ERIC ED404506: Maths Work: Maths in the Textile, Clothing, Footwear & Allied Industries.

76 Pages·1995·3.6 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 404 506
CE 073 470
AUTHOR
Wallace, Midge
TITLE
Maths Work: Maths in the Textile, Clothing, Footwear
& Allied Industries.
INSTITUTION
Australian Light Manufacturing Industry Training
Board.
SPONS AGENCY
Australian Dept. of Employment, Education and
Training, Canberra.
ISBN-0-646-27035-4
REPORT NO
PUB DATE
95
83p.; Developed by the Australian Light Manufacturing
NOTE
Industry Training Advisory Board.
PUB TYPE
Guides
Non-Classroom Use (055)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC04 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
Adult Vocational Education; Education Work
Relationship; Foreign Countries; *Job Skills; Limited
English Speaking; Manufacturing; *Manufacturing
Industry; Mathematics Instruction; *Mathematics
Skills; *Numeracy
IDENTIFIERS
Australia
ABSTRACT
This book is designed to help individuals be aware of
how much mathematics is used at work. It is designed to help trainers
decide what to do if workers need help to improve their mathematics
skills. An introduction looks at mathematics as it is used at work by
discussing how it is used on the job. The book discusses the problems
for workers with poor mathematics skills and, in particular, for
workers of a non-English-speaking background. The next section
presents examples from Australia that show people using mathematics
as they work. The samples are reproduced exactly as they are used on
the job and include some workers' own methods of keeping track of
numbers. The specific workplaces are as follows: boot manufacturer,
clothing manufacturer, laundry, and shoe manufacturer. The next
section focuses on two contexts in which math is commonly used:
quality management and stock control. The section with trainers'
notes lists some considerations for a trainer: possible effects of
making assumptions, cultural groups, and methods of training. A
resources section lists sources and titles of print materials and of
research organizations for further information.
(YLB)
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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
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Ilk
U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office ot Educational Research and Improvement
iffED CATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced u
received from Inc person Or Orgenizatton
originating it
0 Minor changes nave been made to improve
reprOductron auanty
Points of view Or °gluons staled in this dOcu-
rnent do not necessanly represent official
OE RI posillon or policy
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL
HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
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TO THE EDUCATION L RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
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The Australian Light Manufacturing Industry Training Advisory Board is the national organisation responsible
for training development, policy and implementation in the furnishing, textile, clothing, footwear and allied
industries.
Chairperson:
Alastair Lee
General Manager:
Cassandra Parkinson
Project Manager:
Simon Wallace, National TCF WELL Coordinator
Australian Light Manufacturing ITAB
Writer:
Midge Wallace
Workplace Education Services (WES)
Adelaide Institute of TAFE
Production:
Centre for Applied Learning Systems
Adelaide Institute of TAFE
Thankyou /Acknowledgements
Thankyou to the following companies for allowing time to be spent on the shop-floor talking to workers and
supervisors about their jobs while trying to understand the maths processes that they use:
Central Linen, Dudley Park, South Australia
Clark Shoes, Marleston, South Australia
R.M. Williams, Salisbury, South Australia
Thankyou also for permitting company materials to be used in this publication.
Special thanks to the following people for their assistance:
Christel Kranich, Central Linen Jane Harris, R.M. Williams
Fred Drolsbach, Central Linen
Zoe Reid, Onkaparinga Institute of TAFE
Ann Pick, South East Institute of TAFE
Barbara Laurie, Clark Shoes
Trevor Finch, Clark Shoes
ISBN 0 646 27035 4
© 1995 Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Employment, Education & Training
Funded under the workplace English Language & Literacy (WELL) Program by the
Commonwealth through the Department for Employment, Education and Training.
Enquiries to: Australian Light Manufacturing Industry Training Advisory Board
First Floor, 132-138 Leicester Street, Carlton, Victoria, 3053
Telephone: [phone]
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
4
Contents
What you will find in this book
1
The purpose of this book
2
Introduction
3
Footwear Manufacture: Boots
12
Clothing
24
Laundry
34
Footwear Manufacture: Shoes
46
Focus
59
Trainers' notes
63
Resources
65
Maths Work
What you will find in this book
Introduction
This section looks at maths as it is used at work, discussing how it
is used on the job.
It
talks about the problems for workers with
poor maths skills, and in particular for
workers of a non-English-speaking background.
Samples
This section looks at real examples that show people using maths
as they work.
It
includes samples from Central Linen, Clark Shoes and R.M. Williams.
Every workplace
has its own examples.
The samples are reproduced exactly
as they are used on the job, and include some
workers' own methods of keeping track of numbers.
Focus
This section also focuses on two contexts in which maths is commonly used.
They are:
Quality Management
Stock Control.
These affect many different types of companies, both large and small.
Both require
workers to carry out maths tasks at
many stages of the production process.
Trainers' notes and Resources
These sections include some notes for trainers, and
a list of useful resources.
It also
explains where to turn for help.
Maths Work
1
6
I
1
This book can help you to:
used at work
be aware of just how much maths is
involved
that everyone understands the maths
look at some strategies to make sure
could have on hand to help
think about some useful resources you
maths skills.
workers need help to improve their
decide what to do if you think some
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Maths Work
2
Introduction
Maths, reading and writing, speaking and listening all work together
as parts of a whole. They are all a part of the communication
processes at work. Good communication is one of the essential
ingredients of a successful company. Maths is one of these
elements that is often ignored or underrated.
Maths is often used in place of words to convey ideas, concepts,
messages and facts throughout a workplace.
It is not only the people doing the accounts and the people in the
store who need to use mathematical skills.
Maths is used on the
shop-floor at many different stages in the work process.
Job redesign and changing work processes are bringing with them
a higher level of worker control over their jobs.
Everyone has to
monitor their work more and report on it.
There is a much higher
level of worker responsibility now than before.
These chOge*blingswitil theni,t1*.
need tp` ,\\Orn)-,,*the tasks that' in*,'
of fiaire l '61i'deilled for
past;
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Maths Work
With poor maths skills; there may be:
inaccurate records
machines incorrectly set
expensive mistakes made
incorrect deliveries
stocklists incorrect.
Often poor
But it's not just these visible things that can go wrong.
be easily
maths skills affect very important things that cannot
how
measured. These factors can have an even larger effect on
well people function at work, such as:
lack of confidence
unwillingness to take on new tasks
unwillingness to apply for promotion
ineffective training
inability to contribute to problem-solving and teamwork.
Maths Work
4
-
In the work process
wherwitispart
attUMat s7EsAis
,
Maths may be used without it really being a conscious
process,
such as the pattern marker who.runs the eye over skins and mentally
assesses the percentage of leather that can be used.
At other times, maths is obvious and visible, when calculations
are a necessary part of a job itself. An example is the storeperson
who must collect, count and record the stock that is being issued
to a customer.
In training
e41),Arainiti
bey
Mathsgma.
part oftrainin ,inerremployeesti
g .
urr nt- e m p to eevon
rev
4ltrainingt
For instance, graphs, charts and statistics are used to show to
workers concepts relating to new work practices and job redesign.
Maths is also a part of industry vocational certificates.
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Maths Work
5