Education Gazette 100.2

1 MARCH 2021 | VOL. 100 | NO. 2

Capturing moments of learning Focus on early learning

Refreshing our national curriculum

Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories

Supporting early literacy

I wonder how we can help our kids to soar?

The Wonder Project is a free programme for schools, designed to get young Kiwis excited about STEM. With each of the Wonder Project Challenges, schools are supported by industry professionals who help inspire kids to see the wonder in STEM. In 2020, 88% of Rocket Challenge teachers noticed a positive improvement in STEM perceptions among students.

Register your Level 3 class for the Rocket Challenge in Term 2 2021! Registrations close 7 March.

Become a Wonder School today at wonderproject.nz @WonderProjectNZ

POWERED BY

Te reo Māori student resources also available.

Contents Spotlight on curriculum 2 10 14

14

20 24 28 34

28

38 42 49 52 54

34

Discovering our histories Curriculum refresh to enhance learning Combining language and self-regulation for lifelong outcomes I am a café owner Providing access to period products Learning notes improve engagement Te Ao Haka: New NCEA subject a step towards Māori knowledge parity Lifting the hopes and dreams of rangatahi Meeting the need: An enhanced approach to early literacy School payroll: on time, every time Video resources at teachers’ fingertips Updated ERO framework for early learning

1 MARCH 2021 | VOL. 100 | NO. 2

Editor’s note

Capturing moments of learning Focus on early learning

Refreshing our national curriculum

Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories

Supporting early literacy

On the cover Page 28: Jack (4) is one of the Maungaraki Kindergarten tamariki whose learning is captured and shared with whānau though learning notes.

PUBLISHED BY Education Gazette is published for the Ministry of Education by NZME. Educational Media Ltd. PO Box 200, Wellington.

ISSN 0111 1582 All advertising is subject to advertisers agreeing to NZME. Educational Media’s terms and conditions www.advertising.nzme.co.nz/ terms-conditions-credit-criteria

1 March 2021

We are so pleased to hear you enjoyed the first special centenary issue of the Gazette – thank you to those who shared photos and stories of the history of your school or kura. It is fascinating to observe the changes, both at a broad policy and systems level, and also at a local community level.

In this issue we look at some major announcements and initiatives, including Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum content. We talk to curriculum writers for The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa about the opportunities that come with exploring this vital part of the curriculum and the importance of people having their say about the content. This comes alongside plans to refresh the national curriculum so that teachers will be better supported to design relevant and exciting learning experiences.

We also have a focus on early learning in this issue and take a deep dive into some interesting initiatives underway at centres around the country.

Remember to sign up for our e-newsletter, which will give you faster access to all our articles, videos, resources, notices and vacancies.

STORY IDEAS We welcome your story ideas.

Please email a brief (50-100 words) outline to: reporter@edgazette.govt.nz SUBSCRIPTIONS eleni.hilder@nzme.co.nz VIEW US ONLINE Web: gazette.education.govt.nz Instagram: @EducationGovtNZ

KEY CONTACTS Reporter Joy Stephens reporter@edgazette.govt.nz Display & paid advertising Jill Parker 027 212 9277 jill.parker@nzme.co.nz Vacancies & notices listings Eleni Hilder 04 915 9796 vacancies@edgazette.govt.nz notices@edgazette.govt.nz

DEADLINES The deadline for display advertising to be printed in the 22 March 2021 edition of Education Gazette is 4pm on Monday 8 March 2021.

This publication is produced using FSC® Certified paper from Responsible Sources.

Tukutuku Kōrero

1

CU R R ICU LU M

Discovering our histories The focus on the Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum will be an opportunity for students to discover and reconnect with some big ideas about how our history, and the stories we tell ourselves, has shaped the country and its people, say Dr Nēpia Mahuika from the University of Waikato and Hēmi Dale from the University of Auckland.

T

he focus of the new Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum is to help ākonga become more critical learners and thinkers, says Dr Nēpia Mahuika (Ngāti Porou), who is convenor of history at the University of Waikato and a member of the writing team for The New Zealand Curriculum.

“As New Zealanders we’ve known for a while that we need to do this better, but maybe we weren’t sure how to go about it. If we can accept the baggage of the uncomfortable parts of our history, it’s going to help us heal our past and inform where we want to see ourselves going in the future.

“We’re challenging generations of history learning and programming about New Zealand’s past that has been done a particular way over a long time. It’s not easy to do that,” he says.

Connecting with history

The Ministry of Education has collaborated with a wide range of people and worked with academic, curriculum and sector expertise to update histories content across the national curriculum.

Nēpia specialises in New Zealand history, Māori and iwi histories, oral history, historical theory and methodology, indigenous histories, and history and ethics. He trained as a secondary school teacher and became an academic with a deep interest in pedagogy and the way history is taught, rather than simply the ways history is produced.

The curriculum content aims to support learners to understand the past to make sense of the present, and to learn history from a local, as well as a national perspective, he says.

“We wanted all New Zealanders to be able to see themselves in the curriculum and not feel like they are studying a history that’s unrelated to them.

“We wanted to ensure that your history journey begins with yourself and the relationships you have to local iwi and their land. So, your story begins with what you see around you immediately in your day-to-day life and that includes Māori and iwi landmarks and histories,” explains Nēpia.

“That was really important for us because that gives a voice back to hapū in each community. Then as you start to progress through the curriculum, you start to see the layered moments of history: the original and ongoing names and ancestors of our local hills, rivers, and valleys, to when the first native school was here, when the first rugby and netball clubs arrived. You can explore some really big national concepts through local contexts,” he says.

2

Education Gazette

gazette.education.govt.nz

“I don’t know if people realise how important history is. If you don’t know your past and where you came from, you can’t know yourself.”

Dr Nēpia Mahuika

1 March 2021

Tukutuku Kōrero

3

CU RRICU LU M

Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories in The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Takanga o Te Wā in Te Marautanga o Aotearoa THE THREE BIG IDEAS

TE TAKANGA O TE WĀ

The content for Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum will focus on three big ideas:

The new whenu Te Takanga o Te Wā will support kaiako and tamariki to expand their knowledge, develop critical skills and look critically at Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories. This can be aligned to all areas of learning within Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

However, Te Takanga o Te Wā is most explicit when explored through the learning area of Tikanga ā-Iwi.

1. Māori history is the foundational and continuous history of Aotearoa New Zealand.

2. Colonisation and its consequences have been central to our history for the past 200 years and continues to influence all aspects of Aotearoa New Zealand society.

3. Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories have been shaped by the exercise and effects of power.

Learners will be encouraged to understand these three big ideas, know national contexts, learn through local stories, practice inquiry and think critically.

Some big ideas for The New Zealand Curriculum

The updated Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories will help learners understand there are multiple perspectives on historical and contemporary events and help them develop their critical thinking and inquiry skills.

With different passions and specialties, it was difficult to hone the framework to the required three big ideas.

“We had to make some really serious calls!” says Nēpia.

“We wanted to remind New Zealanders that they are living on land and seascapes that are deeply Māori and that this history is ongoing – Māori haven’t disappeared.

“We’re hoping they will develop even stronger relationships with schools and our next generation of learners so we can bring that history into the classroom.”

Value of local stories

One of the best ways to challenge the nation state is to do it from a local community-driven perspective, says Nēpia.

“Having that local story allows us to assert histories of belonging in New Zealand, which is really important. I think this history curriculum gives us an opportunity to tell those stories.

“These local histories are there to show how the state and ‘nation’ is something that is problematised and thought of in nuanced ways across the country. Local histories give us complexity as well as critical depth that gives voice to those lost or marginalised by currently accepted nation-state histories,” he says.

4

Education Gazette

Interrogating power narratives

Nēpia says that to become critical thinkers, students should understand how power works in history and how the past is often made and deliberately shaped by those in power.

“We want teachers to engage with some of these difficult narratives of power and how people make history as a way of creating identity.

“For example, how do we deal with women’s histories that have been silenced? Or include the histories of the queer and gay communities, the history of the Chinese poll tax and the many and different stories of immigrants who have had to endure injustices, such as the Pacific community and the Dawn Raids?” he asks.

A key goal of the updated curriculum is to teach students to think about contested stories and narratives, he says.

“Locally we’re hoping you will be able to see example after example of history as a product of power and how local communities had to navigate the power of the state, big corporate power, or other powerful ideas, technologies, and discourses as it changed the world that we live in.”

Comfortable with being uncomfortable

For the curriculum writers, some parts of the curriculum couldn’t be left to chance, such as teaching about Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

gazette.education.govt.nz

The aim is to create critical thinkers who are comfortable talking about the Treaty and other difficult histories, he explains.

“If it’s uncomfortable, rather than feeling weird and uncomfortable about it, we’re hoping they will start to own that stuff so they can better understand how it truly matters historically and in the present. And we can be people who understand that the Treaty is important and matters to every New Zealander.

“If we can get five-year-olds to understand that the Treaty applies to them and is ‘theirs’ today, and is an important basis for a lot of things that go on in Aotearoa; that’s all they need to know as a start for a new learner. Later on in their schooling years, we hope

they will get to a point where they can feel comfortable critiquing the Treaty and their place in it,” he says.

Reconnecting with the notion of ‘us’

“I don’t know if people realise how important history is. If you don’t know your past and where you came from, you can’t know yourself. In many, many ways, this curriculum is a new look at ourselves. It’s an opportunity for ourselves to reconnect with ‘us’ on both a personal and collective level,” says Nēpia.

“What’s most important for me with this curriculum, is it gives us an opportunity to re-story ourselves as a country, not just individually, but collectively,” he says.

“In many, many ways, this curriculum is a new look at ourselves.

It’s an opportunity for ourselves to reconnect with ‘us’ on both a personal and collective level.”

Dr Nēpia Mahuika

Dr Nēpia Mahuika.

1 March 2021

Tukutuku Kōrero

5

Hēmi Dale

Māori stories and perspectives

I

n 2014, a class from Otorohanga College went on a school trip to the site of an attack at Rangiaowhia during the New Zealand Wars. This opened the eyes of students Leah Bell, Waimarama Anderson and classmates, who took a petition to Parliament requesting a national day of commemoration for the New Zealand Wars.

The aim of the petition was to raise awareness of the New Zealand Wars and to introduce the history into the national curriculum. In 2016, it was announced that October 28 would be the New Zealand Wars commemoration day.

It’s this kind of active citizenship that Hēmi Dale (Te Rarawa and Te Aupōuri), director of the Huarahi Māori immersion teacher training programme at the University of Auckland, hopes to see more of.

Hēmi is a curriculum writer for the Māori-medium Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum. He’s taught in the Māori medium training pathway since 1997 and has had a long engagement in the Tikanga ā-Iwi social sciences learning area of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

6

Education Gazette

New strand added to Te Marautanga o Aotearoa

In reshaping the Tikanga ā-Iwi curriculum to increase the opportunity for students to learn about hapū and iwi histories, a new strand, Te Takanga o Te Wā, has been included. Schools, communities, hapū and iwi will be able to design a school’s marau ā-kura to enable learning about the history of Aotearoa from a local and national perspective.

“History is an important part of citizenship education – the main aim of Tikanga ā-Iwi is providing learners the opportunity to become actively engaged in shaping society and that needs to be built on an understanding of our history, also to enable students to develop the thinking and inquiry skills to interrogate some of the multiple perspectives they are going to encounter.

“History has a key part to play in terms of informing our learners regarding the relationship between the past and the present and how learners can engage in that process of shaping our future. Knowledge of our history is a key part of how we understand the world,” he explains.

gazette.education.govt.nz

“History has a key part to play in terms of informing our learners regarding the relationship between the past and the present and how learners can engage in that process of shaping our future. Knowledge of our history is a key part of how we understand the world.”

Hēmi Dale

Multiple perspectives

The updated histories curriculum will be underpinned by the learning pedagogy within the Tikanga ā-Iwi learning area, which is around social inquiry, explains Hēmi.

