Appendix J

Mediating Wor(l)ds:
Teaching & Learning Mathematics in a Second Language

Information Sheet
(for teachers)

Greetings! I am a PhD student at Victoria University in the Schools of Primary and Secondary
Teacher Education as well as Linguistics and Applied Language Studies.

My study seeks to investigate how teacher talk and language use in the Malaysian mathematics
classroom supports and scaffolds the learning of mathematics in English. Besides that, my study
also seeks to discover and explicate other necessary conditions for successful learning of
mathematics in English.

I am inviting you to be a part of my study. I would like to become a participant-observer during your
mathematics lessons. I would make audio/video recordings of your mathematics class in progress
and transcriptions of the classroom discourse and language use. I would also interview you based
on the audio/video recordings and/or transcriptions. I would like to assure you that your
participation will not influence your Annual Performance Appraisal in any way.

Your personal identity as well as the identity of your school and pupils will be protected and
pseudonyms will be used in presenting the findings. Only my supervisors and I will have access to
the data in the form of video recordings. I expect to report the research findings in scholarly
publications and conferences. However, I wish to assure you that only the audio recordings,
transcriptions of the classroom discourse and photographs of the environmental print around the
classroom will be used. No images that may identify you and/or your pupil(s) will be used for these
purposes. A brief report of the findings will be given to the Educational Planning and Research
Development Unit under the Ministry of Education.

Your participation is totally voluntary and hence, you may withdraw from participating in this study
now or at any time until I have completed collecting data in your classroom should you feel the
need to do so. However, I would like to seek your cooperation and assurance to keep in confidence
and not reveal the identity of any of the participants in my study.

If you have any questions, please ask me now or kindly contact me later at
assunta.antonysamy@vuw.ac.nz. This research has been approved by the Victoria University of
Wellington Human Ethics Committee and the Educational Planning and Research Development
Unit, Ministry of Education, Malaysia.

Thank You.

Assunta Carolina Antonysamy

Researcher:

Assunta Carolina Antonysamy

School of Primary and Secondary Teacher Education,
Faculty of Education,
Victoria University of Wellington,
New Zealand, 6001.
Tel: 0064 04 463 9990
E-mail: assunta.antonysamy@vuw.ac.nz

Supervisors:

Dr Joanna Higgins
School of Primary & Secondary Teacher Education,
Faculty of Education,
Victoria University of Wellington,
P.O. Box 600, Wellington,
New Zealand 6001.
Tel: 0064 04 463 9576
E-mail: joanna.higgins@vuw.ac.nz

Dr Elaine Vine
School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies,
Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences,
Victoria University of Wellington,
P.O. Box 600, Wellington,
New Zealand 6001.
Tel: 0064 04 463 5608
E-mail: elaine.vine@vuw.ac.nz
 Mediating Wor(l)ds :
Teaching & Learning Mathematics in a Second Language

Consent Form
(for teacher)

Please tick the appropriate box to show that you agree to take part in this study:

I have read and clearly understood the information found in the Information Sheet. I am also aware
of the time needed from me to participate in this study. I agree to my classroom instruction and
interaction to be saved in an electronic form as long as my identity as well at the identity of my
pupils is kept secured to the researcher and her supervisors.

I understand that the research findings will be reported in scholarly publications and conferences. I
have been assured that no images that may identify either my pupil(s) and/or I will be used for
these purposes. I am aware that a brief report of the findings will be given to the Educational
Planning and Research Developmental unit, Ministry of education, Malaysia.

I have been provided with sufficient descriptions about this project and I am satisfied with the
explanations. I understand the confidentiality of the research and thus will not reveal the identity of
the participants in this research, specifically the identity of my pupils, my school and myself.

I agree to take part in the study.

I do not wish to take part in this study.

Signed: _____________________

Name of Participant: _____________________________

Date ___________

I would like to receive a brief summary of the findings after the research has been completed.
Please send it to the following address:
 Mediating Wor(l)ds :
Teaching & Learning Mathematics in a Second Language

Information Sheet
(for parents) *

Greetings! I am a PhD student at Victoria University in the Schools of Primary and Secondary
Teacher Education as well as Linguistics and Applied Language Studies.

