title: Supporting English language learning by bridging from childrens' first languages in Papua New Guinea: An analysis of Grade 3 teachers' conceptions and practices

authors: August, Matilda

subjects: bilingual

abstract: This is a descriptive study that was conducted with selected Grade 3 teachers in the East New Britain Province of Papua New Guinea. Grade 3 teachers implement bridging in bilingual education using the children's local vernacular language and/or Tok Pisin to help the learning of English. Three main reasons underpin this study. First, the study aimed to identify the participants' conceptions and beliefs about bridging. Second, the study wanted to document and analyse the bridging strategies and practices that teachers were employing to support the children's English learning, and third, the study was interested in identifying effective strategies and practices that could be recommended for all teachers in Papua New Guinea involved in bridging between the languages children know and English. 
A qualitative approach was used with focus group interviews, classroom observations, and a post-observation interview. The data generated from these methods captured teachers reporting what they do, what they think about bridging, and what they think are factors affecting implementation of effective bridging. The data also showed what teachers actually did in their classrooms, and how they explained what they did.
When teachers talked about their conceptions of bridging and how they implemented bridging, the model of bilingual education that seemed to be guiding the participants' idea of bridging is the Transitional Bilingual model, where the L1 is replaced by the L2 over a period of time. When teachers talked about how they implemented bridging, they represented it mainly as a process of translation from one language to another. Teachers also talked about the use of both Tok Pisin and the vernacular in terms of scaffolding learning of new words. When asked what they thought about bridging, it seemed that many did not see a value in continued support of the L1 in that bridging was to get the children to learn English as soon as possible. They did not express very positive attitudes about the use of the vernacular or Tok Pisin. Teachers identified issues to do with language complexity and diversity as being the most important in terms of affecting implementation of effective bridging. Teachers also identified lack of resources and a lack of clear guidelines from the Department of Education as issues. When observed, teachers made no use of the vernacular. Students in their classrooms spent a great deal of the time listening to teacher monologue, or involved in teacher-led questioning sequences that focused on getting students to produce language forms, particularly vocabulary. Of the discourse strategies observed, direct translation and metalinguistic comparison were common.  Teachers also provided elaborated metalinguistic explanations, and at times they codeswitched extensively in these explanations. 
The research has pointed to the fact that, while teachers use some effective strategies, they would be better supported by having research-informed professional development and resources in the area of bilingual education and bilingual instructional strategies. There is a need for all, including teachers, schools, the Provincial Educational Authorites and the Department of Education to work together to get the best language and educational outcomes for children in PNG.

text: Supporting English language learning by bridging from childrens' first languages in Papua New Guinea: An analysis of Grade 3 teachers' conceptions and practices This is a descriptive study that was conducted with selected Grade 3 teachers in the East New Britain Province of Papua New Guinea. Grade 3 teachers implement bridging in bilingual education using the children's local vernacular language and/or Tok Pisin to help the learning of English. Three main reasons underpin this study. First, the study aimed to identify the participants' conceptions and beliefs about bridging. Second, the study wanted to document and analyse the bridging strategies and practices that teachers were employing to support the children's English learning, and third, the study was interested in identifying effective strategies and practices that could be recommended for all teachers in Papua New Guinea involved in bridging between the languages children know and English. 
A qualitative approach was used with focus group interviews, classroom observations, and a post-observation interview. The data generated from these methods captured teachers reporting what they do, what they think about bridging, and what they think are factors affecting implementation of effective bridging. The data also showed what teachers actually did in their classrooms, and how they explained what they did.
When teachers talked about their conceptions of bridging and how they implemented bridging, the model of bilingual education that seemed to be guiding the participants' idea of bridging is the Transitional Bilingual model, where the L1 is replaced by the L2 over a period of time. When teachers talked about how they implemented bridging, they represented it mainly as a process of translation from one language to another. Teachers also talked about the use of both Tok Pisin and the vernacular in terms of scaffolding learning of new words. When asked what they thought about bridging, it seemed that many did not see a value in continued support of the L1 in that bridging was to get the children to learn English as soon as possible. They did not express very positive attitudes about the use of the vernacular or Tok Pisin. Teachers identified issues to do with language complexity and diversity as being the most important in terms of affecting implementation of effective bridging. Teachers also identified lack of resources and a lack of clear guidelines from the Department of Education as issues. When observed, teachers made no use of the vernacular. Students in their classrooms spent a great deal of the time listening to teacher monologue, or involved in teacher-led questioning sequences that focused on getting students to produce language forms, particularly vocabulary. Of the discourse strategies observed, direct translation and metalinguistic comparison were common.  Teachers also provided elaborated metalinguistic explanations, and at times they codeswitched extensively in these explanations. 
The research has pointed to the fact that, while teachers use some effective strategies, they would be better supported by having research-informed professional development and resources in the area of bilingual education and bilingual instructional strategies. There is a need for all, including teachers, schools, the Provincial Educational Authorites and the Department of Education to work together to get the best language and educational outcomes for children in PNG.