“Learners collaboratively generate questions, work out how they are going to find the answers, and communicate the knowledge and understandings they develop about the people, places and events they learn about. In doing that there’s ample opportunity to engage in values’ exploration, which is looking at the different perspectives of people and groups involved in particular events – who thinks what and why.

“Being able to think critically about multiple perspectives in history and on the basis of having knowledge about those people and events, is an important 21st-century skill in a world dominated by fake news and opinion presented as fact. Creating opportunities for learners to apply what they learn about the past to their own lives and communities is also a vital part of the social inquiry process.”

Hēmi says that history engages students in the construction of new knowledge and understandings that contribute to an ever-expanding view of the world.

“I think the benefit of learning about our history whether it be on a local level, or a place-based kind of way is understanding some of the broader themes as a way of having conversations and developing a broader understanding of how Aotearoa has been shaped in the past and the impact of those things on the present and future. We can look at things and locate them in terms of their historical context.”

input from hapū and iwi as part of the process of shaping the local curriculum of each kura, he says.

“In providing opportunities for our kids to learn about Aotearoa’s history, we don’t want to polarise our communities. Learning about our history is about owning the ways that we move forward to a more equitably and socially just Aotearoa.”

Read this article online for more information and to see videos featuring the curriculum writers.

Māori voices and stories

Hēmi has a particular passion for aspects of Māori history that haven’t had a light shone on them in the past.

“People like Kate Shepherd are well known, but there were early Māori suffragettes, like Meri Mangakāhia, who were passionate advocates for women’s suffrage.

Over the last 20-30 years, we’ve seen the emergence of multiple Māori voices and perspectives within history, which provide a rich corpus of historical resources for teachers and learners,” he says.

The Three Big Ideas framework will provide the contexts for schools to be able to focus on aspects of local Māori history, key places and people and ensure there’s

1 March 2021

Tukutuku Kōrero

7

Reconstruction of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, circa 1950, by Marcus King.

Ref: NON-ATL-0173. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.

Bicultural foundation, says NZEI

The New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) is delighted to see the introduction of Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories, and says it will be a collective task to ensure the English and Māori medium curricula are implemented properly, says NZEI President Liam Rutherford.

He senses a mood change, not just across the education workforce, but in New Zealand society as a whole and believes that the Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum is an opportunity to be leaned into.

“We think it is such a good opportunity to build that bicultural foundation in our schools and ensure that students that come through the education system have an understanding of the kind of warts-and-all history of our country. We see that as the best possible way for us to learn from our history and use it to inform the type of future that we want to have.

“I don’t think the introduction of this is going to catch teachers and principals off guard – schools have been increasingly moving in this direction for a long time. What this does do is come in behind them as a support,” he says.

Q&A

Q: When will the Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum updates be introduced?

Teaching Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories will be part of The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa from 2022 onwards.

Q: What support will be provided for schools and kura?

A package of support will be rolled out for schools and kura to help them implement the updates.

Q: Will this mean Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories will become a compulsory subject?

Histories is already part of social sciences in The New Zealand Curriculum and Tikanga ā-Iwi in Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. It is expected that Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories will be taught as part of the local curriculum and marau ā-kura at every level of the curriculum, and be available as an option from Year 11. Both these learning areas will be refreshed to accommodate the new curriculum content.

8

Education Gazette

Have your say

This is a great opportunity to give feedback on how the draft curriculum content will become part of each school’s curriculum. The detailed draft curriculum content and an online survey, for feedback, is available at www.education.govt.nz/aotearoanzhistories.

Public engagement on the draft curriculum content runs until 31 May. All New Zealanders with an interest in our histories are encouraged to give feedback on the draft curriculum content. Consultation information packs include support for schools and kura to engage with whānau and their community.

The Ministry of Education hopes all schools and kura who have the capacity will test the draft curriculum content in term 1 and early term 2. If you can help with either staff testing or in-classroom testing, please contact AotearoaNewZealandHistories@education. govt.nz.

gazette.education.govt.nz

10

Education Gazette

CU RRICU LU M

Curriculum refresh to enhance learning Work is underway to refresh the national curriculum so that teachers will be better supported to design relevant and exciting learning experiences and make a positive difference for learners, whānau and communities.

T

he national curriculum for schooling will be refreshed over the next five years.

Associate Ministers of Education Jan Tinetti and Kelvin Davis announced the refresh on 11 February 2021 and committed to a collaborative process of co-design with opportunities for the education sector, learners, parents and whānau to be involved at all stages of the refresh.

The work encompasses Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (TMoA) and The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC).

Refresh of The New Zealand Curriculum

Proposed changes to NZC aim to support teachers and learners by making NZC more bicultural and inclusive and more explicit about what learners need to understand, know and do.

The NZC framework and learning areas will be refreshed and supporting resources will be developed for leaders and teachers to help them implement the revised curriculum content.

A consistent model will be used for all learning areas to describe learning in a clear and easy-to-understand manner. The refresh will review the large number of achievement objectives currently in the curriculum and aim to provide greater clarity about progress across the curriculum to ensure learners are reaching their milestones.

The refreshed curriculum will be developed collaboratively to ensure key competencies such as relating to others and critical thinking are connected explicitly to learning areas. There are examples of this in the draft Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories content currently out for consultation. Feedback from parents and whānau has highlighted the importance of tamariki leaving school with the skills, capabilities and knowledge they need to be successful.

The refreshed NZC will support the design of highquality marau ā-kura and local curriculum – striking a balance between learning that is important nationally and learning that reflects the rohe. It will be more explicit about

1 March 2021

where and how local contexts can best be integrated with the national curriculum.

The reason for the refresh

Since 2007 NZC has provided the framework around which schools build their curricula. NZC is written as a broad national framework to support local curriculum design. More support and clarity are needed to implement the curriculum in the way it was intended.

Since 2019, when Education Minister Chris Hipkins first signalled the need for change, and to reflect the identities, language and culture of ākonga, the Ministry of Education has been working with people from the education sector and wider communities to understand the improvements needed for student success now and in the future.

More is needed to be done to uphold commitments to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Te ao Māori, te reo Māori me ōna tikanga need to be integral to the curriculum for all learners in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Positive difference

Greater clarity in the refreshed curriculum will mean teachers are better supported to design exciting and worthwhile learning experiences. It will make a positive difference for learners, whānau, communities and Aotearoa New Zealand as a whole.

In 2021, the work will involve: » refreshing the overall framework of NZC so it is bicultural and inclusive, clear about the learning that needs to be covered, and easier to use » updating the Social Sciences learning area, including the new Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories content, so it can be taught in schools in 2022. This will be followed by developing content for Mathematics, English and Science learning areas in 2022 » trialling a record of learning, so that information on progress in social and emotional learning is shared with learners, their whānau and teachers.

Tukutuku Kōrero

11

Refresh of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa

The refresh of TMoA will result in a more authentic indigenous curriculum.

The Ministry worked with Māori throughout 2018 and 2019 across the diverse te reo Māori settings to gain a better understanding of what ākonga, kura, whānau, and hapori needed from the education system.

In 2019, the Ministerial Advisory Group identified three key principles of trust, coherence, and equity as critical to how we attend to the strengths, needs and aspirations of Māori.

TMoA supported the movement to revitalise te reo Māori. This goal continues to be important to ākonga, whānau, hapū and iwi and is often reflected explicitly in marau ā-kura, along with the core values and principles that are unique to hapū and iwi across the country.

TMoA, through marau ā-kura, promotes and keeps at its core the centrality of identity, language and culture to shape the next generation of whānau, hapū and iwi.

Strengthened curriculum

The strengthened TMoA will continue to embody te ao Māori and will reflect a more authentic and indigenous curriculum. Along with trust, coherence, and equity, this will be achieved through the integration of He Tamaiti Hei Raukura. This underpinning framework recognises ākonga as ‘he uri whakaheke’ (descendant), ‘he tangata’ ( person), ‘he puna kōrero’ (communicator), and ‘he ākonga’ (learner).

This will provide clarity and ensure Māori medium pathways are supported by an ākonga-focused, holistic and future-focused national curriculum grounded in te ao Māori.

The position paper on He Tamaiti Hei Raukura outlined this clearly.

“Rather than being subject-focused, ‘He Tamaiti Hei Raukura’ places the ākonga along with their whānau at the centre and aims to allow and enable Māori-medium graduates to prosper in the 21st century,” it states.

(He Tamaiti Hei Raukura Position Paper, 2020, Victoria University of Wellington, Haemata Ltd., Grey and Grey Associates.)

Where to from here » » » » »

In 2021 the work will involve: co-designing with the sector an ākonga and futurefocused curriculum listening to and supporting the aspirations of ākonga, kura, whānau, hapū, iwi valuing a broader definition of success for ākonga directing resources to areas that are priorities for Māori medium supporting stronger connections between early learning and kura.

We also need our curriculum to be clear and continue to support the design of high-quality marau ā-kura – striking a balance between the learning that is important nationally and learning that reflects the rohe.

TMoA will be refreshed to recognise a broader definition of success and equip all learners with the essential knowledge, skills and values to operate confidently in te ao Māori and the wider world. Ākonga and whānau will be able to see themselves reflected in their learning and future pathways.

How to be involved

Expertise from the sector and communities will help co-design content and ensure a successful implementation.

An extensive package of supports, including professional support, will be designed in collaboration with educators.

Greater clarity in the refreshed curriculum will mean teachers are better supported to design exciting and worthwhile learning experiences.

12

Education Gazette

You can read more about the work to refresh New Zealand’s school curriculum in Minister Tinetti’s media release and on the education.govt.nz and Kauwhata Reo websites.

You’ll be able to have your say there or you can email TeReo.MaoriGroup@education.govt.nz or nationalcurriculum.refresh@education.govt.nz.

Please see the digital version of this article for more information on the national curriculum refresh and how to be involved. gazette.education.govt.nz

Timeline: Development of The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa 1980s: Curriculum review led to National Curriculum Statement: A Discussion Document for Primary and Secondary Schools (Draft) in 1988.

1990s: Te Marautanga o Aotearoa – First curriculum statements for Māori medium developed.

1993-97: The New Zealand Curriculum framework announced with new National Curriculum Statements progressively replacing old syllabuses. The final statement was for Health and Physical Education.

1997: New timelines for review of The New Zealand Curriculum announced.

2003: The New Zealand Curriculum Stocktake Report published.

2004-07: The New Zealand Curriculum redeveloped through consultation, feedback and in response to the stocktake, the recommendations.

1 March 2021

2005-08: Redevelopment of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

2007: Final version of the revised The New Zealand Curriculum published.

2008: Final version of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa published.

2008-09: Implementation of the two partnership documents: The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

2015: Published revised technologies learning area of The New Zealand Curriculum to include digital technologies and hangarau learning area of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa to include hangarau matihiko.

2021: Curriculum refresh announced for The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

Tukutuku Kōrero

13

EARLY LEARN I NG

Combining language and self-regulation for lifelong outcomes A four-year nationwide study aims to measure the impact of supporting enriched oral literacy and self-regulation in early learning settings.

14

A

nationwide study named Kia Tīmata Pai (To Begin Well), funded by the Wright Family Foundation, kicked off at the beginning of 2021 and involves trialling and assessing interventions at approximately 140 randomly selected BestStart early learning centres around Aotearoa.

A coalition of academics including Professor Richie Poulton, director of the Dunedin Study, along with early childhood education practitioners, has been developing the four-year research project for the past year.

The academics from Auckland, Otago and Victoria Universities make up Emotional Regulation Aotearoa New Zealand (ERANZ), along with Dunedin-based Methodist Mission Southern (MMS) and BestStart early learning centres, says Clair Edgeler, Pou Whakahaere Mātauranga (National Education Leader) for BestStart.

Coalition of partners

“It’s a coalition of partners who are deeply interested and invested in the idea that self-regulation has a significant impact on life outcomes. They have a shared commitment to looking at things that we have come to understand in terms of oral language and the skills of self-regulation that can enhance a child’s emotional regulation,” says Clair.

