Teaching mathematics in Pitjantjatjara at Areyonga School.

This project involves developing primary mathematics lesson sequences and assessment tools in Pitjantjatjara. It is a collaboration between Areyonga School, a linguist, a mathematics education researcher, and local Elders. We focus on the space part of the curriculum, which includes shapes, locations, and directions. Spatial language and spatial metaphor are the basis for much mathematical talk. Developing children’s verbal and spatial reasoning skills can help to lay a firm foundation for other mathematical skills.
In this presentation, we discuss the collaboration so far, from eliciting mathematical language with Elders, to assessing students and planning and teaching lessons. We describe how the geometrical shapes developed thus far therefore draws on that used to describe rocks and stone artefacts, and the body, which people metaphorically extend to describe the anatomy of geographical features. A triangle is a kanti—a triangular quartz piece traditionally used as a blade. Rockhills are described as having a mulya ‘nose’ where a ridge ends and slopes downwards. The kanti ‘triangle’ therefore has mulya maṉkurpa ‘three noses’, or three corners.
Other team members are Sasha Wilmoth – linguist, University of Melbourne; Daphne Puntjina, Lydia Angus, Tjirpowa Meneri, and Renita (Anawari) Winmati - Utulu Kutju Nintitinganyi