year: 2010

title: The processing, production and improvement of hemp-fibre reinforced polypropylene composite materials

authors: Beckermann, Gareth

abstract: Increasing worldwide environmental awareness is encouraging scientific research into the development of cheaper, more environmentally friendly and more sustainable construction and packaging materials. Natural fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites are strong, stiff, lightweight and recyclable, and have the potential to meet this need. Industrial hemp fibre is amongst the strongest of the natural fibres, and possesses a similar specific strength and stiffness to Eglass, but with additional benefits such as low cost and low production energy requirements.
The favourable mechanical properties of hemp, however, have yet to be transferred successfully to thermoplastic-matrix based composite materials. The main objective of this research was to produce an improved hemp-fibre reinforced polypropylene composite material by optimising the fibre strength, fibreprocessing methods, composite-processing methods and fibre-matrix interfacial bonding.
To obtain the strongest and stiffest fibres for use in composites, an investigation was performed on a crop of New Zealand grown hemp to determine the effects of plant growth duration on fibre strength and stiffness. By conducting single fibre tensile tests on retted hemp fibre, it was discovered that the optimum cultivation time was 114 days, producing fibres with an average tensile strength of 671 MPa, and a Young's modulus of 40 GPa. It was also found that the retting process considerably reduced the tensile strength and stiffness of the hemp fibres.
Biological fibre-treatments using 3 varieties of fungi were then used to modify the surface morphology of hemp fibres, so that the adhesion between the fibres and a polypropylene matrix could be improved. It was found, however, that these treatments severely degraded the fibres, and reduced their tensile properties to such an extent that they were deemed unsuitable for use as composite reinforcements.
An investigation was then conducted to determine a suitable fibre treatment method to remove lignin and other non-structural constituents from the fibre wall, to separate the fibres from their fibre bundles, and to retain the fibre strength. Various alkali treatments were used, and a treatment consisting of fibre digestion in a 10% NaOH solution with a maximum processing temperature of 160°C and a hold time of 45 minutes, was found to provide the best combination of fibre strength retention, lignin removal and fibre separation.
Finally, the alkali treated fibres, polypropylene and a maleated polypropylene (MAPP) coupling agent were compounded using a twin-screw extruder, before being injection moulded into composite tensile test specimens. A range of composites with differing fibre and MAPP weight contents were then produced and tensile tested. It was found that the addition of 2% MAPP greatly improved the tensile strength and interfacial bonding of the 30% fibre composites, while only moderate improvements were observed for the 40% fibre composites. An increase in the fibre content from 0% to 40% greatly improved the stiffness of the composites. The most successful composite produced consisted of 40% long alkali treated fibres with 2% MAPP, and had a tensile strength and Young's modulus of 39 MPa and 4.4 GPa respectively.

text: The processing, production and improvement of hemp-fibre reinforced polypropylene composite materials Increasing worldwide environmental awareness is encouraging scientific research into the development of cheaper, more environmentally friendly and more sustainable construction and packaging materials. Natural fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites are strong, stiff, lightweight and recyclable, and have the potential to meet this need. Industrial hemp fibre is amongst the strongest of the natural fibres, and possesses a similar specific strength and stiffness to Eglass, but with additional benefits such as low cost and low production energy requirements.
The favourable mechanical properties of hemp, however, have yet to be transferred successfully to thermoplastic-matrix based composite materials. The main objective of this research was to produce an improved hemp-fibre reinforced polypropylene composite material by optimising the fibre strength, fibreprocessing methods, composite-processing methods and fibre-matrix interfacial bonding.
To obtain the strongest and stiffest fibres for use in composites, an investigation was performed on a crop of New Zealand grown hemp to determine the effects of plant growth duration on fibre strength and stiffness. By conducting single fibre tensile tests on retted hemp fibre, it was discovered that the optimum cultivation time was 114 days, producing fibres with an average tensile strength of 671 MPa, and a Young's modulus of 40 GPa. It was also found that the retting process considerably reduced the tensile strength and stiffness of the hemp fibres.
Biological fibre-treatments using 3 varieties of fungi were then used to modify the surface morphology of hemp fibres, so that the adhesion between the fibres and a polypropylene matrix could be improved. It was found, however, that these treatments severely degraded the fibres, and reduced their tensile properties to such an extent that they were deemed unsuitable for use as composite reinforcements.
An investigation was then conducted to determine a suitable fibre treatment method to remove lignin and other non-structural constituents from the fibre wall, to separate the fibres from their fibre bundles, and to retain the fibre strength. Various alkali treatments were used, and a treatment consisting of fibre digestion in a 10% NaOH solution with a maximum processing temperature of 160°C and a hold time of 45 minutes, was found to provide the best combination of fibre strength retention, lignin removal and fibre separation.
Finally, the alkali treated fibres, polypropylene and a maleated polypropylene (MAPP) coupling agent were compounded using a twin-screw extruder, before being injection moulded into composite tensile test specimens. A range of composites with differing fibre and MAPP weight contents were then produced and tensile tested. It was found that the addition of 2% MAPP greatly improved the tensile strength and interfacial bonding of the 30% fibre composites, while only moderate improvements were observed for the 40% fibre composites. An increase in the fibre content from 0% to 40% greatly improved the stiffness of the composites. The most successful composite produced consisted of 40% long alkali treated fibres with 2% MAPP, and had a tensile strength and Young's modulus of 39 MPa and 4.4 GPa respectively.