“A lot is also known about the importance of oral language in early childhood education. We know that self-regulation is key to better adult outcomes.

Furthermore, we know that these skills can be taught.

We’re setting out to measure the effects of supporting both oral language and self-regulation together on a very large scale, and in real-world settings,” she says.

A broad range of assessment tools will be used, including behaviour tools, video, physical measures and qualitative feedback from parents and teachers.

1 March 2021

World-leading research

Good self-regulation means having a flexible range of emotional and behavioural responses that are wellmatched to the demands of any environment.

It’s hoped the research will deliver a confident answer to the question of the best way to support children’s oral language and self-regulation development in early childhood settings.

“Researchers right now are really interested in the relationship between oral literacy and self-regulation,” says Clair.

“We think developing those oral language and selfregulation skills are strongly related, but until now, it hasn’t been done in the same way where you are putting those two interventions together and looking at whether oral language potentiates self-regulation.

“There’s never been a high-quality study that attempts to strengthen both oral language and self-regulation in this age group. This will include kaiako and children with a broad age range – 1600 children at 140 centres over four or five years, potentially longer. That’s what makes it world-leading,” she says.

Getting started

To ensure the research meets the ‘gold standard’, and results in real-world impacts, research design has included kaiako from BestStart centres who are part of an expert group providing feedback about the assessment tools being used, along with professional learning and development (PLD).

“A lot of our teachers are looking at the areas of selfregulation and supporting children’s social learning and their ability to regulate. We’re going out and checking with a number of centres so that when we do take it out further, it will hit the sweet spot with teachers and families,” explains Clair.

Tukutuku Kōrero

15

“We’re setting out to measure the effects of supporting both oral language and self-regulation together on a very large scale and in real-world settings.”

Clair Edgeler The randomly chosen centres will be put into four research groups: one group will trial ENRICH, a language enrichment programme; one group will trial ENGAGE, a play-based self-regulation programme; one group will trial ENGAGE and ENRICH together; and there will be a control group where there will be no intervention.

“The idea is to find out whether those two programmes together enhance both oral language and self-regulation outcomes. MMS’s data analyst, Dr Matt Healey, will work with the researchers,” says Clair.

“If children have a good ability to communicate, understand and articulate their own emotions, make decisions and have that emotional control – it stands to reason that will have an impact. But that’s what we are going to find out.”

ENRICH

ENRICH, developed by psychologist Professor Elaine Reese (University of Otago) and MMS aims to enhance rich interactions that support quality communication between teachers and toddlers to improve their oral language.

“We’re looking at the Serve-and-Return-type interaction. It’s seeking to understand the effect of these interventions from the age of 18 months, which is

16

Education Gazette

considered a particularly rapid period for oral language development. There will be an advanced version of ENRICH [ENRICH+] that’s designed around supporting oral language for three- to five-year-olds,” explains Clair.

ENGAGE

The Methodist Mission Southern (MMS) is currently implementing the ENGAGE self-regulation initiative with children aged 3 to 7 in early learning centres and primary schools in Auckland. The programme was initially developed by Associate Professor Dione Healey (University of Otago), who continues to be involved in the initiative.

ENGAGE develops children’s self-regulation skills through games grouped into three domains: emotional (feeling), cognitive (thinking) and behavioural (doing).

Research trials with a range of whānau and early learning participants show that the initiative has demonstrated statistically significant improvements in children’s self-regulation skills, including reduced hyperactivity, aggression and peer problems, and improved attention, effortful control and emotional regulation – with gains maintained for extended periods post-intervention.

gazette.education.govt.nz

“Teachers will play games which are designed to be fun and aimed at developing children’s thinking, decision making and recognition of their emotions. What I love about them is they are games that a lot of teachers know already, but it’s really targeting within the games the teaching strategies that support children’s emotional regulation,” says Clair.

Nationwide PLD

Jimmy McLauchlan from MMS heads up the ENGAGE project and, along with a team of facilitators, works closely with the University of Otago on ENGAGE and ENRICH. This team will help facilitate the PLD for kaiako around Aotearoa.

Clair says a small group of BestStart practice leaders will facilitate PLD among staff nationwide during the four year project.

“We’ve really had to look at how we make sure that all our teachers are able to know, understand and take forward the learning around those interventions and we can do that by supporting them well in PLD,” she says.

Science, maths and tech resources from Genesis School-gen and Emirates Team New Zealand

What’s next?

Clair says BestStart eventually hopes to share the research with the wider education community in New Zealand.

While there could be opportunities to take the research further, a key goal is to create tools and a shared kete of knowledge that has a positive impact in the real world.

“We want to be able to look at what tools have been created and how they could be shared to enhance all of our understanding and how that kete of knowledge could be impactful in the sector for teachers in supporting children’s learning and development,” she says.

“We hope to roll out the programme to all our centres.

If the research is successful, this information could inform ECE curricula in New Zealand and around the world. This could create positive change for generations, as well as ground-breaking changes in the way we teach.”

Harnessing the power of the wind Students will investigate how the power of wind can be harnessed and then use this knowledge to design a sailboat.

Measuring wind power Focusing on numbers, algebra and measurement, this activity has students investigating the power of the wind and how it can affect the speed of a sail boat.

Emirates Team New Zealand Students will learn how technology has evolved the sport of sailing and also how solar energy is helping to power the Emirates Team New Zealand base.

Resources availabe in Te Reo and English.

1 March 2021

schoolgen.co.nz/teach-and-learn/resource/

Clair Edgler is excited about the four-year research project into the relationship between oral literacy and emotional regulation.

The Dunedin Study Professor Richie Poulton is director of the Dunedin Study, which involves a cohort of children born in 1972-73 and has been described as the most comprehensive long-term study of human behaviour in the world.

Oral literacy and self-regulation have been identified as key skills that help build positive relationships, good mental health and life choices. Children exposed to high levels of stress, deprivation and trauma in the early years of life typically underperform in these critical self-regulation skills; however, these children also benefit the most from effective, play-based interventions.

“The Dunedin Study learnt about the importance of self-regulation,” explains Clair. “The more skilled we are in self-regulation in general, the better the life outcomes. There were correlations for selfregulation across a whole lot of life outcomes.

“We are using what we’ve learned to go further and explore how can we support children to gain those skills in the real world by applying specific interventions to have a positive impact.”

18

Education Gazette

Resources to support oral language and social and emotional learning » He Māpuna te Tamaiti is a new resource aimed at supporting kaiako in early learning services to develop children’s social and emotional competence, engagement, and learning. It is available on Te Whāriki Online. You can read more in Education Gazette Issue 4, 2020. » Talking Together, To Kōrerorero: a new online tool that supports kaiako to grow and connect their knowledge base of oral language with effective teaching practices.

The resource supports the implementation of Te Whāriki so that all children experience a languagerich environment where they develop verbal communication skills for a range of purposes. It is available on Te Whāriki Online. Read more in Education Gazette Issue 18, 2020, Talking Together, Te Kōrerorero. » The Incredible Years Teacher programme helps teachers and kaiako to better support children with behavioural challenges and create a positive learning environment for children aged 3–8 years. Read more about this initiative on TKI.

gazette.education.govt.nz

“The more skilled we are in self-regulation in general, the better the life outcomes.”

Clair Edgeler

“Ever since we started the café, we’ve started going to classes more. I think it’s mainly just talking to people more that’s made the difference.”

Richelle Wahanga

Richelle won a GirlBoss award for her efforts.

20

CU RRICU LU M DESIGN

I am a café owner Education Gazette visits Huntly College to see how its innovative approach to curriculum design is helping to transform learning for students like Richelle Wahanga.

B

y her own admission, Richelle used to be “mean”.

“We never talked to anyone, we weren’t nice and stuff like that. We were mean,” says the Huntly College student, who is now in Year 11.

It seems hard to believe the girl she’s describing is the same girl talking to the Gazette now, but principal Barbara Cavanagh confirms the change. Richelle grins as Barbara describes her transformation.

“It’s so lovely to see Richelle with no big hoodie over her face and being able to see her chat nicely and interact with the others,” she says.

So, what has brought about the change?

Huntly College Kitchen

Richelle, with the help of friends Laticia and Mangaaki, set up a school café, Huntly College Kitchen. Motivated by a class investigation on being a café owner, with the help of teachers, the girls established the café with tables and seats from other classrooms. They took a barista course in Hamilton, ordered the food and soon they were ready to go. Now that it’s up and running, Richelle trains others to help operate the café.

The 14-year-old’s initiative has been widely celebrated.

She won a prestigious GirlBoss award and has appeared on Māori TV and Seven Sharp.

“Ever since we started the café, we’ve started going to classes more. I think it’s mainly just talking to people more that’s made the difference,” says Richelle.

“As a café owner she was forced to talk to people and suddenly she’s a chatter!” says Barbara.

1 March 2021

Tukutuku Kōrero

21

“It’s about giving students the ability to choose their own contexts,” explains Barbara, who has been principal at Huntly College for three years.

“Why we put the ‘I Am’ modules into place is that kids here don’t have a lot of experience of people apart from teachers. So how do they know what a lawyer, a scientist or a politician actually does?”

“You don’t set out to study an important subject like science to do an NCEA assessment. The purpose is to be a scientist. So rather than having NCEA as the final outcome of a course that you study, NCEA sits underneath and provides the framework quite rigorously.”

Barbara gives an example: “If you’re teaching ‘I am an NBA basketballer’ you’re teaching the kids how to be a really good basketballer, but within that context they’re doing literacy, maths, hauora and how the body works – all those things in a context that the kids are excited by.”

I am a Dungeons & Dragons player Huntly College students Richelle (right) and Laticia (left) were inspired to establish a school café after taking one of the courses featuring in the school’s innovative curriculum.

I am a volleyball coach

The class Richelle took that sparked the Huntly College Kitchen initiative was called ‘I am a café owner’, one of many ‘I Am’ classes that make up a large chunk of the curriculum at Huntly College.

Barbara shares how learning is structured at the 200-pupil school. All students have 100 minutes each day with their Puna Ako class, which covers literacy, numeracy and global events, as well as close input from their teacher on goal setting, subject decisions and pastoral care.

On top of their Puna Ako tutorials, all students choose four modules each trimester from a wide range of ‘I Am’ classes, which cover everything from ‘I am a magazine creator’ to ‘I am a Rongoa Māori practitioner’ to ‘I am a volleyball coach’.

“What it’s done for the school really is build that culture of learning and going to class, and being excited about learning and having fun.”

Barbara Cavanagh

22

Education Gazette

Similarly, the ‘I am a Dungeons & Dragons player’ module incorporates digital technologies curriculum content and has many creative elements.

“They’re writing stories, creating characters. So writing becomes not just that thing you do – it’s got a point to it.”

Teachers have to plot the NCEA assessments carefully through the module. “It’s very carefully crafted. I totally believe that the more structure you have, the more ability you’ve got to have flair. I’m a great proponent of NCEA but I don’t think it’s ever been used in the way it was intended. There’s huge flexibility.

“For example, you teach a beautiful subject like English – there’s journalism and all these things in it and at the end you do an NCEA assessment. NCEA should sit at the bottom to provide the structure and then at the top you’re going to be a lawyer.”

Leaving nothing to chance

Incidentally, Richelle has her sights set on being a lawyer, after being inspired by the ‘I am a lawyer’ module she took last year.

“Richelle is going into Year 11 – so if she wants to be a lawyer, she will have to start taking the right subjects. Her Puna Ako teacher will guide her with this and she will get there,” says Barbara.

The Puna Ako class is a crucial part of the curriculum.

Students remain in the same Puno Ako class from Year 9 to 13 so their teachers get to know them very well.

“In the Puna Ako programme we do deliberate literacy and numeracy and global issues. All our students have read Jacinda Ardern’s March (2020) lockdown speech, various speeches of Donald Trump’s, Kamala Harris’s acceptance speech. They discuss river rights, Ihumatao – I want them to have a view, to be critical thinkers.

