ESOL Nexus professional development

Teaching mathematics to ESOL learners

This project and its actions were made possible due to co-financing
by the European Fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals

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ESOL Nexus professional development modules are intended

to help teachers to develop in their role in a range of
contexts. They have been written by expert practitioners and
quality assured by a wider team. We hope that you will find
this module useful. For other professional development
opportunities, see

http://esol.britishcouncil.org/content/teachers/staff-room/

continuing-professional-development.

This module is about teaching mathematics to ESOL learners.

It aims to raise your awareness of the challenges and
differences that learners might meet whilst learning
mathematics in English, so that you can address them. This
will enable learners to be successful in their study of
mathematics, and improve their English skills. It is relevant for
learners at any level of mathematics and English as it is
focused on the underpinning knowledge required for success.
Introduction

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You can either work through the module at your own pace, or
join with others to look at the content together.

If you are reading the module on a computer you can type

your reflections into the boxes provided, and save your
progress for the next time you return to the module.

There is a glossary at the end of the module, which explains

any words that might be unfamiliar.
Using this module

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Contents 3

Step 1 - Introduction to number 4

1A: Writing numbers 6

1B: Rounding and Estimation 9

1C: Vocabulary for Number Operations 12

Step 2 - Fractions, Decimals, Percentages, Ratio and Proportion 15

2A: Fractions and Decimals 17

2B: Percentages 19

2C: Ratio and Proportion 21

Step 3 - Metric and Imperial systems of measure 23

3A: Length and Distance 25

3B: Weight 27

3C: Capacity 29

Reflection 31

Stage 1: 31

Stage 2: 31
Contents

Stage 3: 31

Suggested answers to activities 33

Glossary 35

Further reading 37

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Introduction to number

This step will help you to answer the following questions:

• How is the numbering system in English different from other

languages?

• What challenges will learners face when rounding and estimating in

maths problems?

• How can the written form of numbers operations in English impact

on understanding?

There are many challenges that ESOL learners face in maths classes,

whether they have some maths knowledge in another language or not.

Mathematics is often about patterns; about utilising knowledge gained in

one area and applying it in another, but it will not be possible to do this

unless the building blocks that underpin the system are firmly in place.

One of the most fundamental of these building blocks is number. Whilst

most of the world’s populations follow the same number system there are

some anomalies in English that could impact on understanding. These

include both ways of writing numbers, and their pronunciation. For

instance, in some languages the use of commas and full stops may be

reversed and word endings may not be pronounced, all impacting on the

ability of the learner to understand and be understood.

Many learners may not be familiar with Romanised script or writing on a

page from left to right which could impact on the speed of progress that
Step 1

learners can make. This section aims to raise your awareness of how

challenging maths in English can be for learners and what barriers certain

groups of learners might face.

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Rounding and estimation are both concepts that can trouble ESOL leaners.

Firstly, ‘round’ has a number of meanings in English, of which the

mathematical version (and there are two) is at the higher end of English

learning. Secondly, estimation in mathematics does not seem to exist as an

idea in all other languages; learners may ask you why they should

estimate, when they can work the answer out exactly. In this section you

will explore ideas on delivery so that you can enable ESOL learners to

engage with the curriculum.

In English there are many different ways of phrasing questions around the

basic number operations: add, subtract, multiply and divide. This can be a

challenge for any learner, but especially those whose first language is not

English.

You will explore how many ways there are of asking what is basically the

same question, and how important it is that learners accurately decode

word problems in order to be successful in maths.

Lastly, the maths level at which the various skills are required is in

brackets after the skill first appears, for instance ‘Rounding a number to

the nearest 10 (E2/N2)’ shows that this skill is needed at Entry 2/National 2

and above.
Step 1

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Writing numbers

Written numbers are frequently needed in everyday life (E1/N1- up to

10; E2/N2- up to 100; E3/N3 up to 1,000; L1/L2/N4/5 any number): they

are used when writing cheques, when confirming amounts in both

number and written form, and interpreting prices.

