The maths expert tasked with increasing standards in mathematics and numeracy in Liverpool is urging parents to buy mathematical games for their children this Christmas
Dr Graham Lawler, Director of Liverpool Counts, hopes this will encourage teenagers to improve their grades and accomplish the aims set forth by the education scheme.
Dr Lawler – who created the highly acclaimed BBC Bite Size GCSE revision guide for advanced maths and wrote a book with the late Sir Arthur C Clarke about understanding maths – believes mathematical games are integral to this. He said: “Games are a brilliant way to encourage children and young people to improve their mathematics. They are learning and having fun.
“The best types of games are strategy games; these are where the players have to think ahead. If we can get more children and young people playing these strategy games then it can have an amazing impact on their mental skills capacity and that is important in improving their maths.
“There are many apprentice jobs in Merseyside that are going to people from outside the area because they have higher maths grades. If mums and dads encourage their teenagers, and improve their maths grades at school, these are jobs our young people can have. That is why this is so important.”
Liverpool Counts was launched in October with the objectives of:
• Raising standards in mathematics and numeracy with fun and joy of numbers at its heart
• Challenging perceptions and changing attitudes toward numeracy and mathematics
• Raising the profile of numeracy using activities, events and resources based on real-life
• Bring relevance to numeracy through problem solving, demonstrating it as an essential skill
It is based on the successful model of Liverpool City of Readers, which is contributing to the raising of standards in reading and writing and aims to improve attainment in maths at all levels of education.
Liverpool Counts is spearheaded by the Liverpool Learning Partnership, which represents all education sectors and all learners in Liverpool.