My study seeks to investigate how teacher talk and language use in the Malaysian mathematics
classroom supports and scaffolds the learning of mathematics in English. Besides that, my study
also seeks to discover and explicate other necessary conditions for successful learning of
mathematics in English.

I am inviting your child to be a part of my study. I would become a participant-observer during your
child’s mathematics lessons. I would make audio/video recordings of the mathematics class in
progress and transcriptions of the classroom discourse and language use. I wish to assure you that
no demands will be made on your child other than the normal class activities being observed,
audiotaped and videotaped. Your child’s participation will not influence his/her grades in the
mathematics class or tests/exams in any way.

Your child’s personal identity as well as the identity of the school will be protected and pseudonyms
will be used in presenting the findings. Only my supervisors and I will have access to the data in the
form of video recordings. I expect to report the research findings in scholarly publications and
conferences. However, I wish to assure you that only the audio recordings, transcriptions of the
classroom discourse and photographs of the environmental print around the classroom will be
used. No images that may identify your child will be used for these purposes. A brief report of the
findings will be given to the Educational Planning and Research Development Unit under the
Ministry of Education.

Your child’s participation is totally voluntary and hence, your child may withdraw from participating
in this study now or at any time until I have completed collecting data in your classroom should
he/she feel the need to do so. However, I would like to seek your cooperation and assurance to
keep in confidence and not reveal the identity of any of the participants in my study.

If you have any questions, kindly contact me at assunta.antonysamy@vuw.ac.nz. This research

has been approved by the Victoria University of Wellington Human Ethics Committee and the
Educational Planning and Research Development Unit, Ministry of Education, Malaysia.

Thank You.

Assunta Carolina Antonysamy

* This Information Sheet will also be printed in Malay so that parents will have the option of reading
it in the language of their choice.
Researcher:

Assunta Carolina Antonysamy

School of Primary and Secondary Teacher Education,
Faculty of Education,
Victoria University of Wellington,
New Zealand, 6001.
Tel: 0064 04 463 9989
E-mail: assunta.antonysamy@vuw.ac.nz

Supervisors:

Dr Joanna Higgins
School of Primary & Secondary Teacher Education,
Faculty of Education,
Victoria University of Wellington,
P.O. Box 600, Wellington,
New Zealand 6001.
Tel: 0064 04 463 9576
E-mail: joanna.higgins@vuw.ac.nz

Dr Elaine Vine
School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies,
Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences,
Victoria University of Wellington,
P.O. Box 600, Wellington,
New Zealand 6001.
Tel: 0064 04 463 5608
E-mail: elaine.vine@vuw.ac.nz
 Mediating Wor(l)ds :
Teaching & Learning Mathematics in a Second Language

Consent Form
(for the pupil & his/her parents) *

Please tick the appropriate box to show that you agree to take part in this study:

I have read and clearly understood the information found in the Information Sheet. I understand
that no demands will be made on my child other than the normal class activities being observed,
audiotaped and videotaped. I agree to my child’s interaction in the classroom to be saved in an
electronic form as long as his/her identity is kept secured to the researcher and her supervisors.

I understand that the research findings will be reported in scholarly publications and conferences. I
have also been assured that no images that mayidentify my child will be used for these purposes. I
am aware that a brief report of the findings will be given to the Educational Planning and Research
Developmental unit, Ministry of Education, Malaysia.

I have been provided with sufficient descriptions about this project and I am satisfied with the
explanations. I understand the confidentiality of the research and thus will not reveal the identity of
the participants in this research, specifically the identity of my child, his/her school and his/her
teacher(s).

My child wishes and agrees to take part I agree to allow my child to take part in
in this study the study.

My child does not wish to take part in this I do not wish my child to take part in the
study study

Name of Child: _________________ Name of Parent :______________________

Signature of Child: ________________ Signature of Parent: ___________________

Date: ___________ Date: ___________

I would like to receive a brief summary of the findings after the research has been completed.
Please send it to the following address:

* This Consent Form will also be printed in Malay so that the parent and his/her child will have the
option of completing it in the language of their choice.
 Mediating Wor(l)ds :
Teaching & Learning Mathematics in a Second Language

Information Sheet
(for the school principal)

Greetings! I am a PhD student at Victoria University in the Schools of Primary and Secondary
Teacher Education as well as Linguistics and Applied Language Studies.

