Have you heard of Robert Munsch?

Randa Roen Nachbar is the editor ofDay Care and Early Education. She is also a staff developer in the New York City Public Schools with the curriculum Resolving Conflict Creatively. She has read many Munsch stories to children.     

The use of modern standard and spoken Arabic in mathematics lessons: the case of a diglossic language / El uso del árabe estándar moderno y del árabe hablado en las clases de matemáticas: el caso de una lengua diglósica

Abstract

Researchers have shown an increased interest in the way teachers use their knowledge about language (KAL) to enhance student understanding and learning. This qualitative case study investigated first- and second-grade teachers’ use of KAL in Arabic. We investigated the linguistic transitions from standard Arabic to spoken Arabic made by the teachers during mathematics lessons. The results suggested that Arab-speaking mathematics teachers were aware of the gap between home language (Spoken Arabic) and school language (Modern Standard Arabic) and used linguistic transition as a teaching strategy to develop academic thinking and behaviour among their students. The results suggested that Arab teachers built a non-formal bilingual education programme where the two languages were used to teach mathematics. Despite the requirement to use Modern Standard Arabic, participants bridged the gap between the languages, which suggests an inherent understanding that ‘language and identity are ultimately inseparable’.     

Supporting Refugee Distance Education: A Review of the Literature

ABSTRACT

The sudden influx of refugees into countries around the world has caused a complicated, multi-faceted, international refugee crisis. Refugees, whether in camps or urban areas, face a myriad of problems and obstacles, yet one of the most critical issues young refugees face is the lack of educational opportunities and/or resources. United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund warns that this lack of education could potentially create a “lost generation” which may lead to serious implications, not only for these young refugees but also to surrounding, nearby societies. This paper seeks to understand if and how Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) have been reported in the literature as being used in different contexts to connect young refugees with high quality educational opportunities, and whether the urban or camp contexts impact these opportunities. The results of this review of the literature indicate that a number of different ICTs have successfully been used in a variety of different educational settings and for a variety of purposes. Additionally, where a refugee lives could impact the accessibility and nature of the ICT tools available to provide an education.