Welcome to the first ‘English and maths Made Easy' column by Bolton College! Over the next few months, Pat Harrison, Director of 14 – 19 and Strategic Lead for English and Maths, and Catherine Langstreth, Advanced Practitioner and English and maths Tutor, will be dispelling myths about the two subjects, providing hints and tips to help you in everyday life, as well as telling some inspirational stories about how developing maths and English skills has transformed the lives of people in Lancashire – at home, at work and when out and about in their home town.
Most of the time we don't think about maths and English – but the funny thing is, they're everywhere we go. At home: paying for bills, reading letters, reading instructions on how to cook something. At work: communicating with colleagues, customers, calculating our wages, booking holidays. In our social life: reading road signs, paying for shopping/petrol, sharing a bill in a restaurant, reading a menu. Sometimes, it's the simplest things that stump us, but it doesn't have to be that way. The two subjects combined can open up a whole host of opportunities – promotions at work, new interests in life and jobs we thought that weren't possible.
There are many more people than you think who struggle with these tasks every day. Did you know 14 per cent of adults in the North West have a reading ability equivalent to that of a nine to 11-year-old? In maths, 24 per cent of people in the region have the same understanding of a seven to nine-year-old.
Wanting to learn more about maths and English at any age is not uncommon. Here at Bolton college, we meet so many people day in, day out, who feel that their understanding of the subjects is not what it should be, or in some way has held them back. The great thing is, it's never too late to learn whether you're a 9, 11, 16, 25, 35, or 65-year-old. Maths and English can be interesting, fun and a whole lot of use. It's all about having the appetite to know more!
Each week we will provide you with tips and tricks to help you use maths and English in your everyday life. We will also share real-life stories showing what a difference developing these skills has made on some people’s lives. See you next week!