English spelling can raise issues for learners: consider won and one, for

and four, or ate and eight. These words have different meanings, are

spelt differently but sound identical. Note that forty does not follow the

same spelling pattern as four.

Pronunciation of numbers can be a challenge for learners. For instance

the pronunciation of v and w can be reversed, the th sound may not be

present and word endings may not usually be heard in other languages.

Numbers follow patterns, but these patterns can be interrupted: for tens

we say the number followed by teen, but this does not apply to one,

two, three or five. In English 'and' is inserted after hundred, or if the

hundred is not there, for instance in one hundred and ten or two

thousand and four.

The way numbers are written to show place value can differ. In English

100,006 is one hundred thousand and six, but to many learners this

number looks like a decimal number: one hundred point zero, zero, six.
Step 1a

When writing money (E2/N2) in English a full stop is used between

pounds and pence: £2.15 is two pounds, fifteen pence. In many other

languages the demarcation between large and small denominations is

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written with a comma: two euros, fifteen cents could be written as €2,15

or 2,15€.

Other languages can have special words for place value that are absent

in English, such as lekh for one hundred thousand in Hindi. The

repetition of hundred in a string of numbers can confuse some learners.

Step 1a

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Activity 1

Write each number in words.

44
107
506,508

Why might learners find any of these numbers challenging to recall?

Activity 2

Write this amount of money in numbers:

Twenty three pounds, sixty eight pence

What mistakes might learners make?

Step 1a

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Rounding and Estimation

An introduction to family learning

Rounding

Rounding is often used in real life, for instance if discussing distances

between towns and cities or when shopping: we might say a CD costs ten

pounds, when it is actually £9.99 (E3/N3).

The ‘rounding rule’ says numbers should be rounded up when the last digit

is five or more and rounded down when it is 4 or less, but this may not

always apply, as in the example of rounding to the nearest five.

Round has a number of different meanings which will need to be clear to

learners. Ask learners to pick out shapes which are round or curved from a

selection of 2D shapes. Learners could then identify how many shapes

there are, and be shown how to round that number to, say, the nearest ten

(E2/N2). Learners could use till receipts to round each cost to the nearest

pound.

Estimation

Learners need to know that there are a number of words that might be

used in place of ‘estimate’, such as ‘about’, ‘roughly’ or ‘approximately’

(E3/N3). Show examples of questions using different vocabulary, with

suggested answers.
Step 1b

Examples of real life estimations help learners see its relevance: viewing

figures for TV programmes are estimates: a sample of the population is

taken, and extrapolated up to give an estimate.

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An introduction to family learning

Newspapers are a useful source of estimations. Ask learners to highlight

and discuss examples taken from a local paper.

Estimation appears in the Curriculum at E2/N2: learners may be asked to

estimate a length, weight or capacity, and there may be more than one

correct answer.

Ask learners for rough answers to questions regularly. Learners from

cultures where accuracy is highly valued may struggle to be comfortable

with the idea of estimation, so it is important to reinforce this concept.

Step 1b

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Activity 3

Round this number to the nearest 5:

- 12.49

Rephrase this question using money to make it more meaningful for ESOL
learners:

When learners can round accurately and successfully they are ready to
move on to estimation.

Activity 4

There are three adult classes at college. The registers show that there
are 24, 17 and 19 learners in each class. If about 80% of students are
expected to attend, along with 4 members of staff approximately how
many buses are needed for a student outing? Each bus holds 48 people.

Which key word in this question informs learners that an estimate is

required?
Step 1b

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Vocabulary for Number Operations

There are four number operations: addition and subtraction (E1/N1),

multiplication (E2/N2) and division (E3/N3). Each operation has its own

symbol: +, -, x and ÷, and many words that could be used to indicate

which operation is required. At the end of sums we find the equals sign,

=. This indicates that whatever is on one side of the sum, or equation, is

exactly the same as what is on the other side; if it is not exactly the

same, the equals sign should not be used.

Addition is what is known as a commutative activity, which means that

the numbers can be put in any order; the answer will be the same. For

instance the answer to 45 + 71 + 89 will be the same as 89 + 71 + 45.

