Language in Numeracy

1. Language in Numeracy A project to promote effective language skills through application and practice. Bruce.Duncan@utas.edu.au

2. Follow the Leader • Traditional game • Describe each stage before proceeding • Make spatial language explicit • “Let’s all walk towards the door.” • “Now we’ll go through the door and down the steps.” • Modeling • Authentic context • Construction of meaning • Students represent the journey

3. Word Wall • Representing the language • “Spatial language” • “Describes movement, direction and location” • Recall from common experience • Selection of appropriate words • Definition (level of understanding) • Referent • Grouping/Pairing opposites • Provide context? • Classroom culture

4. Space Freeze • Whole group enculturation • Everyone walks randomly around the room • Teacher calls, “Freeze. Hand up if you are near the door. (check). Go.” • “Hand up if the window is behind you.” • Flexible: Location, time, grouping. • Social. ZPD. • Highly repeatable. • Teacher centred.

5. Student Centred • Authentic application of spatial language • Requires communication of movement, direction and location • Feedback • Role play three activities • Back to back building • Fake statues • Eyes and legs • “Fish bowl” observation • Collect spatial language • Discussion questions

6. Treasure Map • Performance of Understanding • Summative assessment • Each group hides a trinket • Represents the directions to locate it • Swap directions between groups • Follows directions to find trinket • Critique of directions • Variations

7. Application & Practice • Social • Rich construction potential • Performance of Understanding • Provide context. The opportunity to learn. • Scaffolding opportunities • Conceptualisation. • Thai boy, grade 1/2. • Um ah girl. Assessment as learning.

8. Language in Numeracy A project to promote effective language skills through application and practice. Bruce.Duncan@utas.edu.au