“We don’t leave anything to chance. Here, every teacher in the school teaches literacy and numeracy.

That means they can also teach the I Am modules.

gazette.education.govt.nz

So when the students go to their I Am classes, they’ve got the tools to do it, and so have the teachers,” explains Barbara.

Building a culture of learning

Barbara acknowledges that attendance and engagement is still an issue for the school, but they are moving in the right direction.

There are lots of factors contributing to this progress.

The school is strengthening its ties with the community, tikanga is integrated into everything the school does.

And the school’s approach to curriculum, teaching and learning plays a huge part.

“What it’s done for the school really is build that culture of learning and going to class, and being excited about learning and having fun,” says Barbara.

Richelle’s reaction when talking about expanding the café is a testament to this approach. Her eyes widen slightly at the question: if you could do anything else to improve the Huntly College Kitchen, what would you do?

“I would put a TV in there and couches so that students can come and watch and eat and hang out together,” she says. “Yep, that’d be cool.”

1 March 2021

Huntly College principal Barbara Cavanagh says their approach to curriculum has made learning fun and relevant.

Tukutuku Kōrero

23

H E ALTH AN D W E L L B E I N G

Providing access to period products A new initiative is helping to provide ākonga with access to period products and reduce stigma around periods. Tokoroa High School was among the first schools and kura to take part in the first phase of the initiative.

P

eriods are a fact of life yet they can be the cause of much anxiety, particularly for students who have difficulty accessing period products, like tampons and pads.

At Tokoroa High School, accessing period products is no longer something students have to worry about. A survey at the school was taken before products were introduced, revealing that many students felt whakamā (shy) about accessing these products at school.

Aroha Watene, who helped coordinate the pilot at the school, says this is no longer the case, thanks to the school’s participation in the period product initiative.

In the past it was common for a student not to attend school when they had their period, she says.

“Quite often, if a girl got her period at school, she wouldn’t come to school for the rest of her cycle.”

“Now, they can access the products discreetly. We’ve got dispensers in all the bathrooms, so they don’t need to ask for them.”

Previously, around 10 girls each day would request period products from the school office, says Aroha.

“They would often ask for more to get them through the night. Now they can manage their supply discreetly themselves, without having to feel bad about asking for more. It’s made such a difference.”

School trial

Tokoroa High School is among 15 urban and rural schools and kura from the Waikato region to take part in a trial that provided up to 3,200 young people with access to period products.

Starting in September 2020, products were delivered to schools and kura during terms 3 and 4 by suppliers that

24

Education Gazette

gazette.education.govt.nz

“Now they can manage their supply discreetly themselves, without having to feel bad about asking for more. It’s made such a difference.”

Aroha Watene

1 March 2021

Tukutuku Kōrero

25

H EALTH AN D WELLBEI NG

were identified for the trial due to their involvement in other period poverty programmes.

The trial allowed suppliers to test out different products and ways of providing them and understand more about student preferences.

At Tokoroa High School, products were accessed by dispensers installed in the school bathrooms to allow easy access for students and a choice between pads and tampons. They were also made available to students at the school office.

Roll-out across the country

Following the success of the trial, the initiative is about to be rolled out to all schools and kura across New Zealand on an opt-in basis.

Students’ and suppliers’ experiences of the trial have helped inform the second phase of implementation.

A research and consulting firm independently engaged with students on their experiences of periods, the barriers they currently face, and ideas on how to overcome them.

The research articulated the importance of listening to students, using open and positive language about periods, providing more education around periods, and including teachers, whānau and students who do not have periods in the discussions.

The research suggested schools and kura should create systems that allow students to access period products easily, discreetly and when they need them.

Students valued having choice, both in product and how it was made available to them. Many valued the opportunity to access products via a dispenser in the school bathroom, as well as discreetly from student services or the school office.

Many ākonga liked the idea of being able to get a bulk order but still have them available for the times when they didn’t have products to hand.

Looking ahead

In the first instance, pads and tampons will be provided.

These products are easy to use and appropriate for a broad range of students’ age, developmental, and cultural needs in a schooling context. This also addresses the immediate need of many students to gain reliable access to products when they need it.

As period products are introduced into schools and kura across the country and more is understood about student and school needs, there will be an opportunity to look into ways to support alternative products, including menstrual cups and eco-friendly sanitary underwear, along with options for more sustainable waste management.

Schools and kura can continue to opt-in to the initiative.

Some of the early learnings from the trial have identified the need for wider education on periods for both students and their teachers, parents and whānau.

26

Education Gazette

Aroha agrees more education is needed. “I think a lot of girls learn about periods from their older sisters. It would be good to see more education for younger students in this area.”

How to opt in

All state and state-integrated primary, intermediate and secondary schools and kura can opt in to receive period products for their ākonga by completing a short form on the Ministry’s website.

There is a phased approach to providing products.

The first step will be to tender for the supply and distribution of products. Schools and kura that opt in by 31 March 2021 will be included in the first phase with the products arriving in schools from the end of Term 2. Schools can continue to opt in but will be included in later phases of the roll-out.

Schools that opt in will be contacted with more information on next steps once the procurement process is completed.

Search ‘access to free period products’ on the Ministry’s website for more information.

Period poverty in New Zealand

Findings from the Youth19 Survey included: 12 per cent of Year 9 to 13 students who get periods reported difficulty getting access to products due to cost.

Recent research from the University of Otago found that 94,788 girls aged 9 to 18 from the country’s poorest households may be unable to afford to buy period products and could be missing school when they have their periods.

Providing access to free period products to those who need it, in all state and state-integrated schools and kura will: » reduce barriers to access and improve school attendance, sports involvement and tertiary participation » improve child and youth wellbeing » reduce financial strain on families and whānau experiencing poverty/material hardship » promote positive gender norms and reduce the stigmatisation of periods.

gazette.education.govt.nz

Period products should be available in schools and kura. Period.

All ākonga deserve the right to feel comfortable at school, engage in their learning and manage what should be a normal part of life.

To help with this, the Government is now providing free period products for all schools and kura.

Help normalise periods and remove barriers.

Opt into this initiative to empower your ākonga.

Sign up at education.govt.nz

Caption.

Sharing learning moments is fun for kaiako and tamariki alike. Anna with Liam (4), top photo, and Harper (4), below.

EARLY LEARN I NG

Learning notes improve engagement A Lower Hutt kindergarten is finding that learning notes are helping teachers carry out a range of assessment across Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa/Early childhood curriculum strands, goals and learning outcomes – with immediate benefits for kaiako, whānau and tamariki.

M

aungaraki Kindergarten sits in the Lower Hutt hills behind a strip of local shops, overlooked by homes, with views across to Wellington Harbour; it’s in the heart of its community.

Anna Stratford is head teacher at the kindergarten, where learning notes were introduced in May 2020.

Like learning stories, learning notes are used to help communicate children’s early learning experiences.

Learning notes are short observations with associated learning outcomes which are e.posted to whānau in the moment.

“Ultimately we wanted to develop a system that promoted and empowered tamariki to view themselves as successful learners, to allow them opportunities and choices to guide their own learning, direct the programme and experience an environment where kaiako support them meaningfully and authentically in their growth and development,” explains Anna.

Reflection and evaluation

A strategic internal evaluation was undertaken early in 2020 and an article became a provocational tool for kaiako to research, reflect and evaluate. Assessment in New Zealand early childhood settings by Ken Blacklock suggested using learning notes to assess for children’s learning.

Anna Stratford gets a high five after sharing a learning note with Liam, aged 4.

1 March 2021

Tukutuku Kōrero

29

“We’re so present, because we are trying to capture these moments; we are identifying the learning that’s occurring and we’re having this rich genuine engagement with the children.”

Anna Stratford There is no hard and fast number of how many learning notes are written for each child, but Anna says they are a good, holistic tool for capturing all learning equitably.

“We use Storypark as an online platform for our assessment. Learning notes are short, which is what parents have asked for: fewer words, more pictures. I feel they can relate to them better and have time to read those short snippets. Whānau are getting updates more regularly and it means they can see a thread of learning.

“Sometimes we get responses from whānau instantly and we’re able to share that with the children too. This is really reassuring for them because they know their whānau are involved in their early childhood education experience. It makes those links between kindergarten and home so much stronger,” explains Anna.

“Learning notes have been a really good tool for us to capture different learning, because all learning is valuable,” she says.

Robust process

Kaiako Lucy Ainsworth says research into the new assessment process was robust.

“We came at it from every angle and it’s a never-ending process as well. Like any of our evaluations we each take a different angle. That could be family voice, so we do a survey or get their thoughts. We did an assessment on ourselves and how much time we were spending doing

work at home, which ended up being an average of three hours per week in our own time.

“There was also research into the assessment of children, what works best and how to authentically represent them and their learning journey. It all pointed to ‘right there in the moment’ stuff,” explains Lucy.

“With the new assessment process, we have decided that as a team we write for all children for all learning that we feel is valuable. Now we are getting a wider range of identified learning because each teacher will identify something different. Whānau are developing relationships with all the teachers and their work is getting acknowledged as well,” adds Anna.

Rich engagement

Learning notes have resulted in benefits to teaching practices, whānau engagement and outcomes for tamariki at Maungaraki Kindergarten, explains Anna.

“In the comments section of Storypark, we are able to write additional relevant learning notes, which show a continuous thread of learning. Because documented learning is authentic and relevant, it’s a natural progression because we’re in tune and we’re listening to what the children are saying and we are responding to them.

“While we are on the iPads [writing a learning note] for a short amount of the time, our teaching team is more engaged than ever before – our minds are with the children and we are responding to their wants, needs and interests, as well as suggestions that whānau are making.

“We’re so present, because we are trying to capture these moments; we are identifying the learning that’s occurring as a result of the rich genuine engagement we are having with the children. We can show children the photos we’ve taken and incorporate their voices from the engagement we’ve had with them,” explains Anna.

Building confidence

Maireriki (4) is absorbed in play.

30

Education Gazette

Graduate teacher Lucy says the learning notes practice has opened her eyes and made her more confident when writing assessments.

“I think it has changed my teaching practice because the engagement I get with children has changed. Instead of thinking I only need to focus on this child because I really need to get a story for them, now I have a much broader focus. Your blinkers have opened and you are actually recognising all the learning happening in all the areas for all children as well.

“I feel I know the children better. I especially feel I know the families better – that’s a huge benefit,” says Lucy.

gazette.education.govt.nz

Lola (5) shares her learning with kaiako Lucy Ainsworth.

Jack finds something interesting in the kindergarten’s wildflower garden.

1 March 2021

Tukutuku Kōrero

31

Connecting with home

Whānau are developing better relationships with all the teachers, which is closing the gap between kindergarten and whānau.

“We value whānau as experts of their culture, skill, occupation, and their child. We can ask them questions and provide a platform where they can share. When we use that information, it shows we value their contribution and that they are involved in their child’s learning as well,” explains Anna.

When four-year-old Amal told Anna what she had learned about microbes and viruses, a learning note was sent to Amal’s mother, Natasha Ismail.

“Amal likes StoryBots on Netflix – there was an episode about viruses and she really got into it. She’s been going around saying: ‘This is how you get sick, when you get sick the virus attacks your body’.

“She came to kindy and told everyone about things like A-cells and B-cells. Anna sent a video to me of Amal talking about viruses. It gave her so much pride and mana,” says Natasha.

“We have a lovely video of her explaining what it all meant and she was able to be an expert in that area and share that with the tamariki. Had we not captured that moment and shared that with whānau, we would have never known that she had all that additional knowledge to share with us,” adds Anna.

“Learning notes have provided an opportunity to identify, scaffold and progress her learning. Without the use of learning notes, the opportunity to identify this learning, aided by conversation with whānau, may have been missed. Holistic opportunities are offered to all of our children – they are all learning from each other as well,” she says.

