The six articles in this issue tackle topics that relate to the role and function of numeracy in adult life. "Reading Comprehension in Written Mathematics Problems" (Sue Wareham) examines the levels of reading ability required of numeracy students and offers strategies to help students with limited reading skills. "Can Ordinary…

The National Adult LIteracy Survey was a nationwide survey of a random sample of approximately 26,000 adults. The survey collected information about individuals' social, economic, and educational histories and their literacy activities. Their functional literacy was also assessed using simulated functional or real-world tasks designed to determine…

The development of strong foundational literacy and numeracy skills for all students is a very high priority for schools, education systems and governments. The ways in which children develop these skills during the crucial years of primary education are of major interest to all concerned with students' learning and development. The ACER…

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of forum discussion embedded within metacognitive guidance on mathematical literacy. In particular the study compares two learning environments: (a) Forum discussion with metacognitive guidance (FORUM+META); and (b) Forum discussion without metacognitive guidance (FORUM). Participants…

In most Australian schools, there are significant numbers of students who are failing to learn effectively. They underachieve in all or some of the basic skill areas of the curriculum. Concerns regarding the most appropriate methods with which to address the needs of these students remain widespread amongst teachers. This publication examines the…

Aside from being fun to do, singing songs, saying poems and rhymes, and doing finger plays with children helps them develop early literacy skills. The 700 selections in this compilation of songs and rhymes will help children ages 3 to 6 build a strong foundation in skills and concepts such as listening; colors, shapes, and counting; vocabulary;…

In this study, we examined 139 prospective elementary teachers' solution processes to additive word problems for which the solution is 1 more or 1 less than the answer produced by the straightforward application of the addition or subtraction of the two given numbers. For each problem, five aspects of their solution processes were examined: (a)…

Interest in mathematics learning that focuses on understanding, mathematical reasoning, and meaning-making underscores the need to develop ways of analyzing classrooms that foster certain types of learning. The goal of this paper is to show that the constructs of social and sociomathematical norms, which grew out of taking a symbolic…

Summer schools are an integral part of the Key Stage 3 of England's National Literacy Strategy. They play an important role in giving students, who are still at Level 3 in the National Curriculum tests, a flying start to their secondary school career by making links between the Year 6 and Year 7 curriculum. Students are expected to achieve the…

A mathematically literate citizenry is essential to maintaining democracy and ensuring a competitive position in a global economy. Instruction, curriculum, and assessment related to the teaching and learning of mathematics must be such that all students are given the opportunity to learn high levels of mathematics and encouraged to succeed. This…

Presents the text of a message sent to Susan Gerofsky by Robert Thomas after reading her article on a linguistic and narrative view of word problems in mathematics education. Gerofsky's response is also included. (DDR)

Investigated order of quantity concept development on a range of quantity conservation tasks. Subjects were 15 adults and children having spastic cerebral palsy from birth and attending the same special school or day unit. Found a sequence of development similar to that in children without the handicap, and scalogram analysis supported similarity…

Reviews research and presents the results of a case study on the effects of subject knowledge and its place within the British National Curriculum for early childhood students. The importance of foundation subjects as a vehicle for the acquisition and development of basic skills in literacy and numeracy is a major finding of the research. (MDM)

Recommends that numeracy be better coordinated and integrated across the curriculum and that teachers examine the image of mathematics presented to children. Discusses the value of eliciting children's ideas about and experiences with numbers and measuring. (DDR)

Explains the Core Skills framework which emerged as part of the Higher Still Development Programme in Scotland at the same time as similar developments of Key Skills in the rest of the United Kingdom. Describes the unique aspects of the Scottish program. (WRM)