‘Can We See It?’: Contextualizing ‘Deforestation’ from an English-Medium Science Textbook for a Primary School Level

Understanding an English-medium science textbook is possibly challenging for some students. It is, for example, due to the language used. To deal with this issue, construing the use of the other mode, such as visual images, along with the verbal text is regarded useful. Thereby, the construal of multimodality in an English-medium science textbook becomes crucial. Albeit a myriad of inspections on multimodality exists, but to the best of the writer’s knowledge, such investigation with respect to an English-medium science textbook, particularly at a primary school level, was found to be limited. Therefore, this study aimed to scrutinize the verbal text and visual image presented in a science textbook used for a primary school level which is presented in English. To that end, a descriptive research design was employed. In this regard, a systemic functional multimodal discourse analysis (SF-MDA) within the trinocular metafunctions encompassing ideational, interpersonal, and textual metafunctions was utilized. The systemic functional linguistics theory, the grammar of visual design, intersemiotic complementarity, and logico-semantics were the frameworks employed to analyze the artefact, the English-medium science textbook. The findings revealed that the visual image and verbal text interact with one another within the three metafunctions. Given the interaction between the two modes, the present study suggests that both teachers and students are required to take into considerations and be aware of the potential or roles of images along with the verbal text, i.e. the images are not merely accessories, but instead, these are able to assist the comprehension of the science materials learned.

Profile Analysis of Tribal Farmers of Vidarbha Region

In Maharashtra 10.33 million population belonged to tribal’s. Tribal people constitute the most deprived and neglected section of the population of the state, hence the research objective was formulated to study the profile of tribal farmers of Vidarbha region. An exploratory research design of social science was used for the present investigation. Study was conducted in Gadchiroli and Yavatmal districts in the year 2020, with 280 respondents. The findings suggested that, relatively high per cent (44.28%) of the respondents were belonged to middle age (36 to 50 years) group category, more than one fourth (29.30%) of the respondents were educated up to primary school level, nearly half (48.92%) of the respondents concentrated in medium size of family with 5 to 6 members in the family, majority (54.64%) of the respondent tribal farmers were belonged to nuclear type of family, relatively high per cent of the respondents (46.43%) involved in agriculture, majority of the respondent tribal farmers (72.14%) had annual earning up to Rs. 80,000/-, more than half (51.78%) of the respondents had small size of land holding (1.01 to 2.00 ha.), majority (52.85%) of the respondents had medium (24 to 43 years) farming experience, majority (71.43%) of the respondents had medium level of social participation, majority (73.92%) of the respondents were using medium level of sources of information, majority (54.64%) of the respondent tribal farmers belonged to medium innovativeness category, majority (63.92%) of the respondents had medium cosmopolitness in nature, majority (75.71%) of the respondent tribal farmers had medium level of change orientation, whereas 56.07 per cent had medium level of fatalism, more than three fourth of the respondents (78.21%) had derived medium level of benefits.

The Representation Strategies of Preschool Children When Solving Numeracy Task

Identifying and addressing the knowledge gap in early numeracy is crucial, given the strong associations between early numeracy skills and later school success. The purpose of this study is to establish current viewpoints and ideas on children’s numeracy development via three forms of representation: manipulative, symbolic, and static. The Children’s Numeracy Task was used to assess eleven preschool children’s numeracy knowledge via a semi-structured interview. The task was also designed to be presented in the three mathematical representations: concrete, static, and symbolic. The findings indicate that preschool children are more likely to use symbolic representation in solving a given task. This study highlights perspectives on how to apply various representations as pedagogical and assessment strategies to address the children’s readiness for a mathematics lesson at the primary school level.

Subject Specialisation in Primary School: A Theoretical Review and Implications for Policy and Practice in Zambia

The Ministry of General Education (Zambia) introduced subject specialisation at primary school. However, researchers have not yet sufficiently interrogated the concepts and modalities of subject specialisation at the primary school level to build a basis for an informed position and implementation. The paper aimed to review the literature and international practice relevant to subject specialisation at the primary school level. Interpretive techniques were applied while conducting secondary data analyses. The review established that there were different models of specialisation in education. There were also mixed experiences of subject specialisation in teaching and learning at primary school levels from the countries accessed. Nonetheless, intentional narrowed practice tended to contribute to the competent delivery of service in education. The paper, thus, welcomed differentiated types of specialisation based on school circumstances, learner grade level, staff numbers and teaching and learning facilities. Therefore, the authors proposed a study to explore the assertions and proposals.