Learner agency

Learning Notes have increased the agency and confidence of tamariki at Maungaraki Kindergarten says Anna.

“They have such great views of themselves as competent learners.

“Whānau tell us that their children are very happy to come to kindy; they’re excited, they share their interests with us and have opportunities to participate in the re-setting of the environment. You can tell they are willing to share with us because they know they are going to be listened to,” says Anna.

Read this article online for more insights into implementing learning notes at Maungaraki Kindergarten.

Natasha and Amal enjoy reading her folder of learning notes at the kindergarten.

32

Education Gazette

gazette.education.govt.nz

Building bridges

Natasha Ismail has two children at Maungaraki Kindergarten: Amal (4) and Adha (3). Amal started at the kindergarten a few days after the Christchurch Mosque shooting in 2019.

“That was really bad – I was even afraid to come out,” says Natasha, who came to New Zealand from Malaysia as a student in 2009.

She appreciates the frequency of the learning notes and the opportunity to communicate with kaiako through the Storypark platform.

“I didn’t know that we were supposed to respond to the stories before!” she acknowledges.

“I feel it’s easier for me because sometimes I remember something in the middle of the night and I will just type it out and the teachers will read it the next day.”

Kaiako at the kindergarten say learning notes are an effective tool to document learning and support whānau to identify the ways in which their child can be supported.

“Adha has special needs. When he is working with his SLT [speech language therapist] and they introduce new

strategies, straightaway I can tell the kindy teachers what he’s working on. His speech has improved being with other kids,” says Natasha.

LITTLE THINGS MATTER Amal is bubbly, bright and creative, but Natasha says for a while she was struggling with being Malaysian and Muslim.

“Last term we were working really hard on her connection to our culture: we were trying really hard to say, ‘Different is okay, everybody doesn’t need to be the same, your culture is valid’.

“With Storypark [through learning notes], I could just send links through which showed the children songs in my language – Malay. That was so lovely for Amal to see it’s celebrated. It made a difference to how she felt about herself and she’s more willing to speak Malay. She used to scold me when I spoke Malay in kindy!”

For Christmas 2020, the kindergarten’s Christmas baubles included the words ‘Happy Holidays’ rather than ‘Merry Christmas’, notes Natasha.

“It’s the little things that make you feel you’re here, you’re present. This year we’re going to share some of our Ramadan,” she says.

AWARD WINNING

MATHS TEXTBOOKS WITH

free ONLINE TEACHER SUPPORT

The NZ Ministry of Education’s latest study shows that textbooks outperform computer or tablet-based learning.

Get yours here www.caxed.co.nz

mel@caxed.co.nz www.caxed.co.nz

1 March 2021

Tukutuku Kōrero

33

MĀORI PERF ORM I NG ARTS

Te Ao Haka:

New NCEA subject a step towards Māori knowledge parity This year, 34 secondary schools and kura are piloting Te Ao Haka, a new Māori Performing Arts subject, across all three NCEA levels and for University Entrance.

Tiria Waitai, a kaiako at Te Kura o Manutuke Turanganui-a-Kiwa in Gisborne, says offering Te Ao Haka as a University Entranceapproved subject is a significant step to achieving equity for Māori learners.

34

Education Gazette

gazette.education.govt.nz

F

or years, kaiako (teachers) of Māori Performing Arts have been finding ways to recognise and gain credits for the learning of their ākonga (learners), with many using NCEA Level 3 Dance achievement standards.

“Many of our tamariki can achieve NCEA Level 3 but University Entrance has been a challenge for some of them,” says Tiria Waitai, a Science and Biology teacher at Te Kura o Manutuke Turanganui-a-Kiwa in Gisborne.

Tiria has been passionate about Māori Performing Arts since childhood.

“We’ve been going through the back door because Māori Performing Arts is not considered a university approved subject,” she says.

Not anymore. This school year, 34 secondary schools and kura are piloting Te Ao Haka, a new Māori Performing Arts subject, across all three NCEA levels and for University Entrance. This means the estimated 900 students studying Te Ao Haka can earn credits towards their NCEA and have their learning recognised for University Entrance this year.

Valuing Māori Performing Arts

Until now, students had been able to study Māori Performing Arts through unit standards. The subject is offered in both English-medium and Māori-medium settings, and has drawn an increasing number of students from other ethnicities including New Zealand European, Samoan and Filipino.

While these standards are valued, they do not lead to University Entrance and do not provide Māori Performing Arts the same recognition as other Ministry-set performing arts subjects.

“Because it was viewed as an extra-curricular activity, Māori Performing Arts did not sit within the timetable so we would do all our practice after school hours,” says Tiria.

“With Te Ao Haka [Māori Performing Arts] becoming a University Entrance approved subject, we have taken one step closer to achieving equity [mana ōrite] for ākonga Māori,” she says.

“It also validates that Te Ao Haka, as a taonga tuku iho [heritage], is something that is of importance to all New Zealanders.”

More than just learning the haka

Te Ao Haka is performance-based and grounded in knowledge of Māori culture, language and identity, says Fred Henare, who has been teaching Māori Performing Arts for about 12 years at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rāwhitiroa in Whāngarei.

“It’s more than just learning how to do the haka. It’s about learning the history, culture and identity of Māori.

It’s about learning who you are and where you came from, your whakapapa [genealogy],” explains Fred.

Jamus Webster, director of Raukura Performing Arts Academy at Rotorua Boys’ High School, has been teaching kapa haka at the school for 20 years. He says studying Te Ao Haka can help build the confidence and self-esteem of students, develop their leadership skills, and teach them 1 March 2021

coordination and respect for others.

“Te Ao Haka teaches students a range of soft skills and qualities that can support them to pursue further studies or career pathways and enhance their life skills,” he says.

Reconnection with culture and identity

The cultural link kapa haka provides can also help students who do not fit into the box, explains Jamus, who used to teach te reo Māori and Māori Performing Arts to inmates at North Island prisons.

“Using traditional and contemporary elements of Māori culture, we helped inmates to reconnect to their culture and identity and raise their levels of self-esteem, and provided them another way of looking at life and solving problems,” he says.

“Offering Te Ao Haka as an NCEA subject with achievement standards has been a long time coming, and is a significant step towards ensuring parity for Māori knowledge in our education system,” says Ellen MacGregor-Reid, Deputy Secretary, Early Learning and Student Achievement for the Ministry of Education.

Strengthening NCEA

The Te Ao Haka pilot, which will be rolled out nationally by 2023, is one of three pilots being held in 2021 as part of the Ministry’s wider work programme to strengthen NCEA. A mini-pilot with NCEA Level 1 English, Science, Religious Studies and Visual Arts is being run in 24 schools this year. The mini-pilot is an opportunity to trial the achievement standards, supporting materials and assessment activities, identify necessary refinements, and develop further support materials, including example teaching and learning programmes developed by pilot teachers. A full pilot of all NCEA Level 1 subjects will be run in 2022.

Draft standards for the new literacy and numeracy co-requisite have also been developed and will be piloted in terms 3 and 4 of the 2021 school year. These will include both Māori-medium and English-medium standards.

Twelve secondary schools, which include two Māorimedium units, one teen parent unit, five kura and one polytechnic, will be involved in the pilot.

“Te Ao Haka teaches students a range of soft skills and qualities that can support them to pursue further studies or career pathways and enhance their life skills.”

Jamus Webster Tukutuku Kōrero

35

Supporting students to increase their money mojo When it comes to money matters, just 14 percent of secondary school students say they learn a lot from school, and half say they learn little or nothing. (1) Life Education Trust NZ has set out to change these statistics by providing rangatahi with the knowledge and skills to make positive financial choices. Launched last year, their SMART$ financial literacy programme was trialled with over 4,500 Year Ten students, supported by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.

Fast forward to 2021, with enhancements made after the trial, Life Education looks forward to bringing SMART$ to a larger audience of schools nationwide.

“We take a whole of school approach, so while SMART$ introduces key concepts across a whole year group, Banqer High provides a modern and engaging learning platform for use in the classroom. We want students to be financially capable, not just financially literate,” says O’Connell.

“Banqer High aims to prepare secondary school students for the financial world ahead, ensuring that they not only develop an understanding of financial concepts, but have the opportunity to put this understanding into practice in the safe confines of the classroom. Here mistakes are just a learning opportunity, without the potential for real life financial loss,” says Simon Brown, Chief Operating Officer of Banqer.

SMART$ introduces students to key everyday financial concepts, using Theatre-in-Education to engage students in a learning environment outside a classroom. SMART$ focuses on key learning points covering; saving vs deferred payment schemes, credit cards and KiwiSaver. Through relatable situations, students explore the behaviours and decisions of the performing characters.

“Theatre-in-Education is a great medium for engaging a wide range of learning styles, which is really valuable when exploring life skills or social behaviour,” says John O’Connell, Chief Executive - Life Education Trust NZ. Theatre-in-Education (TiE) delivers key messages utilising well-known education and psychological theory – Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). SCT contends that in addition to direct experiential learning, people learn vicariously by observing models of behavior.

Following the performance, students participate in a workshop creating discussion and further thinking, exploring the key learning concepts in more depth.

Life Education has teamed up with Banqer, providing a free trial of their online financial education simulation for secondary schools. In Banqer High, students explore and extend on the concepts learnt during SMART$ after their session.

The SMART$ programme is designed for Year Ten students, with the aim to perform to each schools’ full year group, as it is important that financial capability is not limited to only students taking relevant elective subjects.

Life Education Trust believes that financial security is essential to an individual’s wellbeing, and financial capability continues to be undervalued. Poor financial decisions from low money management skills and financial capability, can result in considerable stress. Unfortunately, this is one of the primary contributors to persistent and intergenerational poverty. A cycle of problem debt can result from unmanageable debt and fines.

Through growing financial capability in our rangatahi, we can support their wellbeing and help them to live happier, healthier lives into the future.

The SMART$ national tour begins in Auckland in Term Two and concludes at the end of Term Three in the South Island.

To find out more visit: WWW.SMARTS.ORG.NZ To enquire about having SMART$ visit your school email: enquiries@lifeeducation.org.nz (1) Financial Capability of Secondary Students and the place of financial capability in schools – NZCER 2015

Empowering young people to make positive financial choices SMART$ is a Theatre-in-Education programme designed to provoke thinking and conversation about the everyday financial decisions impacting rangatahi.

The interactive performance follows the decisions and behaviour of relatable characters focusing on concepts of; • Saving vs deferred payment schemes • Credit cards • KiwiSaver This includes a workshop, engaging students in discussion and further thinking.

To extend learning after the session, Life Education has partnered with Banqer to provide a free trial of their online learning platform for secondary schools. In Banqer High, students explore financial concepts through online simulation in the school classroom.

To find out more visit: WWW.SMARTS.ORG.NZ To enquire about booking SMART$ contact: enquiries@lifeeducation.org.nz

“I feel like I’m going to be able to go into the world and be successful and I know there is a support system behind me if I need it.”

Grace Stickings

Champion New Zealand weightlifter David Liti encourages a group of rangatahi to follow their goals to success.

38

Education Gazette

gazette.education.govt.nz

PATHWAYS

Lifting the hopes and dreams of rangatahi Champion New Zealand weightlifter David Liti helped show the young people on the Imagine Believe Achieve (IBA) programme in Tauranga the importance of setting goals and seizing opportunities.

A

s a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, weightlifter David Liti has tasted success. But he’s also experienced enough challenges and setbacks over the course of his 24 years to be able to relate to the struggles faced by some of the rangatahi on the IBA youth mentoring programme, which started in 2020.

The IBA programme hinges on the delivery of three pou, or pillars: the four walls of Te Whare Tapa Whā (mental, social, whānau and physical wellbeing); eight employability skills (self-management, resilience, reliability, teamwork, thinking skills, responsibility, willingness to learn and positive attitude); and the IBA values (respect, responsibility, trust, kindness, and resilience).

