What comes before? Understanding spatial reference in Iwaidja

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference Paper published in Proceedingspeer-review

    Abstract

    This paper reports on initial findings of an investigation into spatial frame of reference in Iwaidja, an Indigenous Australian language spoken in a multilingual community. It considers spatial language in mathematics where students are being taught and assessed in a language not spoken at home and where their teachers do not speak the students` first languages. It finds that Iwaidja speakers use different frames of reference to English speakers in small scale space. The meanings and scope of key spatial terms in Iwaidja differ from English in ways that appear to be related to preferred frames of reference. It proposes that teacher awareness of these differences can help in mathematics teaching.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationProceedings of the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) Study 21 Conference
    Subtitle of host publicationMathematics Education and Language Diversity
    EditorsMamokgethi Setati, Thulisile Nkambule, Leila Goosen
    Place of PublicationBrazil
    PublisherInternational Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI)
    Pages89-97
    Number of pages9
    ISBN (Print)978-1-86888-682-1
    Publication statusPublished - 2011
    EventInternational Commission on Mathematical Instruction - São Paulo State, Brazil
    Duration: 16 Sept 201120 Sept 2011

    Conference

    ConferenceInternational Commission on Mathematical Instruction
    Period16/09/1120/09/11

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