My study seeks to investigate how teacher talk and language use in the Malaysian mathematics
classroom supports and scaffolds the learning of mathematics in English. Besides that, my study
also seeks to discover and explicate other necessary conditions for successful learning of
mathematics in English.

I am inviting your school, particularly the year 3 and/or year 4 mathematics classrooms, to be a part
of my study. I would become a participant-observer during the mathematics lessons. I would make
audio/video recordings of the mathematics class in progress and transcriptions of the classroom
discourse and language use. I wish to assure you that no demands will be made on your pupils
other than the regular mathematics class activities being observed, audiotaped and videotaped.
However, I would be interviewing the teacher, basically a stimulated reflection of the mathematics
lessons, to gain a better understanding besides seeking explanation and clarification of the
classroom talk. The participation of your school, teacher(s) or pupil(s) will not influence the
performance or ranking of your school at the district, state or national level in any way.

The identity of your school, teacher(s) and pupil(s) will be protected and pseudonyms will be used
in presenting the findings. Only my supervisors and I will have access to the data in the form of
video recordings. I expect to report the research findings in scholarly publications and conferences.
However, I wish to assure you that only the audio recordings, transcriptions of the classroom
discourse and photographs of the environmental print around the classroom will be used. No
images that may identify your teacher and pupil(s) will be used for these purposes. A brief report of
the findings will be given to the Educational Planning and Research Development Unit under the
Ministry of Education.

The participation of your school, teacher(s) and pupil(s) is totally voluntary and hence, your school,
teacher(s) and pupil(s) may withdraw from participating in this study now or at any time until I have
completed collecting data in your classroom should he/she feel the need to do so. However, I
would like to seek your cooperation and assurance to keep in confidence and not reveal the identity
of any of the participants in my study.

If you have any questions, kindly contact me at assunta.antonysamy@vuw.ac.nz. This research

has been approved by the Victoria University of Wellington Human Ethics Committee and the
Educational Planning and Research Development Unit, Ministry of Education, Malaysia.

Thank You.

Assunta Carolina Antonysamy

Researcher:

Assunta Carolina Antonysamy

School of Primary and Secondary Teacher Education,
Faculty of Education,
Victoria University of Wellington,
New Zealand, 6001.
Tel: 0064 04 463 9989
E-mail: assunta.antonysamy@vuw.ac.nz

Supervisors:

Dr Joanna Higgins
School of Primary & Secondary Teacher Education,
Faculty of Education,
Victoria University of Wellington,
P.O. Box 600, Wellington,
New Zealand 6001.
Tel: 0064 04 463 9576
E-mail: joanna.higgins@vuw.ac.nz

Dr Elaine Vine
School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies,
Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences,
Victoria University of Wellington,
P.O. Box 600, Wellington,
New Zealand 6001.
Tel: 0064 04 463 5608
E-mail: elaine.vine@vuw.ac.nz
 Mediating Wor(l)ds :
Teaching & Learning Mathematics in a Second Language

Consent Form
(for the school principal)

Please tick the appropriate box to show that you agree to take part in this study:

I have read and clearly understood the information found in the Information Sheet. I am also aware
of the time and effort needed from my school, teacher(s) and pupil(s) to participate in this study. I
agree to my teacher’s classroom instruction and interaction to be saved in an electronic form as
long as his/her identity as well as our pupil(s) identity is kept secured to the researcher and her
supervisors.

I understand that the research findings will be reported in scholarly publications and conferences. I
have also been assured that no images that may identify my school, teacher and pupils will be
used for these purposes. I am also aware that a brief report of the findings will be given to the
Educational Planning and Research Developmental unit, Ministry of education, Malaysia.

I have been provided with sufficient descriptions about this project and I am satisfied with the
explanations. I understand the confidentiality of the research and thus will not reveal the identity of
the participants in this research, specifically the identity of my teacher(s), his/her pupils and my
school.

I agree to my school, teacher(s) and pupil(s) taking part in the study.

I do not wish my school, teacher(s) and pupil(s) to take part in this study.

Signed: _____________________

Name of Principal: _____________________________

Date ___________

I would like to receive a brief summary of the findings after the research has been completed.
Please send it to the following address: