Mamokgethi Setati

Between Languages and Discourses: Language Practices in Primary Multilingual Mathematics Classrooms in South Africa.

In this paper we draw on two research projects in South Africa to describe and discuss the language practices of teachers in primary multilingual mathematics classrooms. We focus particularly on code-switching – moving across languages and discourses. We situate the paper in the policy and practice environment of post-apartheid South African education in which code-switching is encouraged. Through our descriptions and discussion, we argue that while at a general political and pedagogical level it makes sense for teachers to encourage and use code-switching as a learning and teaching resource, this is not a straight forward matter. We argue that different English language infrastructures present primary mathematics teachers with different challenges for communicating mathematics. Furthermore, we show how the movement across mathematical discourses relates to movement between languages in classroom communication.

Mathematics and science education research, policy and practice in South Africa: What are the relationships?

Abstract In this paper, a review of journal articles containing South African research in mathematics and science education in the 2000–2006 period is undertaken, and used to identify significant clusters of research interest on the one hand and areas of under-representation of research on the other. In mathematics education, significant clusters were found relating to: questions of relevance, language issues, mathematics teaching and learning, and mathematics teacher education. In science education, specific clusters of research focused on: tertiary science teaching and learning, school level science teaching and learning, and relevance issues focused on the nature of science and indigenous knowledge systems. Our classification of articles highlighted the paucity of research at the primary level, in rural contexts, and dealing with issues related to language use in multilingual classrooms. Our overview of articles also provided examples of research that linked the issues arising within specific clusters, and considered the consequences of these linked issues for teaching and learning. We conclude by noting examples of research findings within our review that have impacted on policy and practice, and point also to areas where further research appears necessary.

The institutional location of research in Mathematics and Science Education in South Africa

Abstract This paper describes and characterizes the science and mathematics education communities in South Africa by looking at their refereed outputs from 2000–2006. The publications under study are studies focusing on South Africa in local and international journals from 2000–2006. Our interest lies in looking more closely at the authors to understand how the two communities grow and evolve. We also examine similarities and differences between the communities and how these have influenced their trajectories. The communities are characterized by their identities as outlined by Gee and their level of development is measured against criteria devised by Fensham. We found that both communities have begun to grow and thrive in the period under study but remain fragile and subject to disruption by upward mobility and loss of some of their members. Similarities were found, but also notable differences such as coauthoring practices.

‘Re’-presenting qualitative data from multilingual mathematics classrooms

In this paper I consider what it means to ‘re’-present qualitative data from multilingual mathematics classrooms. I draw from a recent study that focused on language practices in multilingual mathematics classrooms to explore the different levels involved in the ‘re’-presentation of multilingual data. The purpose of the paper is not to discuss the details of the study but to use data from the study to raise the awareness of the conceptual underpinnings of data re-presentation in mathematics education research. I use the data to show one perspective to ‘re’-presentation of multilingual data. The main argument of the paper is that ‘re’-presentation of multilingual data is not just talk written down, it is inevitably a process of selection and is informed by theory, research questions, tools of analysis and the purposes of re-presenting the data.