05/10/23

Bridging South Africa’s maths language gap

A student solves a mathematics equation. Photo: © Jonathan Ernst/World Bank.

A student solving a mathematics equation. A maths professor in South Africa helped to disrupt the apartheid government's education system and improve maths education. Copyright: Jonathan Ernst/World Bank CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED

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<h1>Bridging South Africa’s maths language gap</h1>
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<h3>Season 4, Episode 8</h3>
<p>In this episode of Africa Science Focus, maths professor Jill Adler, recipient of the 2023 National Research Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award, sheds light on the education system of South Africa’s former apartheid government, which was designed to disadvantage black students.</p>
<p>She talks to us about her work to improve the teaching of mathematics in indigenous South African languages and discusses the importance of considering students’ different language needs.</p>
<p>We also speak to James Meiring, director of reviews and evaluations at South Africa’s National Research Foundation, who tells us that Adler’s work has helped to disrupt the apartheid government’s education system and improve maths education.</p>
<p>——————————-</p>
<p>This podcast was supported by the Science Granting Councils Initiative which aims to strengthen the institutional capacities of 18 public science funding agencies in Sub-Saharan Africa.</p>
<p>Do you have any comments, questions or feedback about our podcast episodes? Let us know at <a href="mailto:podcast@scidev.net"><em>podcast@scidev.net</em></a></p>
<p><em>This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.</em></p>

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<p>This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.scidev.net" target="_blank">SciDev.Net</a>. Read the <a href="https://www.scidev.net/sub-saharan-africa/podcast/bridging-south-africas-maths-language-gap/" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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Season 4, Episode 8

In this episode of Africa Science Focus, maths professor Jill Adler, recipient of the 2023 National Research Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award, sheds light on the education system of South Africa’s former apartheid government, which was designed to disadvantage black students.

She talks to us about her work to improve the teaching of mathematics in indigenous South African languages and discusses the importance of considering students’ different language needs.

We also speak to James Meiring, director of reviews and evaluations at South Africa’s National Research Foundation, who tells us that Adler’s work has helped to disrupt the apartheid government’s education system and improve maths education.

——————————-

This podcast was supported by the Science Granting Councils Initiative which aims to strengthen the institutional capacities of 18 public science funding agencies in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Do you have any comments, questions or feedback about our podcast episodes? Let us know at [email protected]

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.