Multiplication is also commutative, but subtraction and division are not:

89 – 17 does not equal 17 – 89, and 45 ÷ 5 is not the same as 5 ÷ 45,

although they are both perfectly viable sums. Subtraction and division

are known as non-commutative.

Here are some examples of the different vocabulary that might be used

in word problems involving different number operations:

• Addition: add, more than, total, sum, altogether, and, plus, increase

Example: What is 5 and 4 altogether?

• Subtraction: subtract, minus, deduct, less than, difference between,

decrease

Example: What is the difference between 46 and 79?

Step 1c

• Multiplication: Multiply, lots of, times, product of

Example: What is the product of 16 and 7?

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• Division: divide, share, go into

Example: Share 30 oranges out between six people.

Note it is not possible to know what number operation is required unless

the language is understood, and one of the above questions does not

even contain a question mark.

Step 1c

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Activity 5

What other meanings do the words sum and total have that might
confuse ESOL learners?

Activity 6

Look at these two sentences:

1) What is five less than 92?

2) What is 1,000 minus 650?

Note that the number we are taking away from can appear in the first or
second place in the question.

What mistake might learners make?

Step 1c

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Fractions, Decimals, Percentages, Ratio and Proportion

This step will help you to answer the following questions:

• Which fractions have non-regular names?

• Why might learners make a mistake when finding 30% off £5?

• Why might ratio and proportion questions place particular demands

on ESOL learners?

Fractions, decimals and percentages can be seen as different ways of

writing the same value; for instance a half is the same as 0.5, which is the

same as 50 per cent. Learners are often unclear about when and how to

use each one, but broadly, fractions are used to describe parts of some-

thing, decimals can be used in money, measuring, or to describe probabil-

ity, and percentages are often used to show discounts when shopping. In

English, decimal and fraction numbers can be used interchangeably; for

instance we might see 0.25, but still say ‘a quarter’.

A small number of fractions have non-regular names, namely a half, a third

and a quarter. After that they follow the pattern of adding ‘th’ after the

number, as in one sixth, but one fifth and one twelfth are also exceptions.

This corresponds with the place value after the decimal point: 0.1 is ‘one

tenth’, but it could be read as ‘nought point one’ and learners will need to

know both forms.

Finding a half or a quarter of quantities, a small number of items, or shapes

appears as early as E2/N2 in the English and Scottish curricula, as does

Step 2

reading, writing and understanding decimal numbers up to 2 decimal

points. This does not usually present a challenge if learners already have

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money skills, although they will need to be aware of the use of a point

rather than a comma when writing money (see previous section).

Percentages, ratio and proportion all come into curricula at L1/N4, but it

could benefit learners to have some knowledge of these from a far lower

level, as they appear so much in real life. For instance in sales, reductions

are often given in percentage, such as ‘25% off the normal price’. This is

clearly very different from ‘25% of the normal price’, and we will cover this

in more depth in Step 3.

The spoken word order for fractions and percentages is not the same in all

languages, so some groups of learners may need to practise this more

than others.

Ratio often appears on packaging, for instance to inform consumers how

much water should be used when making up squash.

Proportion is used when cooking if, for instance, a recipe is for 4 people,

but enough is needed for, say, two people. In this case learners will need

to halve the amounts required, bringing us back to fractions.

Questions at all levels are likely to be contextualised, but some contexts

may be outside of ESOL learners knowledge and/or comfort zone, such as

those based around alcohol (mixing cocktails), or gambling (using dice or

cards). These types of questions should not however appear on exam

Step 2

papers (Ref: Fair Access by Design).

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Fractions and Decimals

A collection of coloured objects can be very useful when starting to teach

fractions. For instance you may have a selection of pens, pencils or cray-
ons in the classroom. Ask learners to count how many there are in total,
then how many are, say, red? What fraction is this of the total amount?
Then ask learners what fraction is blue?

Learners can be asked to cut out or be given paper shapes, such as

circles, rectangles or squares. Show and/or ask learners to divide them
into halves, quarters or other common fractions (E2/N2), by measuring,
colouring and labelling.