“Collectively these provide a huge platform for our IBA participants to succeed in their own pathway,” says Andre Jay, lead facilitator for IBA. David is one of many mentors to work with the IBA participants. The programme has seen an array of sporting role models, entrepreneurs and others inspire and motivate the rangatahi. In addition to many workshop sessions, the group has visited worksites, tertiary education institutions, gyms, and contributed to many community initiatives.

Fourteen participants have graduated from the IBA programme in its first year and are now successfully engaged in apprenticeships, study and full-time work.

They are contacted on a regular basis through IBA’s postpastoral support programme.

1 March 2021

Tukutuku Kōrero

39

“Blow your kisses, not your opportunities”: David Liti’s advice for IBA participants.

David Liti is keen to see talented young Pacific people shine.

40

Education Gazette

Lifting and life lessons

In November 2020, David led the group in a relaxed session that began in the gym with a kōrero and lifting session and ended at the beach with hot chips and a swim.

“I think I can relate to the kids because I sort of understand what they go through,” he says.

“That’s the sort of mentoring they need – someone who understands so that they know that even though they’ve come through troubles and obstacles they can still end up being someone who others will one day look up to.”

David’s key piece of advice to rangatahi is: “Blow your kisses, not your opportunities.”

“In life, doors will open and doors will close,” he adds.

The first door to weightlifting opened for David as a young student at high school. He was among a group of boys who were encouraged to try out weightlifting.

“We all thought we would be bicep curling, bench pressing and getting big chests and big biceps – but we ended up snatching with a stick for a week. And we all quit within that first week.”

He didn’t return to weightlifting until Year 12 – initially to help with his rugby – until his talent as a lifter began to emerge.

“I went to my first nationals that year. I won youth and junior and came third in seniors. I qualified for internationals in 2014 and came home with a silver. And then I thought I could give this a shot. The rest is history.”

But it hasn’t been without hard mahi along the way. “To achieve goals, you’ve got to set goals first and then chip away at them bit by bit,” he says.

gazette.education.govt.nz

Perseverance is key

David’s sessions with IBA left a lasting impression on 19-year-old participant Grace Stickings, who says the most important thing she learned from David is the importance of routine in achieving your goals.

“He was very impressive. He is a self-made man and shows opportunities for Polynesian kids outside of just being a rugby player. Perseverance is key,” she says.

David is eager to see Pacific young people bust the stereotypes and shine.

“To be honest, a lot of people here in New Zealand are blind to the fact that us Polys and Māori are really talented.

A lot of our kids just end up drinking in the garage and wasting the opportunity to show the world what they are made of and what they can do. We’re not just obese kids from the Pacific.”

Profound impact

Andre says this message aligns with the work they’ve been doing with the participants.

“We were really drawn to David Liti working with us because he is a young Polynesian male who has achieved some amazing things. His talk around setting goals and having a mindset to achieve these is something that really resonated with our own values and visions for our rangatahi.”

The IBA programme has had a profound impact on many of the participants, including Grace.

“I feel like I have become a whole different person both mentally and physically,” she says.

“I am looking forward to the future when I used to be worried about it. I feel like I’m going to be able to go into the world and be successful and I know there is a support system behind me if I need it.”

See the Gazette’s article Imagine, Believe, Achieve – the programme that’s set to make a difference.

“IBA has given me my life back”

Ezra (aged 20) reflects on his experience of the IBA programme.

I was sceptical about attending IBA because it was something new that I hadn’t done before, and I didn’t have much information about the course and what the course would entail. Once I arrived, it was easier to understand the course and that it was tailored to your needs. The facilitators helped me understand that the course was aimed at getting a job and was leading to fulltime employment.

More importantly it was about getting a routine back into my life and my life back on track – by getting fit, learning about different opportunities in work through site visits and through the many guest speakers. I have learned to become work-ready by understanding the core values, the eight employability skills, and whare tapa whā (Māori health and wellbeing) model.

About four weeks into the course, I got some work experience at Otto’s café [Oscar and Otto] as a kitchenhand.

I was really nervous at first because of the fear of the unknown. I didn’t know what to expect and how I was going to go about the job. As I got more experience in the job, my confidence grew. The owner helped show me where things go and the systems of the kitchen.

The IBA facilitators kept in contact with me by visiting me on site, helping me work in the kitchen and talking about the work. This opportunity showed me what it would be like to work full-time in a job like this. I have just completed a six-week casual contract and am looking forward to seeing what is next for me in the future.

I now have an opportunity to work with MediaWorks doing promotion work. IBA has given me my life back.

Early Childhood Centres FOR LEASE

Register your interest today for early access to leasing opportunities of our high quality purpose-built childcare centres.

SIGNATURE

DEVELOPMENTS

A member of the award winning Signature Homes Group.

Contact Dale Prosser today on 0274 747 999 or email daleprosser@signature.co.nz

1 March 2021

Tukutuku Kōrero

SDL-ED-01

41

EARLY LITERACY

Meeting the need

An enhanced approach to early literacy Changes to support early literacy means a literacy approach that offers structured resources for learners in their first few years of schooling.

T

he findings from national and international research in recent years have raised some concerns around literacy progress and achievement for learners in New Zealand.

Studies including the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS, 2016), Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2018), and the National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement (NMSSA 2019) indicated a need to look closely at how we are approaching literacy learning.

In response, the Ministry is enhancing its support for early literacy to better meet the needs of all learners.

Supporting early literacy

Beginning this term, teachers and literacy specialists have a greater range of interventions and support for early literacy learning.

Schools will receive Ready to Read Phonics Plus texts, the enhanced Ready to Read instructional series, which has new texts focused on a systematic approach to teaching reading.

The texts will be supported by funded professional support through the University of Canterbury in the Better Start Literacy Approach: Te Ara Reo Matatini (BSLA). The BSLA includes the integration of explicit and evidencebased class instruction in phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, reading, writing, listening comprehension and oral narrative.

The Reading Recovery programme is being enhanced and is now called Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Support. In addition to one-on-one support for learners needing intensive support, Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Support teachers will also provide small group support and whole-school literacy guidance.

Informed by research and practice

The enhanced support has a strong foundation of research, including Massey University’s Early Literacy Research Project, which involved a two-cohort longitudinal study.

Through a series of training workshops and associated materials, teachers were assisted to identify and respond to the specific literacy needs of children. The workshops provided teachers with the knowledge and skills to adopt explicit and systematic word-level decoding teaching strategies in their literacy instruction.

1 March 2021

Researchers at the University of Canterbury Child Well-Being Research Institute and School of Teacher Education have led the development of the BSLA. The initial research and trials in Canterbury (2015-18) were funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment as part of the ‘A Better Start: E Tipu e Rea’ National Science Challenge.

The successful pilot trials were extended in Christchurch and Auckland schools following investment by the Ministry of Education through an Innovative Foundational Learning contract (2019-20).

The results from the successful trials received positive international attention and have been published in leading journals which are freely available via open access. In the trials, teachers reported rapid improvements in aspects of learners’ oral, writing and reading skills and there has been enthusiastic support from teachers, school leaders and whānau about the positive impact of BSLA. A recent evaluation of Reading Recovery has also helped shape the enhanced supports. Chief among the suggestions of the evaluation report was to extend the reach of the programme by increasing the allocation according to need, adapting delivery to include small groups, and broadening the eligibility criteria.

Another suggestion was to integrate Reading Recovery with other literacy supports and establish processes to continuously monitor, evaluate and improve.

Professional support

Professional support delivered through the University of Canterbury and funded by the Ministry will be the key focus of the enhanced supports.

Support is being targeted at new entrant and Year 1 teachers alongside literacy specialists, equipping them with the know-how to then coach and support their colleagues with integrating the components of ELA into their teaching and learning programmes.

The first cohort is focused on literacy specialists who can build expertise across the education system.

Professional support will be delivered to cohorts during 2021 and 2022.

Tukutuku Kōrero

43

EARLY LITERACY

Assoc. Professor Alison Arrow:

Behind the enhanced Ready to Read series The Ministry of Education continually revises its literacy resources to ensure they are effective and reflect current research and the Ready to Read series is the latest to be updated.

The enhanced series, Ready to Read Phonics Plus, is part of the early literacy approach.

The new series was developed by a team of researchers at the University of Canterbury’s Child and Wellbeing Research Institute and School of Teacher Education, Associate Prof Alison Arrow, Prof Gail Gillon, Prof Brigid McNeill and Dr Amy Scott. Here, Alison explains some of the research and thinking that underpins the enhanced resource.

I

n New Zealand, learning to read has long focused on the idea that children learning to read make use of meaning which includes context and syntax to ‘work out’ what an unknown word might be. However, the results of research into literacy over the past 30-40 years tell us more about what children do when they are learning to read, and what skilled reading involves.

44

Education Gazette

The underpinning research

One of the most well-regarded models of reading comes from Distinguished Professor William (Bill) Tunmer of Massey University. He and his colleagues developed what is known as the Simple View of Reading (SVR).

This model has been tested in a variety of ways across the world and is one that has consistently

gazette.education.govt.nz

continued to explain reading. Essentially, it tells us that independent reading comprehension requires two bodies of knowledge – word reading ability and language comprehension. The research on this has converged to show that being able to read words is much more important for early reading comprehension than language comprehension.

However, word recognition doesn’t just happen; considerable foundational learning must take place before children can learn to read and spell in English.

Children need to be exposed to the letters of the alphabet and have their attention drawn to sounds in words, known as phonological awareness. Although oral language is necessary for language comprehension, it is also important in the foundational skills for word recognition.

Most children who have this exposure will start to use what they have learned quickly. Children who begin school without that knowledge take much longer to learn to read, and often continue to be struggling readers. Professors Tunmer and Chapman found this in their research in the 1990s, and we also found that in our recent Early Literacy Project study (2015-17).

Enhancing the Ready to Read series

What does this all mean? It means that although our existing reading series has been able to meet the needs of learners who already have the knowledge to learn to read quickly, the emphasis on the use of meaning and context to read unfamiliar words has disadvantaged the learners who do not already have this knowledge. They need more intense instruction in how to read the words on the page prior to applying meaning and context.

Explicit instruction using a scope and sequence of the phonic patterns (letter-sound correspondences, blends, and digraphs) can help children to learn to read words efficiently. We are using the Scope and Sequence developed for the Early Literacy Project as the basis of the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series.

There are four phases that represent the body of knowledge needed for learning to read and to spell words. Each phase has a scope, or the set of knowledge that can be taught, and a sequence to teach that.

For example, the first phase is known as Kākano, or Seeds, and the scope is: single consonant sounds, short vowels, vowel-consonant (VC) and consonant-vowelconsonant (CVC) words for decoding, and frequently used consonant digraphs.

The sequence is the order in which they can be systematically taught. The Ready to Read Phonics Plus books are developed to have focus patterns that follow the sequence. We’ve developed a new levelling approach that connects to the original Ready to Read series where

1 March 2021

the levelling is based on the challenges in meaning and context use.

Reflecting diversity

The books that are currently in development cross two genres: realistic fiction and nature-based fantasy.

We surveyed a sample of teachers to find out what topics and themes they would like to see included in the new texts. As a result, the realistic genre books include children from a variety of cultures with the main characters currently having Pākeha, Māori and Samoan backgrounds. The stories follow this group of friends engaged in activities at home, at school and out in the community and their environments.

As the Ministry of Education continues to develop the series, a variety of diverse cultural and societal families will be included. The nature-based fantasy books have New Zealand native animals living in bushland.

We have worked hard to ensure that, although these are fantasy books, they are based on the actual behaviours and characteristics of those animals. These books, therefore, do not just provide a tool for applying carefully sequenced phonic patterns but are vehicles for storytelling, meaning making and critical thinking.

Supporting teachers

To support these goals, we have developed teaching notes at the back of each book, providing guidance on ways to reinforce the decoding knowledge applied in the book, vocabulary words to teach, and a discussion guide to support children’s comprehension and extend their oral language.