Effects of a videogame in math performance and anxiety in primary school

The present paper describes the design and evaluation of a videogame developed to support math education and overcome math anxiety (MA) at the primary school level. The game narrative is based on the history of math. The player travels back on time and meets on-player characters such as Pythagoras of Samos and Ada Lovelace, learning about how math was used during their times. The player is invited to play a minigame where the concepts shared by the characters are used as a strategy to win. The game’s evaluation consisted of a pre and post-testing study that measured students’ math performance and MA levels. The experiment also included a group interview to collect students’ perceptions about the game. The experiment lasted five weeks, and 88 students from three primary schools played the game on weekly sessions 45-60 minutes long. Statistical analysis suggested the game significantly improves students’ math performance. However, the results indicated that female students from one of the classrooms had higher MA levels after playing the game. In addition, qualitative data shows students had a high level of engagement with the gameplay.

UI/UX Design Web-Based Learning Application Using Design Thinking Method

Humans are basically inseparable from education in carrying out life. The implementation and development of educational studies must also be adapted to the conditions and social situations that exist in the community. The main focus of Goal 4 on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to provide inclusive quality education or to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to get good quality of education. In fact, Indonesia is still struggling in the quality of teacher issue. In the school year of 2019/2020, there are 8.98% unqualified teachers and headmasters on primary school level, 6.16% on junior high school level, 10.07% on senior high school level, and 10% on vocational high school level. Cumulatively, from primary school level to vocational high school level, there are 247.462 unqualified teachers and headmasters in Indonesia. This is a serious problem, considering that teachers are important component in determining the quality of education itself. In this research, UI/UX design prototype of learning web application named “IdeIn” was developed using Design Thinking method that consists of empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test stages. The main focus of this learning web application is to provides an opportunity to the whole community to support education in Indonesia by conducting online classes.

A Study on Difficulties and Solutions in English Speaking Skills of Students at Hufi

Speaking skill is one of the most necessary skill in English to communicate in our daily life. When learning speaking skills, what you aim for is how to communicate naturally and fluently with foreigners. People can have good writing and listening skills if you have a good grasp of vocab-ulary and grammar but your reflexes are poor. Some common reasons why HUFI students have difficulty speaking English are afraid of communication, lack of training environment, poor vo-cabulary and grammar. Nowadays, English has been introduced into teaching from primary school level. Students learn grammar and vocabulary, practice reading in books. So you have less chance to practice speaking. This situation goes on continuously and lasts up to university, making your English speaking skills poor. Because they are not sure about speaking skills, most students have difficulties in communicating in English. With the above reasons, the aim of this research is to investigate the difficulties and solutions to improve students' speaking skills of HUFI., help students confidently communicate in English in all situations and in daily life.

A Study on Difficulties and Solutions in English Speaking Skills of Students at Hufi

Speaking skill is one of the most necessary skill in English to communicate in our daily life. When learning speaking skills, what you aim for is how to communicate naturally and fluently with foreigners. People can have good writing and listening skills if you have a good grasp of vocab-ulary and grammar but your reflexes are poor. Some common reasons why HUFI students have difficulty speaking English are afraid of communication, lack of training environment, poor vo-cabulary and grammar. Nowadays, English has been introduced into teaching from primary school level. Students learn grammar and vocabulary, practice reading in books. So you have less chance to practice speaking. This situation goes on continuously and lasts up to university, making your English speaking skills poor. Because they are not sure about speaking skills, most students have difficulties in communicating in English. With the above reasons, the aim of this research is to investigate the difficulties and solutions to improve students' speaking skills of HUFI., help students confidently communicate in English in all situations and in daily life.

Understanding the Meaning of the Equal Sign: A Case Study of Middle School Students in the United Arab Emirates

<p style="text-align: justify;">The equal symbol has been used in diverse mathematical frameworks, such as arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, set theory, and so on. In mathematical terms, the equal sign has been used in fixed command of standings. The study reports on the students meaning and interpretations of the equal sign. The study involved Grade 6, 7, and 8 students in a secondary school in Alain, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Much of the earlier research done on the equal sign has focused on the primary school level, but this one focuses on middle school students. The study shows that the maximum foremost understanding of the equal sign amongst Grade 6, 7, and 8 students is a do-something, unidirectional symbol. Students realize the equal sign as an instrument for marking the response moderately than as an interpersonal symbol to associate extents.</p>