English Learning Guide

Competency 1
Unit 2: Maths
Workshop 1
Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF

Name: Cohort: Date:

Training program: Instructor:

BASIC MATHS OPERATIONS (ADDING/SUBTRACTING/MULTIPLYING)

MONEY, CURRENCY EQUIVALENCE

This workshop attempts to help you strengthen your Math skills in English, by using the language in
the development and understanding of some basic math operations, talking about currencies around
the world and how to convert from one to another one.

Objective: from the development of this workshop, you will be able to talk about currencies and do
some math operations in English.

1. Work in groups and discuss the following statements:

- What do you know about the basic Math operations? Mention them, which one is your
favorite?
- When is it common to use Math? Give some examples.
- Which basic Math operation is difficult to you?

2. Skills practice: do the following activities to practice the learnt vocabulary and English structures.

2.1.LISTENING PRACTICE: video about basic math vocabulary

Before watching the video, find the definition for the following words:
operations, addition, multiplication, calculation, math symbols, equals, plus, minus, times,
divided by, add, subtract, divide, multiply, be good/bad at math

Watch the video and identify the vocabulary.

Read and write the results to each one the exercises below 1

1
Taken from https://www.education.com/worksheet/article/missing- operations/ used by SENA for academic purposes, exclusively.
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 English Learning Guide
Competency 1
Unit 2: Maths
Workshop 1
Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF

2.2. READING PRACTICE : Read the article

Before reading: work in pairs and discuss what you understand from the vocabulary and expressions
below:

India / casting doubt / global currencies / economists / pressure / weakening economy / under
attack / stability / the system / global financial markets / keeping faith

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English Learning Guide

Competency 1
Unit 2: Maths
Workshop 1
Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF

DOLLAR UNDER THREAT AS THE GLOBAL CURRENCY2

India is the latest country to cast doubt on the U.S. dollar as the major global currency. Suresh
Tendulkar, a top government economist, has advised India to rely less on the dollar. He suggests
buying a number of different currencies instead of just the greenback. He told reporters: “The
major part of Indian reserves is in dollars. That is something that’s a problem for us.” India’s
treasury holds over $260 billion in foreign currency reserves. A weaker dollar means those
reserves could fall in value. This is especially possible with the pressure on the dollar from
America’s weakening economy. This may not exactly be the final nail in the coffin for the dollar,
but it seems to be losing ground on other currencies.

The dollar is not only under attack from India’s economists. China and Russia are also calling for a
new international foreign-exchange reserves system. On July the 3rd, China’s former Vice Premier
Zeng Peiyan called for a “system to maintain the stability of the major reserve currencies.” This
suggests China no longer views the American dollar as the world’s sole reserve currency, and that
the dollar is no longer the “system” at the heart of global financial markets. Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev has repeatedly called for a system that has a mix of currencies. Japan appears to
be the only economic power that is keeping faith with the dollar. This may change at a meeting of
the G-8 in Italy on July 8-10.

- Read the text again and find the definition of the underlined words/expressions. Give some
examples.

- Based on the information presented in the text, mark the following statements as true (T) of
false (F)

India's rupee will soon overtake the U.S. dollar as the world currency. T/F A top Indian
economist advised his country to sell all of its dollars. T/F The economists said it's a
problem to rely too much on the dollar. T/F Ten economists’ words pretty much means
the death of the dollar. T/F The dollar is only under attack from India. T/F A Chinese
official called for a system to maintain stability in currencies. T/F Russia's president called
for a system that has a mixture of currencies. T/F A meeting between the top economic
powers in to take place in Italy. T/F
 2
Taken from https://breakingnewsenglish.com/0907/090706-us_dollar.html used by SENA for academic
purposes, exlusively.

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English Learning Guide

Competency 1
Unit 2: Maths
Workshop 1
Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF

2.3.SPEAKING PRACTICE: Work in pairs and discuss:

- What is currency?
- What do we use it for?
- Which currencies do you know different from the national currency (Colombian Pesos)?
Now, look for the following currencies and make a short oral presentation of the country each
currency (showing examples of bills/coins) represents. Also present the equivalence in dollar and
in Colombian Pesos. Use digital tools to share the information in class 3.
Colombian Pesos Singapore Dollar New Zealand Dollar British Pounds
Mexican Pesos Hong Kong Dollar Bangladeshi Taka Indian Rupee
Argentinian Pesos Israeli Shekel Egyptian Pound Philippine Pesos
US Dollar Pakistani Rupees Chinese Yuan South African Rand
Canadian Dollar Malaysian Ringgit The Euro Brazilian Real
Australian Dollar

2.4.WRITING PRACTICE: prepare a sales pack

Think of some products you want to export to the countries you presented previously and make a
short products pack for sale. Hand it to your instructor. Include:

- Product description (add images)

- Price and currency equivalence (Colombia- Selected country)

3. Extension activities: the extension activities will help you improve your performance in the
topics. You need to reach at least five hours of practice on your own.

- For further practice on numbers and dictation follow this link

https://www.englishclub.com/listening/dictations-s-currency.htm
- To practice more Math vocabulary and word research, visit
http://www.eslvocabfox.com/word-search-math-vocabulary-denominator-million-mixed
number-pi-acute-angle-addition/
- To practice more about the dollar, https://breakingnewsenglish.com/0907/090706-
us_dollar.html
- To get to know more about currencies, follow this link
https://www.kidzone.ws/geography/money/index.htm
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Taken from https://www.mathsisfun.com/money/currency.html Used by SENA for academic purposes,
exclusively.

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