A Maths Program where Culture Counts

They say that mathematics is a universal language, but to Nullah, a Year 4 Aṉangu student, it never felt this way. He always felt a disconnect between the maths taught in English, and the cultural concepts he connected with.

Areyonga School, in the Northern Territory recognised this disconnect was a problem for many children, and so developed a Pitjantjatjara language maths program – one that teaches Pitjantjatjara’s rich mathematical concepts and in a language that students understand (their first language).

To ensure the program captured Indigenous knowledge and met curriculum standards, the school’s Aṉangu educators partnered with community Elders, a Pitjantjatjara linguist, and a maths specialist to develop Pitjantjatjara mathematical language and practical lessons. This included learning how to identify and describe shapes and sorting them based on similar traits. Children also get to play games like Simon Says and collect bush foods on mats to learn about location and direction. 

Students are now more engaged in maths and are showing concrete levels of understanding. A teacher said: “It has been wonderful to see the students engage in mathematical reasoning. They have learnt to give reasons in Pitjantjatjara for their mathematical classifications.” The interactions between Aṉangu educators and students in Pitjantjatjara have also reached a mathematical depth that hasn’t been possible through English. 

With ongoing support from Schools Plus, Areyonga School plans to enhance and expand this program over the next three years.