languaging 
minds

Available in English and Korean

• in English and Korean

• in English and Chinese

These two book resources have been written with new learners of English in mind - namely, Chinese and Korean learners who not only can learn the language of mathematics in Korean and/or Chinese, but also in English.

 The resource was written by Elsie Chan – an expert in Mathematics and Chinese, and Dr Jannie van Hees, a language expert. Consultation with three consulting mathematics specialists means this resource is mathematically and linguistically sound. Key mathematics topics included in the NZ curriculum are included.

 The resource is not a mathematics dictionary but rather a fuller ‘using mathematics language’ learning reference and tool.

The purpose of this resource is to alert to:

• what is important and useful to assess in English in the four modes of language – listening, speaking, reading, writing;

• some principles and points which underpin the diagnostic assessment approaches recommended;

and to provide educators with a ‘ready-to-use’ resource for assessing English language elements – how to (guides for administering and recording), and recording sheets.

 

The role of formative and diagnostic assessment is to inform insights into learners’ learning and capabilities, and next steps to progress and enhance learners’ pathways of progress.

  

This text is a core text for RTLBs trained as bilingual assessors in the Bilingual Assessment Service (MoE: van Hees, J & Hunter, T.).

This book presents in schematic form, and overview of how a school community can establish a sensitive and effective foundation for learners and their families from backgrounds other than English.

 

First published in 1994, it remains highly relevant and applicable to school settings today.

 

Excerpt from the text introduction

 

‘To develop comprehensive and encompassing policies and practices (for cultural and linguistic inclusion) requires attention to many important and subtle layers of provision.

This book serves to guide and challenge towards the ideal – that the full potential of all involved in a truly (inclusive) multicultural environment is developed.

 

It encompasses a whole school approach and commitment, based on a common philosophy and a shared vision in response to learners and their families from (culturally and linguistically) diverse backgrounds’ (pg. 1).

This book is designed to put key thoughts forward for practitioners and specialists supporting learners with additional learning needs, and their families and teachers. It aims to enhance the work of these personnel to think and respond in increasingly competent cultural ways.

 

The contents has been identified by the two authors based on their vast combined experience in working with diverse learners and their families in the education space. Three main areas are covered:

Personal cultural competency
Professional cultural competency
Processes to effectively respond to the individual learner and their family that reflect cultural competency
 

The book’s contents can be used as a self-reflective text, as a text to guide cultural ways of working as a team, to help shape policy and institutional values and practices, and as a guide for newly trained practitioners.

 

The book is dedicated to Bev Stewart who passed away in the early 2000s, prior to final shaping and production of the book. Bev had worked intensely with Jannie van Hees over several years to shape its contents. Bev was a pro-active psychologist with the former Special Education Service, and actively promoted sensitive and inclusive responses and processes in Special Education Services.