year: 2004

title: Maori and mining in New Zealand and beyond

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: Before the arrival of Europeans, Maori had known of the existence of gold but did not mine it and had no understanding of its value. Once mining commenced in California in 1849 and Australia in the early 1850s, many Maori participated on several fields, especially in Victoria. When gold was first discovered in New Zealand, at Coromandel in 1852, Maori were keen to learn prospecting skills, and soon found gold in several parts of both the North and South Islands. Some alluvial claims were worked communally, even some women participating. From the start, Maori were determined to protect their rights against Pakeha when they were rivals for the same ground.  
On the Hauraki Peninsula, which had no alluvial gold, Maori were prospectors rather than miners. Some were successful, often going against the wishes of rangatira who, fearing that opening goldfields would result in their losing their land, refused access to prospectors, particularly in Ohinemuri. At Thames, Maori prospectors succeeded where Pakeha ones had failed, finding the gold that led to the 1867 rush; a rush encouraged by one rangatira in particular, Wirope Hoterene Taipari, who understood how a successful field would benefit him financially (including obtaining a reward for discovering a payable goldfield). After the opening of this field, some Maori prospected throughout the peninsula and elsewhere for the remainder of the century, with varying success but with some good finds, particularly at Kuaotunu. A few even participated in the Klondike rush. By the twentieth century, Maori were overcoming their reluctance to mine underground, notably in the coalmines of the Waikato, but until then almost none had seen mining as a full-time career. 
Indigenous inhabitants throughout the world successfully prospected for precious metals, but their achievements were commonly written out of history, as for example in Australia, where Aboriginal involvement is only now being uncovered. In New Zealand also, Maori achievements, although well known to contemporaries, have largely been forgotten. At the time, Maori prospector’s successes were praised and many became owners of claims, and in some cases benefited financially from their involvement in mining.

text: Maori and mining in New Zealand and beyond Before the arrival of Europeans, Maori had known of the existence of gold but did not mine it and had no understanding of its value. Once mining commenced in California in 1849 and Australia in the early 1850s, many Maori participated on several fields, especially in Victoria. When gold was first discovered in New Zealand, at Coromandel in 1852, Maori were keen to learn prospecting skills, and soon found gold in several parts of both the North and South Islands. Some alluvial claims were worked communally, even some women participating. From the start, Maori were determined to protect their rights against Pakeha when they were rivals for the same ground.  
On the Hauraki Peninsula, which had no alluvial gold, Maori were prospectors rather than miners. Some were successful, often going against the wishes of rangatira who, fearing that opening goldfields would result in their losing their land, refused access to prospectors, particularly in Ohinemuri. At Thames, Maori prospectors succeeded where Pakeha ones had failed, finding the gold that led to the 1867 rush; a rush encouraged by one rangatira in particular, Wirope Hoterene Taipari, who understood how a successful field would benefit him financially (including obtaining a reward for discovering a payable goldfield). After the opening of this field, some Maori prospected throughout the peninsula and elsewhere for the remainder of the century, with varying success but with some good finds, particularly at Kuaotunu. A few even participated in the Klondike rush. By the twentieth century, Maori were overcoming their reluctance to mine underground, notably in the coalmines of the Waikato, but until then almost none had seen mining as a full-time career. 
Indigenous inhabitants throughout the world successfully prospected for precious metals, but their achievements were commonly written out of history, as for example in Australia, where Aboriginal involvement is only now being uncovered. In New Zealand also, Maori achievements, although well known to contemporaries, have largely been forgotten. At the time, Maori prospector’s successes were praised and many became owners of claims, and in some cases benefited financially from their involvement in mining.

year: 2016