Chapter 9: Teaching Numeracy In A Community Context: The Roles of Culture and Imagination

Numeracy isn’t just about mathematics, which is an abstract construct; it is about mathematics situated in culture. Numeracy has multiple layers and should be linked and contextualized. Numeracy is a term encompassing a range of social activities that involve both mathematical thinking and communication skills (Withnall, 1995). Different definitions emphasize different aspects of the term numeracy. For the purposes of this article we will use the following definition of numeracy:

Familiar contexts can make mathematics more accessible to those who have been alienated from it. Relevant learning experiences should be designed to challenge the learner’s understanding and extend his or her knowledge to a personal context. Learning activities should be culturally valid and educationally sound. Teachers need to select culturally oriented learning activities that can be used in the study of appropriate topics in mathematics.