The importance of maths skills (Reading)

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The importance of maths skills


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A new charity called National Numeracy (NN) claims that millions of adults across the country have such poor mathematical skills that they are unable to carry out many of the basic numerical tasks in everyday life that many of us do naturally. These include understanding travel timetables, pay slips, household bills and even checking our change in shops. The charity is keen to argue against the myth that maths at school is boring and not really important to us once we get out of school and start to live in the real world. According to NN, nothing could be further from the truth. It is estimated that poor numeracy skills amongst adults cost the nation billions each year.

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In addition, poor numeracy skills not only contribute to personal disadvantage to individuals who are unable to carry out the most basic tasks, but they can also be linked to a number of other social and personal ills. People without a basic understanding of maths are more likely to be unemployed, more likely to suffer from depression and more likely to suffer from a number of negative social circumstances we would all like to avoid, such as poor housing, poor health and related problems. In short, it pays to possess at least some basic numeracy skills in order to develop one’s identity and wellbeing in a difficult world.

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Whilst adult literacy has been improving, thanks to a number of government policies which have provided money for practical support and solutions, adult numeracy has at the same time got worse. The fact of the matter is that many people simply don’t like maths and don’t see any point to it. Furthermore, maths isn’t cool. It’s apparently OK to say ‘I’m no good at maths’ whilst there is much more reluctance to admitting to being unable to read. To many people, maths is simply another inconvenient school subject for which there is no need to make much of an effort because you won’t need it once you leave school.

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Unfortunately, the problem seems to be passed down the generations. Parents who tell their children they were no good at maths at school are likely to find the same attitude amongst their own children and will be unable to help them with their maths homework. Even today, with interesting and practical new approaches to maths which have replaced simply learning things by heart, maths is still one of those subjects that many kids hate.

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Perhaps it’s the way it’s taught in schools, or the way teachers are trained to teach it, or the failure of the teaching profession to attract gifted teachers of maths. There is obviously a need to present maths as a way of solving practical problems and working with others in a stimulating way and of making people see its practical uses in everyday life, rather than treating it as a waste of time and something one has to do until the end of school.


1. The text on page 2 has five paragraphs (1–5). Choose the best title for each paragraph from A–F below and write the letter (A–F) on the lines below. There is one title you don’t need.

1. Paragraph 1                 A Why numeracy is not regarded as being as important as literacy
2. Paragraph 2                 B How attitudes towards maths are handed down

3. Paragraph 3                 C How maths skills are related to other skills

4. Paragraph 4                 D Possible causes of poor attitude to maths

5. Paragraph 5                 E The results of poor maths skills in daily life

F Social and mental problems because of poor maths skills


2. Choose the five statements from A–H below that are TRUE according to the information given in the text. Write the letters of the TRUE statements on the lines below (in any order).

A The charity is trying to make maths at school more interesting.

B The writer feels the government is trying to deal with the issue.

C According to NN, adult numeracy is at its lowest ever point.
           
D People with poor maths skills often have other problems too.

E Maths is regarded as a subject which one has to put up with until
the end of school.

F There are now more interesting approaches to maths than there
used to be.

G Many people feel very bad about admitting their poor maths skills.

H According to NN, poor adult numeracy is a financial burden on the country.


3. Complete sentences 11–15 with a word, phrase or number from the text (maximum three words).

  • · The common belief that maths is not useful is a _________________.
  •   As well as practical problems, having difficulty with basic maths can also affect one’s __________________.
  •  People are more likely to say they can’t add up than to say they can’t ___________________.
  •  In the writer’s view, poor numeracy may be due to the fact that it’s difficult to recruit ____________________ of maths.
  •  The writer argues that people need to see the ___________________ of maths in daily life.


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