Clarity or Confusion

1. Clarity or Confusion LANGUAGE in EDUCATION Words@Work Communications

2. Workshop Outline We will: • Examine effective and ineffective language • Identify costs and risks of ineffective language • Describe a semi-quantitative measure of language Words@Work Communications

3. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” Leonardo da Vinci Simplicity precedes clarity In 1502, Leonardo drew a plan for a single span 240 m bridge for Ottoman Sutlan Bevazid II of Istanbul. On 17 May 2006, the Turkish government decided to construct Leonardo's bridge. Words@Work Communications

4. “Confusion is the greatest cost you don’t know you have” Robert Warren – US writer/editor Does ineffective language waste your school’s scarce time and resources? Avoidable cost Words@Work Communications

5. Effective language - benefits • Objectives understood by teachers and students • Assessment and reporting more accurate • School's purpose and direction better understood Words@Work Communications

6. Ineffective language - costs • complex curriculum incongruent with "plain language" reporting • learning difficulties compounded: • students with < average literacy skills • creates confusion: • "what does this task require?" • resources allocated to: • clarify objectives and student reports • remedial reading programs and language support ($) Words@Work Communications

7. Knowledge-based economy (1) • Growth in knowledge-based employment > growth in other sectors • “traditional” jobs - offshore • Economic growth: • new sectors • new skills Words@Work Communications

8. Environment International relations Technology logic, maths Project-based Engineering solutions Medical research Knowledge-based economy (2) Key Skills • Critical analysis • Problem-solving Words@Work Communications

9. Process… - Curriculum - Teaching - Assessment - Reporting Result… - Literary - Mathematical - Analytical - Learning Workforce … Resources Risk (L) Higher Education… Skills and knowledge Ineffective language creates risks and delays learning Words@Work Communications

10. Intended Outcome Strategy Reports Actual Outcome Multiplier effect Words@Work Communications

11. Intended Outcomes costs and risks: Actual Outcomes Unfulfilled goals Words@Work Communications

12. School Language – examples School documentation will be examined for: - purpose - clarity Words@Work Communications

13. Australian Science Curriculum “The documents were extremely long (over 200 pages), the language dense, jargon-laden and exclusive”. Dr V Dawson & Assoc Prof G Venville Edith Cowan University “teaching science” Vol 52 Number 2 Winter 2006 Words@Work Communications

14. Science Teachers’ Association [VIC] Response to Parliamentary enquiry into Maths/Science education [2004/05] http://www.detya.gov.au/schools/publications/index.htm 1.1 Clarity of purpose(s) as to the reasons for teaching science. … Many students say that science is boring… One of the underlying causes for this is that the purpose of teaching science is not clear in Victorian curriculum Documents [CSF - VELS]… Words@Work Communications

15. Mathematics Crisis “The shortage of mathematical modellers and statisticians is so severe that it inhibits the work of…the Australian Antarctic Division, the ABS and the CSIRO.  The collapse of Australia's mathematical Sciences departments prevents them from educating the mathematics teachers so desperately needed by schools.” The three distinguished international reviewers, Professor Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, Dr Brenda Dietrich and Professor Iain Johnstone, found "the nation's tradition and capability to be on a truly perilous path". National Strategic Review of Mathematical Sciences Research in Australia December 2006 Words@Work Communications

16. Language and mathematics M R Hanson (University of Delaware) et al A plain language approach to the revision of test items. Prof Carl Lager (UCLA) Middle school/high school curricula and PD focused on making explicit the language components of mathematics instruction (ref ESL students). The Annenberg Foundation (US) “Precise language is the key to doing mathematics effectively.” Words@Work Communications

17. Literacy – costly gap Australian students performed significantly higher than OECD average in reading literacy - PISA 2000. However: - the gap between lowest and highest quarters was significantly higher than OECD average. Dr Jessica Harris – Alignment in Finland. [Educational Alignments, Occasional Papers November 2006, Number1]. Words@Work Communications

18. Remedial assistance at University What contribution to schools make to this problem? Dr P Zeegers–Flinders Uni. Words@Work Communications

19. Improvement opportunity Result (ROI?) Process Risk Resources 250,000 X $60k 5% more effective language? - $750 mill - Literacy - Numeracy - Problem solving? Words@Work Communications

20. Curriculum Assignment Activity Assessment Report Plain language reporting Words@Work Communications

21. Language Syntax Concise? Jargon Structure Purpose Sequence Layout Measuring Clarity Defined criteria 0-4 scale: 2 editors – 3rd editor validation Words@Work Communications

22. Charting results Words@Work Communications

23. Implications (1) 4 • School curriculum • History syllabus • History assignment Structure iii i ii 0 4 Language Words@Work Communications

24. Implications (2) 4 • State curriculum • Strategic plan • Subject • Reports i Structure ii iii 0 4 Language Words@Work Communications

25. Edgar Allan Poe “Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality” Thank you Words@Work Communications