Title: Language and culture in the Pacific region: issues, practices, and alternatives

Abstract: Dr Taufe.ulungaki.s USP workshop paper was based on her speech given at the Forum Secretariat meeting of education ministers held in Apia 2004. In it, she discusses a wide range of issues dealing with .what languages, to be used by whom, for what purposes, and at what level of education..

Title: Introduction of directions Vol. 27, no.1 : a compilation of selected papers at University of the South Pacific language policies in education workshop

Abstract: Dr Mugler introduces the USP workshop on language policies in education, at which the papers included in this issue were presented, and goes on to give an overview of the linguistic situation in the Pacific.

Title: Language switching and mathematical understanding in Tongan classrooms: an investigation

Abstract: This paper discusses how mathematical understanding and language switching influence each other in a bilingual context. The discussion questions long-held misconceptions about bilingual learning contexts that have overlooked the fact that the nature of bilingual students. mathematical understanding may be similar to monolingual students, and that bilingual students can voluntarily switch languages in the process of talking about, or doing, mathematics. The evidence from a study in Tonga proposes that the effect of Tongan bilingual students. learning and development of understanding in mathematics is largely dependent on the kinds of mathematical images each bilingual student associates with his or her language. The findings from this study are certainly applicable to other similar bilingual situations that involve individuals using words with no direct or precise translation from a dominant western language to an indigenous vernacular.