Learner will need to know at E3/N3 that a fraction is not a proper fraction
unless it is in its lowest form or lowest terms. Matching activities which
show various equivalent fractions can be used in a number of ways,
including asking learners to group them and show the lowest form. For
instance two quarters is the same as one half; two quarters is one half in
its lowest form.

Decimals appear at E2/N2, usually in the context of money. Learners will

be expected to be able to find out a cost, and work out how much change
is needed from specified denominations of currency. Role play with an
imaginary shop and UK currency can help learners to become proficient in
handling money and checking change.

Rulers and measuring tapes can be used for learners to practise using
decimal numbers in context. For instance a pen could be 13.5 centimetres
long. Ask learners to choose three objects in the room and measure them,
using decimals in their answers. Can higher level learners convert those
Step 2a

decimals to fractions?

The use of decimal numbers to express the likelihood of an occurrence

comes in probability (L1/N4).

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Activity 7

What is three fifths of £1?

What mistake might learners make when writing the answer to this
question?

Activity 8

Place value after the decimal point:

0.001 is one thousandth

What other way can this decimal number be said?

Why might ESOL learners struggle to pronounce ‘thousandths’?
Step 2a

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Percentages

Percentages are used primarily when shopping, especially in the sales, or

when making comparisons, such as on rates of interest between different

bank accounts. The work on percentages will first be examined at L1/N4,

and include percentage increases and decreases, as well as finding

percentage parts of quantities and measurements, but it is such a common

skill it can be worth looking at with ESOL learners even if they are at lower

levels with Maths in English.

Restaurant bills that show a 10% service charge are a good source mate-

rial for this topic. Learners can be encouraged to see the link between

10% and ÷ 10, which is the same as one tenth.

Learners can bring in promotional leaflets that show percentages and

other special offers for use in class. These can be used for price compari-

sons; for instance, is ‘50% off’ cheaper than ‘buy one, get one free’?

The main area of difficulty for many ESOL learners is centred on the use of

‘off’ and ‘of’ in exam questions, as they are written similarly, causing

learners to get the wrong answer if they do not realise how many ‘f’s there

are. For instance:

Example 1

Find 20% of £40

Example 2

‘20% off £40’. What is the new price?

Step 2b

The answer to the first question is £8, but the answer to the last question

is £32.

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Activity 9

Find 15% off £34 without using a calculator:

10% is 3.4; 5% is half of that, so 1.7.

5% and 10% make 15%; 3.4 + 1.7 = 5.1

So 15% off 34 is 5.1

Answer £5.10

What mistake has the learner made in their answer?

Step 2b

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Ratio and Proportion

Ratio

Many languages do not express ratio in the written form that we are

familiar with in English, i.e. 1:2. The colon that is used for ratio in English is

used as the division sign in much of the rest of the world. This means that

learners may initially interpret 1:2 as ‘one divided by two’, as they are not

familiar with the ÷ symbol.

There are many everyday examples of ratios on packaging, such as drinks,

paint, and hair dye, which can be brought empty into class to show

learners. Learners can experience ratio in the classroom by making up a

squash drink, using squash and water. Squash can be measured using

measuring spoons or jugs, or a cup.

Learners can be shown that ratios are closely linked to fractions: in a ratio

of 1:3, there are 4 parts in total, so one quarter is squash and ¾ is water.

Ratios, like fractions, should always be in their lowest form, so 2:6 will be

written as 1:3.

Direct Proportion

It can be very important when, for instance, changing a recipe, or mixing

cement, to keep the ingredients in the same proportion. Otherwise the

recipe or mix will not work. Keeping contents in balance according to a set
Step 2c

requirement can involve scaling up or down, depending on circumstances.

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A simple recipe for, say, fruit salad for 4 people, can be used as an

example for scaling for different numbers of people, whilst keeping the

ingredients in proportion.

Proportion can also be used to evaluate prices on supermarket websites.

For instance if a 500g bag of peas costs £1, but a 1kg bag costs £1.90,

then it is cheaper per pea to buy the larger pack; the prices are not in

direct proportion.

Activity 10

Question: The ratio of cats to dogs at a boarding kennels is 1:3.