Each book also has a more comprehensive guide for teachers, which includes sample lesson plans that highlight the focus words and sounds on each page of each book.

We will provide further support and guidance for both teachers and whānau on Literacy Online. The support materials will enable teachers to use different assessment tools to identify learners’ needs and begin their instruction at the appropriate place in the scope and sequence. This recognises that some children learn much faster than others.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Education has contracted the University of Canterbury to provide micro-credential online courses (Better Start Literacy Approach) to support teachers in ensuring all children have the necessary foundational skills to succeed in their early literacy attempts.

Support for teachers to implement this new explicit instruction within the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series for small group reading instruction is embedded within the Better Start Literacy approach micro-credentials.

Tukutuku Kōrero

45

EARLY LITERACY

Professor Gail Gillon:

Behind the Better Start Literacy Approach The Better Start Literacy Approach is an integrated approach to teaching and assessing phonological awareness, vocabulary, listening, spelling, writing and reading skills in the first year of learning. It was developed by the University of Canterbury and is based on years of research and work, including trials in Canterbury and Auckland schools. Here, Professor Gail Gillon discusses the background to the Better Start Literacy Approach.

N

ew Zealand, like many countries in the world, has educational inequities that we are working hard to eliminate. We know early literacy success is a powerful protective factor and leads to lifelong education, health and economic advantages. Change is needed however, at a systems level to ensure literacy success for all.

The factors that lead to educational inequities are complex. A multifaceted approach is therefore necessary if we are to achieve sustained improvements in children’s literacy outcomes that can result in intergenerational benefits.

New approach needed

We developed a Better Start Literacy Approach as one aspect of the change that is necessary for improved longerterm literacy outcomes. The approach is based on findings from our previous successful phonological awareness and oral language intervention studies here in New Zealand, together with robust international research findings.

The approach incorporates research related to culturally responsive practices and knowledge of facilitators of success for Māori, as well as findings from the Pacific Islands Family Study (AUT Pacific Health Research Centre).

Strengths-based framework

Central to the Better Start Literacy Approach is a strengths-based framework focusing on what children can achieve and then identifying their next steps for learning.

We advocate for a collaborative approach with literacy specialists, teachers, and whānau working together to enhance children’s early literacy success.

While Professor Brigid McNeill and I have led the development of the Better Start Literacy Approach, it has involved a talented team of researchers from Canterbury, Otago and Auckland Universities, advisors including Professors Angus and Sonja Macfarlane, Tufulasi Taleni, Mel Tainui (University of Canterbury), Professors Bill Tunmer and James Chapman (Massey University), as well as international advisors.

46

Education Gazette

Many aspects of the approach were co-constructed with class teachers and we have continued to improve and adapt the approach over the last five years based on teachers’, whānau and children’s feedback.

Successful pilot

We successfully piloted the Better Start Literacy Approach in seven lower decile schools in Christchurch as part of the ‘A Better Start: E Tipu e Rea’ National Science Challenge (2015-19), funded by MBIE and hosted at the Liggins Institute, University of Auckland.

The approach proved successful in significantly accelerating phonological awareness, vocabulary knowledge, word reading and spelling in 5- to 6-year-old children, compared with other types of early literacy instruction.

The approach proved particularly useful for children entering school with lower levels of oral language.

Improvements were evident for all genders and ethnicities and the skills of tamariki who identified as Māori or Pacific Island (45.5 per cent of the cohort) improved in similar ways to children who identified as New Zealand European.

Importantly, the trials showed that, using a response to intervention framework where children’s progress is carefully monitored and where class teachers are provided with appropriate levels of support, we can significantly increase the number of children succeeding in their early reading and writing attempts.

Replicating findings

We have now replicated these early findings with a range of new entrant/Year 1 classrooms in Christchurch and Auckland schools through the Ministry’s Innovative Foundational Learning contract.

The approach includes a range of class and small group activities as well as whānau workshops. We have now embedded the new Ready to Read Phonics Plus series into the approach. This is a great addition to help children apply their growing phonological awareness and vocabulary

gazette.education.govt.nz

knowledge into the connected text reading process.

The Better Start Literacy Approach also includes novel online monitoring assessments in phonological awareness, oral language (children retelling a story), word reading as well as spelling and connected text reading. The assessments provide teachers with detailed data to celebrate with whānau children’s progress as well as identify next steps for learning.

Micro-credentials developed

Micro-credential online courses have been developed to support literacy specialists, teachers and teacher aides implement the Better Start Literacy Approach.

Details can be found by searching Better Start Literacy Approach on the University of Canterbury website.

Applications for funding for these courses can be made through the Ministry of Education PLD website.

Professor Gail Gillon is Director of the Child Well-being Research Institute, Te Kāhui Pā Harakeke, University of Canterbury and Deputy Director of the ‘A Better Start: E Tipu e Rea’ National Science Challenge, Liggins Institute, University of Auckland.

SHAKE HANDS WITH A VOLCANO Let your learners explore the earth beneath their feet with our FREE Living with Volcanoes programme supported by EQC. Led by our AM Learn team at your school and featuring objects from the Auckland Museum collections. These engaging sessions are highly interactive and include challenges and experimentation. Available for years 1 - 8.

Living with Volcanoes is just one of Auckland Museum’s extensive learning experiences. Contact us to discuss your learning needs and tailor-made programmes.

Book today: 09 306 7040 | schools@aucklandmuseum.com

learn.aucklandmuseum.com

6-0 Education Gazette 190x140.indd 1

1 March 2021

18/02/21 9:18 AM

Tukutuku Kōrero

47

EARLY LITERACY

BETTER START LITERACY APPROACH

READING RECOVERY EVALUATION

The Better Start Literacy Approach is an integrated classroom literacy programme for Year 0-1 classrooms to support children’s early reading, writing and oral language success.

This report presents a summative process and outcome evaluation of Reading Recovery in New Zealand. An overview of the findings, evaluative judgements and considerations is presented in Section 4. This evaluation was a rapid review conducted from April to July 2019.

There was insufficient data available to support an economic evaluation at that time.

It incorporates vocabulary development using quality children’s story books, structured teaching of critical phonological awareness skills and letter-sound knowledge through fun and game-based activities, activities making explicit links to the reading and spelling context, and structured small group reading sessions using the new Ready to Read Phonics Plus texts.

The Better Start Literacy Approach follows a phonics scope and sequence that is used in the class and small group reading sessions.

MICRO-CREDENTIAL ONLINE COURSE Micro-credentials are designed as high quality, easily accessible, short courses of learning to meet an identified practice need. In many instances universities are designing micro-credentials to support practitioners to gain credit towards further formal qualifications, such as postgraduate certificates if learners wish to pursue further study at a later date.

There are many benefits to the use of micro-credentials to support professionals in their work-based practices. In particular, the Covid-19 situation is intensifying the need for flexible, online, easily accessible learning modules suitable for practitioners in busy work situations or working from home environments.

48

Education Gazette

EARLY LITERACY RESEARCH PROJECT The purpose of this longitudinal research project was to improve the literacy outcomes of new entrant children during, and beyond, their first year of school. Through a series of training workshops and associated materials, teachers were assisted to identify and respond to the specific literacy needs of children. The workshops provided teachers with the knowledge and skills to adopt explicit and systematic word-decoding teaching strategies in their literacy instruction.

The Ministry is providing a phased approach to professional support using the Ready to Read Phonics Plus Texts. The first cohort is now underway but if you think your school would be interested in taking part in term 3, look out for further information in the School Bulletin, Literacy Online and social media with details about how to apply during term 2, 2021.

Visit this article at the Gazette online for more

information on the Better Start Literacy Approach trials.

gazette.education.govt.nz

PAYROLL

School payroll:

on time, every time

Delivering the largest payroll in New Zealand accurately and on time each payday is a complicated and ever-changing task, with school administrators, principals, the Ministry of Education and Education Payroll Limited (EPL) working together to get it right.

M

aking the school payroll simpler, easier to use and more accurate is the focus at Education Payroll (EPL), a small company that uses cutting edge technology.

Each year EPL is responsible for paying approximately 94,000 teachers and support staff in around 2,500 schools every fortnight. That’s approximately $214 million per pay period and $5.6 billion per annum.

Step-change in schools’ pay process

feedback. Once a design has been settled on, it’s provided to the in-house build teams, who write and test the code then send it to 200 test schools who try it out in real life.

Adjustments are made based on their feedback before the feature gets rolled out to all schools.

“We relentlessly focus on making the system simpler and reducing effort for schools, improving accuracy and reducing risk. It takes a highly skilled technical team working hard behind the scenes and a group of super-users in schools all working together to make that happen,” says Arlene.

There’s also a dedicated team of payroll advisors who are on hand to provide expert help and support to school administrators and principals.

Chief Executive Arlene White says EPL’s new online payroll system EdPay is a step-change in the way schools’ pay is processed, moving from the old, forms-based Novopay to a faster and more accurate online system.

“Last year we celebrated one year of EdPay in More than just payroll schools and retired the first The company doesn’t just of the old NOVO forms, deliver schools’ payroll. which were lengthy and EPL staff also assess Schools Account Team Trainer Dimson Tiburcio on a call to a school. complicated. In the future, teachers’ qualifications EdPay will replace Novopay and experience to set entirely,” she says. correct salaries, process and administer ACC claims, “It’s the combination of people and technology that’s manage overpayments, and administer third party the key to making everything work. We design everything payments, such as ACC, KiwiSaver and student loans. with schools for schools, with the aim of making a EPL also implements collective agreement and complex system simpler, quicker and more accurate corresponding individual agreement changes for teachers wherever we can,” says Arlene. and support staff, which often includes the merging Schools have jumped on board, with strong and of existing grade steps, and complex calculations. positive feedback. EdPay’s Add New Employee feature, for Implementing last year’s Teacher Aide Pay Equity Claim, example, resulted in around 95 percent accuracy first time, for example, covered 20,160 employees (with 21,933 jobs), compared with 75 percent using forms. and those employees needed 40,485 individual changes to funding and rostered hours. Around 23,036 allowance New features records were adjusted or created as part of this change.

EPL is progressively adding new features to EdPay to “This year we’ll focus on improving our EdPay ensure it’s easy to use and reflects the advice of school features and service, retiring remaining NOVO forms, administrators, business managers and principals. decommissioning Novopay, and updating some of our Every new feature starts with a design phase in technologies, but our number one priority will always which EPL’s customer experience team tours schools, be ensuring the fortnightly pay is on time and accurate,” demonstrating on-screen mock-ups and collecting says Arlene.

1 March 2021

Tukutuku Kōrero

49

RESOU RCES

Video resources at teachers’ fingertips Schools, kura and early learning services now have access to a huge selection of free video resources, thanks to a new collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Education Television and Video Communications Trust (ETV).

T

eachers at Hobsonville Point Secondary School in West Auckland have enjoyed access to ETV’s eclectic range of video resources for many years.

Principal Maurie Abraham says ETV is an excellent resource for teachers and a useful tool in the classroom.

“It has a particular focus on New Zealand-based content, which makes it relevant across all curriculum areas, and it provides teachers with a range of content that you can’t find elsewhere.”

Maurie also values the interactive elements that allow teachers to insert their own annotations to any video.

At Forest View High School in Tokoroa, English and Social Sciences teacher Rachel Toy appreciates having the resources categorised by age level and subject.

“I love the way nothing is limited; if I want a particular documentary or programme from TV to be recorded, I can request it.”

50

Education Gazette

And now, thanks to a new initiative between ETV and the Ministry, every school, kura and early learning service in New Zealand will be able to access ETV’s wide range of video resources to support teaching and learning.

ETV library

For 10 years ETV has captured and catalogued over 150,000 programmes from New Zealand free-toair channels, Sky TV, some overseas channels, and legitimate internet channels.

“As a not-for-profit trust, providing the free library of resources is part of ETV’s philanthropic contribution to education,” says General Manager Martin Drew.

