title: Catering for cultural and linguistic diversity: using teacher created information texts

authors: Carss, Wendy Diane

abstract: Teachers in the Pacific region have often signalled the need for more locally produced information texts in both the vernacular and English, to engage their readers with local content and to support literacy development across the curriculum. The Information Text Awareness Project (ITAP), initially informed by the work of Nea Stewart-Dore, has provided a means to address this need through supporting local teachers to write their own information texts. This article reports on the impact of an ITAP workshop carried out in Nadi, Fiji, in 2012. Nine teacher volunteers from the project trialled the use of the texts in their classrooms with positive results in relation to student learning and belief in themselves as writers.

text: Catering for cultural and linguistic diversity: using teacher created information texts Teachers in the Pacific region have often signalled the need for more locally produced information texts in both the vernacular and English, to engage their readers with local content and to support literacy development across the curriculum. The Information Text Awareness Project (ITAP), initially informed by the work of Nea Stewart-Dore, has provided a means to address this need through supporting local teachers to write their own information texts. This article reports on the impact of an ITAP workshop carried out in Nadi, Fiji, in 2012. Nine teacher volunteers from the project trialled the use of the texts in their classrooms with positive results in relation to student learning and belief in themselves as writers.

year: 2015

title: Competitive interactions in a dairy pasture containing paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum Poir,) following the introduction of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)

authors: Thom, Errol

abstract: A series of trials investigated the contribution of introduced grasses (Lolium perenne and Bromus catharticus) to seasonal production of a high yielding dairy sward containing paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum). The persistence of the introduced species was also determined.
Autumn overdrilling improved (<500 kg DM/ha) herbage production in the following winter/spring and autumn, but thereafter differences between drilled and undrilled swards disappeared. The monitoring of individual plants showed that there were high summer losses of introduced plants; up to 56% were lost by one year after drilling. The contribution of Bromus catharticus to herbage mass was less than that for Lolium perenne, as summer losses of the former plants were higher than for the latter because of increased susceptibility to direct ‘animal effects’ (eg. ‘pulling’). Bromus catharticus was therefore excluded from subsequent experiments. Summer growth of introduced plants was more restricted when they were closely associated with established paspalum than with other resident species, and large plants had better summer persistence than small plants. 
Manipulation of the light environment of the introduced ryegrass plants by regular clipping (10 mm stubble) of surrounding resident herbage markedly improved their ability to survive summer management and environmental stresses. The introduced plants were able to attain a large average size (20 to 50 tillers per plant) before the onset of summer.
Summer losses of introduced plants were higher when grazed at a short (2-3 week) rather than a long (3-4 week) interval and if paspalum was a close neighbour. About 20% of total losses were related to direct cow damage, namely, severe grazing, ‘pulling’, dung and urine deposition, and trampling. The latter effects may be important where stocking densities are high. Other treatments such as late-winter/early-spring application of nitrogen fertiliser and irrigation during summer/autumn, failed to improve persistence of introduced ryegrass.
One of the various ecological strategies that gives paspalum a competitive advantage over ryegrass is its ability to accumulate large reserves of carbohydrate. Measurement of nonstructural carbohydrate accumulated in above-and below-ground organs indicated that these reached a maximum for both species towards the end of the period of their most active growth. At this time the nonstructural carbohydrate level for paspalum at 1050 kg/ha, was four times greater than that for ryegrass. 
Possible practical methods for improving the persistence of ryegrass introduced into established swards are discussed.

text: Competitive interactions in a dairy pasture containing paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum Poir,) following the introduction of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) A series of trials investigated the contribution of introduced grasses (Lolium perenne and Bromus catharticus) to seasonal production of a high yielding dairy sward containing paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum). The persistence of the introduced species was also determined.
Autumn overdrilling improved (<500 kg DM/ha) herbage production in the following winter/spring and autumn, but thereafter differences between drilled and undrilled swards disappeared. The monitoring of individual plants showed that there were high summer losses of introduced plants; up to 56% were lost by one year after drilling. The contribution of Bromus catharticus to herbage mass was less than that for Lolium perenne, as summer losses of the former plants were higher than for the latter because of increased susceptibility to direct ‘animal effects’ (eg. ‘pulling’). Bromus catharticus was therefore excluded from subsequent experiments. Summer growth of introduced plants was more restricted when they were closely associated with established paspalum than with other resident species, and large plants had better summer persistence than small plants. 
Manipulation of the light environment of the introduced ryegrass plants by regular clipping (10 mm stubble) of surrounding resident herbage markedly improved their ability to survive summer management and environmental stresses. The introduced plants were able to attain a large average size (20 to 50 tillers per plant) before the onset of summer.
Summer losses of introduced plants were higher when grazed at a short (2-3 week) rather than a long (3-4 week) interval and if paspalum was a close neighbour. About 20% of total losses were related to direct cow damage, namely, severe grazing, ‘pulling’, dung and urine deposition, and trampling. The latter effects may be important where stocking densities are high. Other treatments such as late-winter/early-spring application of nitrogen fertiliser and irrigation during summer/autumn, failed to improve persistence of introduced ryegrass.
One of the various ecological strategies that gives paspalum a competitive advantage over ryegrass is its ability to accumulate large reserves of carbohydrate. Measurement of nonstructural carbohydrate accumulated in above-and below-ground organs indicated that these reached a maximum for both species towards the end of the period of their most active growth. At this time the nonstructural carbohydrate level for paspalum at 1050 kg/ha, was four times greater than that for ryegrass. 
Possible practical methods for improving the persistence of ryegrass introduced into established swards are discussed.