There are twelve dogs at the kennels. How many cats are there?

The learner gives this answer: There are 4 cats.

What error has this learner made, and how could you help correct this

misconception?
Step 2c

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Metric and Imperial systems of measure

This step will help you to answer the following questions:

• How will most ESOL learners measure length, weight and capacity?

• Which system is used in real life situations in the UK?

• How can ESOL learners be helped to understand the mix of measuring

systems currently in use?

During the early part of the 1970s the United Kingdom joined the

European Economic Community, or EEC. Prior to this the UK used the

imperial system of measures; since then it has used a mix of metric and

imperial systems. The majority of the rest of the world only uses the metric

system.

The metric system is a decimal system, using base 10. It is built around a

one litre cube: this cube measures 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm = 1,000 cubic

centimetres. When filled with plain water it will hold exactly 1 litre of water

(1,000 millilitres), which will weigh 1 kilogram (1,000 grams).

The Imperial system never uses 10 as a base: it uses 8, 12, 14, 16 or 20,

depending on which conversion is required.

In the UK lengths became metric first, but the longer length of distance

has never been converted from miles to kilometres, so ESOL learners will

need to be familiar with this imperial measurement.

Step 3

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Most grocery items are now sold in metric weights, but individuals seem

most likely to express their weight in stones and pounds. Also many old

cookery books will only show imperial weights for recipes; more recent

ones may show metric and imperial, and very recent ones might show only

metric.

Fortunately for the haulage industry, a metric tonne and an imperial ton

are very similar in weight, with the tonne slightly lighter.

Capacity was the last part attempted in metrification. Many products are

sold in millilitres, centilitres and litres, but the imperial equivalent is often

still displayed. There are examples of products still sold in imperial

measures, such as pints of milk or beer.

Measuring equipment sold in the UK, such as rulers, tapes, jugs and scales

usually show both systems, which will help teachers and learners. Learners

will also need to be familiar with comparatives and superlatives from the

lowest maths levels (E1/N1).

Step 3

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Length and Distance

Practical activities can be the most effective way of introducing learners to

an unfamiliar measuring system. For instance many small items in the

classroom, or belonging to the learners, can be measured using a ruler,

and a chart be drawn to record lengths in each system, metric and impe-

rial.

Learners can then use this information to order the objects in terms of

size. The language of length comparison will need to include big, bigger,

biggest, long, longer, longest, and short, shorter, shortest, comparing at

least two items (E1/N1). Learners will need to know that ‘long’ can also

refer to time.

It may help learners to know their height in feet and inches. Paired activi-

ties with learners measuring each other’s height using both systems can

help make comparative connections between both standard systems

(E2/N2).

A fun measuring activity that can take place in the class or at home, is to

measure a room for new carpet. Learners can work out how many square

metres of carpet will be needed and how many lengths of tracking rod, to

hold the carpet to the edges of the room (L1/N4). Non-standard systems

can be illustrated by working the amounts out roughly, using strides

instead of a tape measure (E2/N2).

Step 3a

Calculating distances between towns, cities or countries that learners are

familiar with can help learners to appreciate that miles are longer than

kilometres, so they can expect mileage to be a smaller number than the

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equivalent in kilometres. This knowledge can help when learners are asked

to convert between metric and imperial distances (L2/N5).

Map books often contain a distance chart, to show the number of miles

between cities in the UK. Learners can see how far it is to other places

where they might have family or friends, and convert the distances to

kilometres.

Activity 11

When reading the imperial edge of a ruler, what mistake might ESOL

learners make when looking at the small marks between the inches?
Step 3a

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Weight

Weighing scales are useful in the classroom when teaching weight. If

scales are available, asking learners to weigh a number of small objects

using firstly the system they are familiar with, and then the ‘new’ one can

help them understand how the two systems work. Record the results on a

chart so they can be checked and confirmed.

Weighing scales come in two different forms: those with a dial and arrow,

and those which are electronic and have a display of numbers. The latter

are usually more accurate. Reading scales accurately to the nearest

labelled division is an important life skill that will also be tested in maths

exams (E2/N2).

