can be used as a study guide for anyone wishing to improve their own numeracy skills, or help someone else with theirs. I have used the book with many of my staff, and all have commented at how easy it is to grasp the concepts within it. All have shown improvements in their numeracy skills."
S Winch, Area Manager, East of England, VT Training, March 2009, Amazon.co.uk
"I have recently finished a maths course at the Luton Learning Centre. There were 15 of us on the course, from all different parts of the world. Kevin showed us very clearly how to work with fractions and percentages, how to convert from one to the other, and how those conversions can be used to both better understand and solve problems including those involving scale and volume. His explanations were detailed, and he had high expectations of all of us. Needless to say, I achieved my L2 numeracy qualification."
Caroline Omego (Luton Learning Centre, July '10)
"I needed a level 2 numeracy qualification in order to be accepted onto a BSc Social Work and Mental Health Nursing degree course, so I attended a numeracy workshop at the Skillsbank. The resources used and methods taught from 'Making Britain Numerate' were very straightforward and ideal for ensuring that I obtained my qualification quickly!"
Charity Marume (Bedford College, June '10)
"I found the maths course at Rushden really motivating and enjoyable. I learnt some new approaches to solving problems, which otherwise I would have found quite difficult, and passed my level 2 maths."
Philip Brooksby (Rushden Learning Centre, December '09)
"I recently passed both my L2 literacy and numeracy at Bedford College. I found the ideas contained in both Mr Norley's books really useful. I developed a better understanding of English (which is my second language), particularly with the grammar, which even helped me with my maths."
Marilyn Laundon (Bedford College, June 2010)
How to buy
The books are competitively priced at £10 each, and are available on line at www.amazon.co.uk
