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Sally-Ann joined the proejct team in 2018

Her aims for her post-doc:

As per the South African Numeracy Chair's mandate of seeking sustainable ways forward to the challenges of primary mathematics education locally, nationally and beyond, I will be working at the interface of research and development in relation to language, literacy, and mathematics teaching and learning. In this regard, I aim to:

• plan and conduct research at the language/ literacy interface to
• deepen and extend research findings from my doctoral study;
• communicate key findings from my research with teachers/ teacher
• educators in various forums (such as in-service and pre-service
• courses and conference platforms);
• produce at least two academic articles in DHET-accredited journals;
• supervise at least one of SANC's MEd student ;
• provide support to other SANC research team members;
• contribute more generally to SANCP activities.

PhD Title:
The place of language in supporting children’s mathematical development: Two grade 4 teachers’ use of classroom talk

ROBERTSON PhD Thesis 2017 FINAL VERSION

Academic Qualifications

1972 BA degree (English and Social Anthropology as major subjects).
1973 Diploma in Personnel Management (DPM) (with distinction)
1976 HDE (graduate primary) (with distinction).
1985 BEd degree (with distinction)
1991 MEd degree (by full thesis) in General Educational Theory and Practice: Thesis title: An investigation of the evolution and current status of the core theoretical disciplines in the training of primary school teachers at selected English-medium training institutions in South Africa.
2012 MEd degree in English Language Teaching (by coursework + half-thesis): Thesis title: Exploring a grade 5 English teacher’s strategies for helping her learners develop their reading literacy: A
case study (with distinction)
2017 Doctoral degree The place of language in supporting children’s mathematical development: Grade 4 teachers’ use of classroom talk.

Publications/ Presentations (post 2014)

Click on link to go to particular years: 2017   2018

2018

MERGA Short Paper presentation

Robertson, S-A., & Graven, M. (2018, July). A teacher’s challenge in developing mathematics talk for sense-making in and through a second language. (Short Communication presented at the 41st Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA): Making waves, opening spaces, 1-5 July 2018. Massey University, Albany, Auckland, New Zealand.

Talk at Australian Catholic University - July 2018

Robertson, S-A., & Graven, M. (2018, July). Addressing and exploring the challenges of numeracy teaching and learning in and through a second language. (Invited seminar presented at the Institute for Learning Sciences & Teacher Education, Australian Catholic University, 19 July 2018. Brisbane, Australia.

Robertson, S.-A., & Graven, M. (2018). Exploratory mathematics talk in a second language: A sociolinguistic perspective. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 1–18. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-018-9840-5

Robertson, S.-A., & Graven, M. (2018). Using a transdisciplinary framework to examine mathematics classroom talk taking place in and through a second language. ZDM, 50(6), 1013–1027. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-018-0952-2

2017

Robertson, S-A., & Graven, M. (2017, July). Linguistic obstacles to second language learners’ access to mathematical talk for individualized sense-making. Short Communication presented at the 40th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA) 2017. Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.

Robertson, S-A., & Graven, M. (2017, July). South African challenges to transitioning from ritual to explorative participation. (Oral Communication presented at the 41st Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME), 2017. National Institute of Education, Singapore.) In B. Kaur, W. K. Ho, T. L. Toh, & B. H. Choy, B.H. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 41st Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Vol. 1, p. 259. Singapore: PME.

Robertson, S-A., & Graven, M. (2017, November).Challenges to transitioning from ritual to explorative participation in mathematical sense-making. (Paper presented at SARAECE’s Eastern Cape Regional Conference: Re-imagining Early Childhood Education in South Africa) Rhodes University, Grahamstown.

Spira, M., & Robertson, S-A. (2017). Using an adapted model of reciprocal teaching to help children unpack their word sums. In M. Graven & H. Venkat (Eds.), Improving primary mathematics education, teaching and learning: Research for development in resource-constrained contexts (pp. 97-113). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Robertson, S-A. (2016). Developing reading literacy in an L2 learning environment: In search of strategies. In R. H. Kaschula & H. E. Wolff (Eds.), Multilingual education for Africa: Concepts and practices (pp. 21-34). UNISA, South Africa: Routledge & UNISA Press.

Robertson, S-A. (2016, July). Teachers’ questioning practices and issues of learner agency in mathematics classrooms. Oral Communication [TSG 33: Equity in Mathematics Education] presented at the 13th International Congress on Mathematical Education (ICME) 2016. Hamburg, Germany.

Robertson, S-A. (2015). Seeking synergy: The need for research at the literacy/numeracy interface. In D. Huillet (Ed.), Mathematics, Science and Technology Education for empowerment and equity. Proceedings of the 23rd annual meeting of the Southern African Association for Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (pp. 185-196). Maputo, Mozambique: Pedagogical University and Eduardo Mondlane University.

Robertson, S-A. (2015, January). Seeking synergy: The need for research at the literacy/numeracy interface. Paper presented at the SAARMSTE International Conference, ‘Mathematics, Science and Technology Education for Empowerment and Equity’. Maputo, Mozambique. [Peer reviewed: published in proceedings, see below.]

Robertson, S-A., & Graven, M. (2015). Exploring South African mathematics teachers’ experiences of learner migration. Intercultural Education (Special Issue: “Intercultural Mathematics Education”), 26(4), 278-295.

Robertson, S-A. (2014, February). Exploring classroom talk at the literacy-numeracy interface. Paper presented at the SARAECE International Conference, in collaboration with the DHET’s ‘Strengthening Foundation Phase Teacher Education Programme’, part of the EU/SA Primary Education Sector Policy Support Programme. Conference Theme: Taking ECE into the Future through Research. Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Robertson, S-A. (2014, October). Reflections on the literacy/ numeracy interface in Grade 4 mathematics classrooms. Paper presented at the SAARMSTE Eastern Cape Chapter Colloquium. Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.

Last Modified: Fri, 19 Oct 2018 09:05:37 SAST