Comparative and superlative language will also be needed, for instance in

questions which ask which item is the heaviest, or lightest (E1/N1)?

Accurate weighing is not needed for this activity as learners can judge the

weight of objects by picking them up.

As the majority of people in the UK prefer to express their weight in stones

and pounds learners might like to know theirs too. There is a choice when

teaching this: either they can weigh themselves on scales, or they can

convert their metric weight to imperial by dividing by 6.5, as there are

roughly 6.5 kg in a stone (L2/N5). They may prefer to do this privately,

rather than as a shared or group activity.

Step 3b

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Activity 12

A learner has converted their weight from metric to imperial by dividing

75kg by 6.5. They have given their answer as 11 stone 5 lbs.

What error has the learner made?

Step 3b

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Capacity

Although millilitres and litres have been used for over 30 years in the UK,

there are many examples of the old imperial system of fluid ounces, pints

and gallons in evidence. For instance milk and beer is still available in

pints in the UKt and cars are often quoted as doing a certain number of

miles to the gallon.

A 1 litre cube, a collection of different sized and shaped containers,

including measuring jugs, bottles and cartons, and some water can be

useful when teaching learners about capacity, as it is surprisingly difficult

to judge comparative sizes of containers. Alternatively, containers that

have the capacity marked on them can be used.

Milk containers, for instance, vary in height and circumference, and a

small difference in the latter can make a big difference to the capacity.

Thus a two pint container can look smaller than a one litre one, although it

contains more milk (about 20%), if the latter is taller. Note the use of

comparative language again here.

Examples of non-standard units for measuring capacity that can be shown

to learners could include cups, which are still widely used in some

countries, including the USA, as a non-sophisticated and cheaper way of

measuring. Some measuring jugs also have markers for weights of

ingredients, such as flour or rice.

Step 3c

There are roughly 4.5 litres in a gallon. Learners can convert from one to

the other by either multiplying or dividing by 4.5.

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Using the metric system it is very easy to find the capacity of a 3D shape

if given its dimensions, because 1,000 cubic centimetres is one litre. The

same cannot be said of the imperial system.

Activity 13

Question: If there are 8 pints in a gallon, and 4.5 litres in a gallon, what is a

rough comparison between a pint and a litre?

The learner has given this answer: There are 1.78 litres in a pint.

What error have they made?

Step 3c

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In this module you have considered some of the issues around teaching

ESOL Maths. Now spend a short time reflecting on what you have learnt.•

Stage 1

Consider what you want to remember about:

• how the numbering system in English is different from other languages

• what challenges learners face when rounding and estimating in maths

problems

• how the written form of number operations in English can impact on

understanding

• which fractions have non-regular names

• why learners make a mistake when finding, say, 30% off £5

• why ratio and proportion questions place particular demands on ESOL

learners

• how most ESOL learners measure length, weight and capacity

• which system is often used in real life situations in the UK

• how ESOL learners can be helped to understand the mix of measuring

systems currently used in the UK

Stage 2
Reflection

Reflect by considering your thoughts and feelings about the content in the

module and making some notes.

• What do you feel about the nature of ESOL Maths?

• Have there been any changes in your thinking about the challenges of

teaching ESOL Maths, and the potential benefits to learners?

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• How will what you have learnt affect the people you teach in their

everyday lives?

Stage 3

• How can you apply what you have learnt in this module to your own

teaching context?

• How will you apply your learning from the module?

• What will you do in the classroom that you didn't do before?

