Why do my ‘numeracy’ learners get modules that aren’t about maths? (or why ‘numeracy’ is not just about numbers)

Working with numbers specifically can be more difficult for some people, but in a sense, there’s nothing so different about working with numbers mentally compared to working with other types of information that is not numerical. This is because a cognitive process crucial to working with numbers is common across many activities that involve holding and manipulating non-numerical information in the moment.

The common cognitive process we’re talking about is ‘working memory’, which is the capacity to hold and manipulate information in our minds in real time. The term ‘memory’ in the name can be a bit confusing, because we’re not actually talking about recalling information from memory, as is often meant by the word. Instead, we’re talking about retaining information in the moment so that we can use it to complete a task or solve a problem.

Working memory can be thought of as a ‘mental workspace’, where we hold information to compare it, use it, appraise it, or strategically “move it around”, usually towards an intended goal. For those who are technologically inclined, working memory is a bit like the RAM on your computer – it does many things.

Working memory has a limited capacity, meaning we can only retain a certain amount of information in it at any one time. It’s also limited in terms of what we’re doing with the information that we’re retaining – the higher the complexity of whatever we’re doing with the information, the more our working memory capacity is filled up.
If you think about your daily tasks, you might begin to realise that nearly all of them involve working memory to some extent, especially in the work and learning environments.

We all differ in our working memory capacity, meaning we may be able to hold and manipulate information to different degrees. The importance of working memory throughout our daily lives, and the fact that we all differ in terms of this capacity, points to the importance of understanding it and supporting it in the workplace or learning environment.

How do we measure it?

Scientists have developed and refined many basic tasks that are good at measuring working memory, and some of them don’t use numbers at all:

Example 1: “I’m going to read you a list of letters, the number of letters in the list will increase as we go on. I’d like you to repeat them to me in the same order. Now try and repeat the next lot backwards.”
Example 2: “You are about to see a series of dots appear in different locations on your screen. Your task is to click on the screen to repeat the sequence of dots. The number of locations to repeat will get higher as you go on.”
Cognassist example: “You’re about to see some arithmetic problems on the screen. Please type your answer in the box provided. You will only have a short amount of time to complete each. The problems will get harder as you go on.”

All three of these example tasks require working memory to complete. And the more letters, locations or problems you can correctly answer, the higher your working memory capacity is likely to be.

Think about these two examples:

(note: we all work out 7x20 using different methods – it doesn’t matter how you do it, but the point is that you are likely to use multiple steps when completing maths problems in your head.)

Despite seeming like unrelated tasks, both scenarios rely on a common type of cognitive processing. There are, of course, some differences. One person is using quantitative information only, and the other is prioritising information to make a decision. To complete either task however, the person needs to hold and manipulate information in their mind to achieve a goal (answering an arithmetic problem or making a purchasing decision).

This is why learners who score lower on our numeracy task might get support modules that don’t relate directly to using maths or numbers. They may get support modules that help them deal with other kinds of situations that require holding and manipulating information such as planning, organising or decision making.

This also helps explain why the cognitive domain of numeracy is not identical to the functional skill of maths. We can develop good functional skills in maths, even when our working memory is lower. Not identical but still related. A lower working memory capacity, or lower numeracy score on our assessment, may cause difficulties in developing the functional skill of numeracy. These learners may have had difficulties in school and might need extra support or adjustments when it comes to end point assessments.

A learner who scores lower on our numeracy task, may struggle with numbers and quantitative information specifically. They may have found maths difficult in school or may struggle with different maths processes and operators. Alternatively, they may have a lower working memory capacity more generally. Both need to be supported, and exploring modules with your learner will help find the ones that are the most relevant to them.