ETV has worked with the Ministry to set up every school and kura in the country with access to the free

gazette.education.govt.nz

library. Early learning services should visit the website to find out how they can access the resources.

Teachers can add to the catalogue by asking ETV to capture any upcoming programme by using the Request Recording button that appears on every page. The programme will be captured, catalogued and uploaded to ETV, making it permanently available for all teachers to use.

How to access ETV resources ETV is the largest online video library for educators in New Zealand, with over 150,000 videos in the subscription catalogue and a huge selection of resources in the free library.

Every school and kura has been set up with its own sub-domain on ETV. In order to access all the free library resources, teachers need to register on ETV, as it is not a public platform. Registration is easy; simply visit etv.org.nz and click on the First Time Registration button.

Supporting teaching and learning

From early learning right through to tertiary education, there is a wide range of relevant content available to cover all curriculum learning areas at every age group.

Navigating the website is straightforward, with resources categorised by subject and schooling level.

Martin expects teachers will find ETV’s resources useful to support curriculum content for Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories. There is a wide range of resources available at no cost from contributors such as Archives NZ, which has uploaded over 300 videos of historical value, and content from Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision will be available over the next few months.

“Teachers can also access a huge range of resources around student safety and wellbeing,” he says.

Martin points out that ETV resources align with flexible learning.

Learning through the Covid-19 lockdowns emphasised the importance of making learning resources accessible to students for anywhere, anytime learning. ETV is internet based, so any future Covid lockdowns will not prevent students from continuing to learn.

Making learning come alive

Teachers can manage the resources with tools provided by ETV. Using Enhanced Video Annotation (EVA), teachers can turn any video into an enriched interactive experience, with 17 different types of annotation and interactive tools that pop up while the learner watches the video.

“Today’s digital natives will readily engage with video.

Audio visual content utilises sight, sound, colour and movement, inspiring deeper learning, better retention and reinforced motivation,” says Martin.

Early learning services should visit the website to find out how they can access the resources.

Using the free library and the additional video annotation functions incurs no cost to schools, nor any obligation to use the subscription resources.

If schools, kura and early learning services want to access ETV’s recordings and online collections beyond what the library has to offer, they can request a free three-month trial by visiting etv.org.nz and completing the Enquiry form.

There is no obligation to continue after the end of the three months, and access to the free library content continues permanently.

ETV has been approved by the Minister of Education and Screenrights to operate as an Education Resource Supplier under the Copyright Act S.48.

“It has a particular focus on New Zealand-based content, which makes it relevant across all curriculum areas, and it provides teachers with a range of content that you can’t find elsewhere.”

Maurie Abraham

DONT JUST WATCH, LEARN EVA, our Enhanced Video Annotation tool, turns any video into an enriched interactive experience with 17 different types of annotation and interactive tools that pop up while the learner watches the video.

EVA Basic comes free for every teacher, which enables you to add no-response tools to your videos such as Labels, Text Boxes, Tables, Links and Images.

Contact ETV on 0800 438 388, or visit www.etv.org.nz

1 March 2021

Tukutuku Kōrero

51

52

Education Gazette

gazette.education.govt.nz

EARLY LEARN I NG

Ngā Ara Whai Hua – Quality Framework for Early Childhood Services Updating its approaches to external evaluation, the Education Review Office (ERO) has developed Ngā Ara Whai Hua: Quality Framework for Early Childhood Services.

Implementation of this framework has been phased in since 2019.

C

hanging societal contexts, including shifting patterns of parental employment and increasingly diverse cultural and educational aspirations, have led to changes in the early learning sector. At the core of Ngā Ara Whai Hua are its indicators, Te Ara Poutama, which have been revised and updated from He Pou Tātaki: How ERO reviews early childhood services (2013).

Ngā Ara Whai Hua and Te Ara Poutama (indicators of quality) are designed to focus early childhood services and ERO evaluators on the things that support equity and excellence for all learners. This includes supporting children’s developing knowledge, skills, attitudes, dispositions and working theories that support lifelong learning.

Focus on quality

Ngā Ara Whai Hua sets out three approaches to reviewing and evaluating quality in early childhood services: » Akanuku | Assurance Reviews assess whether services are meeting regulatory standards (implemented since July 2019). » Akarangi | Quality Evaluations evaluate the extent to which services have the learning and organisational conditions to support children’s learning. » Akamatua | Evaluating Excellence and Innovation identify, investigate and evaluate cases of excellence and innovation (case studies in development will guide this approach prior to implementation in 2021).

Te Ara Poutama – indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most

Within the Ngā Ara Whai Hua framework, early childhood services are evaluated based on Te Ara Poutama (indicators of quality), which draw together research and evaluation evidence about effective practice in early childhood education that promote valued learning outcomes for children in Aotearoa New Zealand. The indicators have been developed through collaboration with an academic expert panel.

1 March 2021

These indicators consist of outcome indicators, based on the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, and process indicators, which identify conditions that contribute to high quality early childhood education.

The process indicators describe learning and organisational conditions that are most likely to optimise equitable opportunities to promote children’s learning.

The process indicators include five domains that contribute to quality early childhood education: » He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning » Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning and development builds knowledge and capability » Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement » Kaihautū Leadership fosters collaboration and improvement » Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management

Collaborative approach

The indicators provide a sharper focus on quality and the framework offers a collaborative approach to ensure that the joint efforts in undertaking the evaluation lead to quality improvements in all services.

Ngā Ara Whai Hua: Quality Framework for Evaluation and Improvement in Early Childhood Services outlines ERO’s shared approach to review and evaluation for accountability and improvement.

Te Ara Poutama – indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most are designed to provide guidance for evaluation across the sector, for external evaluations undertaken by ERO, and for internal evaluations that services undertake themselves as part of their ongoing planning for improvement.

For more information, read this article online, or see ero.govt.nz.

Tukutuku Kōrero

53

GA ZET TE ON LI N E

Visit Education Gazette online for more great content Competition stimulates interest in STEM and space careers The NASA Scientist for a Day annual essay writing competition for Year 7-10 students aims to inspire students towards STEM subjects and space careers, challenging students to think like a NASA scientist.

Planting a future Schools can apply for a grant to plant trees in their grounds as living memorials to people who have made a difference in their local communities, and in doing so, help their learners forge stronger connections with their communities and environment.

Education Gazette’s first special centenary issue online

54

Education Gazette

gazette.education.govt.nz

NOTICE BOARD

Have a product or service that you would like to advertise to the education sector?

Place an advertisement in our notice board by contacting Jill Parker jill.parker@nzme.co.nz 027 212 9277

Maths Teachers Reduce Workload and Stress (Years 11-13) Use our Editable Assessment Masters: Internal, End of Year, and Parallel. www.sincos.co.nz SINCOS Mission Statement: Reducing Teacher Workload

GEN ERAL VACANCI ES

To view the PLD, general notice listings and vacancies at gazette.education.govt.nz

NMSSA

Wā n a n g a t i a t e Pu t a n g a Ta u i r a

National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR TEACHER ASSESSORS The Arts • Learning Languages • Technology 12 positions nationwide for Term 3 2021

scan the QR codes below with the camera on your device.

Professional learning and development

Notices

Applications are now open for highly effective and committed teachers to be trained as NMSSA assessors to implement the 2021 programme with Year 4 and Year 8 students.

NMSSA is seeking teachers: • with curriculum interests, responsibilities or skills in the arts or technology; • who are able to clearly demonstrate cultural responsiveness to, and affinity with, children from diverse backgrounds, particularly Māori and Pacific; • who can communicate and establish relationships effectively with children, teachers and parents; • who can follow procedures and work accurately with attention to detail; and • who can work confidently with digital technology and new software.

APPLICATIONS: OPEN Mon 22 Feb CLOSE Mon 29 March Online application form and detailed information available at: https://nmssa.otago.ac.nz.

Specific enquiries to freephone 0800 808561 or email nmssa.earu@otago.ac.nz.

NMSSA is conducted by the Educational Assessment Research Unit (EARU), University of Otago, in partnership with the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER), under contract to the Ministry of Education.

Vacancies

E tautoko ana Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo i te kaupapa whakaorite whiwhinga mahi.

Equal opportunity in employment is University of Otago policy.

Educational Assessment Research Unit, University of Otago, Dunedin

1 March 2021

Tukutuku Kōrero

55

DIS P L AY LEADERSH I P VACANCI ES

Principal Woodstock School, Hamilton Full time, Permanent, U5 We are a decile 5 primary school for Years 1-6, set on beautiful grounds in the central Hamilton suburb of Fairfield. Our role caters for over 400 children over 16 classrooms. At Woodstock we celebrate our diverse cultural mix and in addition we have two special satellite classrooms for children with physical and intellectual challenges.

We are looking for a superstar to take over from our highly respected former principal. We are ideally looking for someone who can start at the beginning of term 3 2021.

The successful candidate will be rewarded with a wonderful opportunity to continue leading our passionate team of teaching staff who are fully committed to providing excellence in all academic, cultural and sporting activities. What we are looking for: » You will be a highly experienced educator with knowledge of modern pedagogy and curriculum - you will lead our team from the front. » A skilled and visible communicator and collaborator - with staff, with the students and with the wider school community. » A leader who embraces the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi and will bring significant understanding of te ao Māori and te reo Māori, together with an understanding of mana whenua and a commitment to partner with tangata whenua. » Someone who has the ability to nurture and empower children in partnership with family and whānau.

TWO POSITIONS Deputy Principal – 5 MU’s plus allowances Assistant Principal – 4 MU’s plus allowances Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls is seeking to appoint two new aspirational Senior Leaders to work with our committed Senior Leadership Team. We are seeking collaborative and strategically minded educational leaders with proven pedagogical experience. You will join a vision-driven team that is passionate and committed to student wellbeing, engagement, empowerment and achievement.

Both roles require leaders who are culturally responsive with a knowledge of Te Ao Maori.

The successful applicants will: • Be NZ registered teachers with experience in managing and leading change.

• Be able to demonstrate flexibility in attitude and practice.

• Be able to connect effectively to a diverse community.

• Be able to demonstrate an affinity with the Special Character of the School.

• Be leaders who can demonstrate an appreciation of the evolving nature of education, both in NZ and internationally.

• Be able to show significant school management experience in timetabling, school wide assessment and daily operations.

• Have an ability to lead effective ongoing pastoral care within our school and boarding hostel.

• Be effective communicators and listeners, who are able to demonstrate well developed skills of personal and professional reflection.

» An inspirational leader who is also a great team member. You will build lasting positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. You will be approachable, energetic and focused on the wellbeing of staff and students.

While there is no specific portfolio advertised for these roles, the successful candidates will be able to negotiate roles and specific responsibilities based on our shared team strengths and development opportunities.

This position commences 26 July 2021. Applications close 5pm 17 March 2021. To receive an application pack, please contact johannap@woodstock.school.nz

If this sounds like you, then we look forward to your application.

Commencement date will be term 2, 2021, or by negotiation.

Applications close by Friday 26 March 2021 at 5pm.

Application packs are available from our Appointments Consultant, Graeme McFadyen: graememcfadyen@gmail.com or mobile 0221632892

56

Education Gazette

gazette.education.govt.nz

Education Gazette | Blue Star $10,000 technology fund

Schools and kura have the chance to win one of four $2500 awards: » two to support hangarau matihiko in Māori medium education » two to support the digital technology teaching in English medium.

Simply send in a portfolio of a module of your digital technologies and hangarau matihiko teaching to gazette@education.govt.nz by 3 May 2021 to be in with a chance to win one of the four awards to further enhance your programme.

For entry information, go to: www.education.govt.nz/education-gazette-blue-star-technology-grants

After a year like no other, the Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards recognise inspiring work by schools, kura and early learning services from across New Zealand.

Teaching that benefits children and young people, whānau and entire communities.

Teaching that changes us all.

Share your team’s best practice.

Enter the 2021 Awards now

pmawards.education.govt.nz