year: 1984

title: A Portfolio of Compositions

authors: Dobson, Elizabeth Jane

subjects: music

abstract: The pieces in this portfolio cover a wide range of methods and styles - from work for a single vocalising percussionist, to singing bowl and electronics and a work for full orchestra. The aim of this portfolio is to demonstrate my technical and musical proficiency as well as to give an overview of my personal composing philosophy and style.
The portfolio opens with a work for orchestra, A Study in Scarlet. It differs from my previous orchestral works and is based on a musical code of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's book, titled A Study in Scarlet. This was read in the 2009 Todd/ NSZO Young Composer Readings. The second work is .manatu.. It features tinkly piano, wind chimes and ethnic instrumentalists in a chamber ensemble to create a musical sound world. This was written for and premiered at Bang on a Can's summer music festival in Massachusetts 2009. The piano work .ātanga. is an adaptation of .manatu. for solo pianist and was written for the Dame Malvina Major Foundations Showcase Concert in New Plymouth. This adaptation proved to be a worthwhile exercise in efficient use of music material. Wrong Number is a Janet Frame poem set for soprano and real-time effect processing of audio. Confessions - Part I and II, for solo violin and string orchestra is based on the Fibonacci series and explores my love for string sonorities. Sand Song was written for a friend who asked me to set a poem she wrote. Here I demonstrate my love for setting text and voice to say something beautiful and precise. This song now stands as a eulogy for her Father. Parihaka, for vocalising percussionist, is a setting of Apirana Taylor's poem Parihaka and was written for Australian performer Louise Devenish. I explore further in the realm of live acoustic and electroacoustic music with Orison a piece I wrote for myself to perform live with singing bowl and Ableton Live. Finally The Headlines Today for five improvising musicians explores the music of shouting and the vernacular of place.

text: A Portfolio of Compositions The pieces in this portfolio cover a wide range of methods and styles - from work for a single vocalising percussionist, to singing bowl and electronics and a work for full orchestra. The aim of this portfolio is to demonstrate my technical and musical proficiency as well as to give an overview of my personal composing philosophy and style.
The portfolio opens with a work for orchestra, A Study in Scarlet. It differs from my previous orchestral works and is based on a musical code of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's book, titled A Study in Scarlet. This was read in the 2009 Todd/ NSZO Young Composer Readings. The second work is .manatu.. It features tinkly piano, wind chimes and ethnic instrumentalists in a chamber ensemble to create a musical sound world. This was written for and premiered at Bang on a Can's summer music festival in Massachusetts 2009. The piano work .ātanga. is an adaptation of .manatu. for solo pianist and was written for the Dame Malvina Major Foundations Showcase Concert in New Plymouth. This adaptation proved to be a worthwhile exercise in efficient use of music material. Wrong Number is a Janet Frame poem set for soprano and real-time effect processing of audio. Confessions - Part I and II, for solo violin and string orchestra is based on the Fibonacci series and explores my love for string sonorities. Sand Song was written for a friend who asked me to set a poem she wrote. Here I demonstrate my love for setting text and voice to say something beautiful and precise. This song now stands as a eulogy for her Father. Parihaka, for vocalising percussionist, is a setting of Apirana Taylor's poem Parihaka and was written for Australian performer Louise Devenish. I explore further in the realm of live acoustic and electroacoustic music with Orison a piece I wrote for myself to perform live with singing bowl and Ableton Live. Finally The Headlines Today for five improvising musicians explores the music of shouting and the vernacular of place.

year: 2010