Reflection

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Activity 1

a) There is no u in forty; b) And is inserted after one hundred; c) Five

hundred appears twice in the answer

Activity 2

Learners could place a comma between the pounds and pence: £23,68

rather than £23.68

Suggested answers to activities

Activity 3

Example: Round £12.49 to the nearest £5

Activity 4

The key word is approximately

Activity 5

Sum and total are also nouns: 23 lots of 7 bananas is a sum: 23 x 7. The

total number of bananas is 161

Activity 6

Learner could read the first question as 5 – 92

Activity 7

Learner might write £0.6, or £0.60p

Activity 8

Nought point zero, zero, one is one of a number of ways. There is no th

consonant cluster in many languages

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Activity 9

Learner has misread off as of so not finished the question: £34 - £5.10 =

£28.90

Activity 10

Learner has read the colon as a division sign, so has divided by 3, rather

than add 1 and 3, then ÷ 4. There are 3 cats

Suggested answers to activities

Activity 11

Learner could assume ten divisions between inches, rather than 16; they

could write 1.3 inches, rather than 1 and 3/16ths inches

Activity 12

The answer is 11.5 stone, or 11 ½ stone. Learner has read as 11 stone 5

lbs, rather than working out that half a stone is 7 lbs

Activity 13

Learner may think that a pint is bigger than 1litre, or that 8 ÷ 4.5 gives the

number of litres in a pint, rather than pints in a litre. Also note that this is

an exact answer, not estimation. A more correct answer is There are

roughly two pints in 1 litre

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Approximation: a result that is not exact but sufficiently close to be useful

in a practical context.

Capacity: a volume that can be measured in litres (liquids), or in cubic

capacity, such as cubic metres.

Commutative: an operation is commutative if the numbers can change

position in the sum without affecting the outcome, as in 3 + 4 = 4 + 3.

Addition and multiplication are commutative.

Direct proportion: amounts or quantities that increase or decrease in the

same ratio. For instance if two apples cost 50p, and four cost £1, the

prices are in proportion: each apple is 25p.

Estimate: arrive at a rough answer by using suitable approximations.

Imperial: a system of measurement used in the UK until the 1970s, when it

was partly superseded by the metric system. Includes as units of measure

miles, stones and pints, all still in use in the UK.

Metric: a system of measurement designed around the one litre cube. One

litre of plain water measures 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm, and weighs one

kilogram.
Glossary

Non-commutative: an operation is non commutative if the outcome is

affected by changing the position of the numbers in a sum. Subtraction

and division are non-commutative.

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Non- standard unit: unit of measure which can vary, such as a cup or a

stride.

Product: in mathematics another word for multiply. Has other definitions.

Ratio: a way of comparing the amounts or quantities that are in a specific

relationship with each other, i.e. two to one. Written 2:1.

Round: to adjust a number to a specified level. For instance, 17.9 to the

nearest 10 is 20.

Sign: in mathematics the generic word for the symbols +, -, x and ÷.

Standard unit: a unit of measure in an official system, such as metric or

imperial.
Glossary

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Adult Numeracy Core Curriculum: EXCELLENCE GATEWAY (2011). SFL

Curriculum. [online]. http://rwp.excellencegateway.org.uk/Numeracy/Adult

Numeracy Core Curriculum/

ADLER, Jill (2001). Teaching Mathematics in Multilingual Classrooms.

vol.26. 1st ed., Dordrecht, Neths, Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Mathematics Education Library, 26.

BARWELL, Richard (ed.). Multilingualism in Mathematics Classrooms:

Global Perspectives. 2009 1st ed., Bristol, UK.

KERSAINT, Gladis, THOMPSON, Denisse R. and PETKOVA, Mariana

(2013). Teaching Mathematics to English Language Learners. 2nd ed.,
Abingdon, Oxon, Routledge.

NCETM (2010). Top tips for ESOL learners: [online].

https://www.ncetm.org.uk/public/files/340591/Action_Research_Project_

Leicestershire_ALS_Top_Tips.pdf

NEWMARCH, Barbara (2005). Developing Numeracy, Supporting Achieve-

ment. Leicester, NIACE. Lifelines in Adult Learning, 19.

OFQUAL (2010). Fair Access by Design. Coventry. Guidance Document

Further reading

040/2010.

STACEY, Jennifer M (2013). Teaching and Learning in ESOL Maths.

[online]. At www.esolmaths.co.uk

SWAN, Michael and SMITH, Bernard (eds.) (2001). Learner English- A

teachers guide to interference and other problems. 2nd ed., Cambridge,

C.U.P.

WEAVER, Janine (2010). ESOL learners don't understand the questions-

what can we do? [online].

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