What is numeracy and why is it important?
Numeracy is the ability to understand and use numbers in everyday life. It involves basic skills like adding and subtracting but it also includes understanding data and making sense of information that involves numbers. Whether you’re cooking with measurements, managing your budget, paying bills, or trying to understand your payslip, numeracy helps you make informed decisions.
Being comfortable with numbers helps you navigate everyday tasks with confidence.
How can we help?
26Ten supports adults to improve their everyday maths and numeracy skills, so they can participate fully in work and life. Adults can get help through one-on-one tutoring and group support delivered statewide through the Libraries Tasmania Adult Literacy Service, or through programs within many businesses, supported by 26Ten Workplace grants.
You can help by understanding the effect that low numeracy has on people and communities, and by working with us to lift numeracy in Tasmania. Together, we can make numbers work for everyone.
Professional development
26Ten offers professional development workshops for literacy and numeracy practitioners and volunteers, to help them sharpen their skills in teaching numeracy to adults.
In 2023, we hosted a series of workshops with Dave Tout, world-renowned maths expert. Dave teaches that when adult learners are shown how numeracy applies to real-life situations, they’re more motivated to learn.
In 2024, we continued our commitment to improving numeracy skills in Tasmania with a series of workshops with Dr Damon Whitten, where participants learned valuable techniques to deliver high-quality maths education to adults. Damon’s mission is to “empower adult learners who have had negative learning experiences, by reengaging them with their dreams, passions and potentials through maths education.”
26Ten is committed to improving numeracy skills in Tasmania, and we’ll keep offering professional development opportunities focussed on numeracy in the years ahead.
Resources
There are some great numeracy themed resources available for literacy and numeracy practitioners and volunteers.
- Libraries Tasmania has a range of resources to help you help others to improve their reading, writing, maths and computing skills, including specific maths activities.
- Check out Damon Whitten’s YouTube channel or his Maths and Numeracy blog to learn more about empowering adult learners through maths education.
- The Reading Writing Hotline has a series of short videos that introduce adult learning principles in a numeracy context.
Where else can you get help?
Find the help that’s right for you.
