Directions

Directions: Journal of Educational Studies Pacific Curriculum Network
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Education, Bilingual

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Papua New Guinea

Title: Mathematics and language : culture and implementation

Author: Clarkson, Philip
Subject:  Education, Bilingual|Papua New Guinea
 Mathematics|Study and teaching|Papua New Guinea
Volume: Directions: Journal of Educational Studies no.38, vol.20, no.1, 1998
Collation: p. 58-73 ;

Abstract: Research in Lea, Papua New Guinea, has suggested that students’ competence in their first language does have an effect on their achievement scores in mathematics. The result is at variance with long-held views in PNG that the first language of students had a negative effect on students’ learning. However, it supports the recent move by PNG Secretary of Education to encourage the use of non-English language in the first six months of schooling. It is one thing to gather educational data and analyse it in many ways to help tell some story or other; it is another thing altogether for the suggestions arising from such analyses to be implemented in some way in classrooms. Many factors impinge on this implementation phase. Cultural and situational implications have not always been considered at this point of the researchprocess. The manner in which the work in the area of mathematics and language has impacted on different systems will be commented on in the second half of this paper.

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