TOD - Tamaki Cluster

Today we were hosted by Glen Taylor School and the PLD focus was on integrating literacy into the curriculum. Our keynote speaker for the day was Dr Rae Si'ilata and her colleague Kyla Hansell whom I had the pleasure of meeting last year when I attended their workshops on Pasifika Immersion with a focus on dual language texts. I registered for 3 different workshops and was able to take away meaningful learning intentions from all of them. The first one was with Clarelle and Khismira who advocated for iPad learning of literacy with the Juniors. I was inspired to make new "Explain Everything's" - EEs to support making and breaking of words using magnetic letters and recording this onto their iPads. The second one was with Jo Gormly - "Creating a rich oral language programme" who explained the need for practical learning opportunities in the classroom to aid children's English language accumulation which in turn increased their interest in writing for meaning. We had a turn at the science experiment of learning about how clouds turn into rain and then it disappears, using a jar of water, shaving foam and blue food colouring. We also had the privilege of Dr Yanni Vessen being in attendance, to give added support to children learning language by being gifted words and giving them as much opportunity as possible with talking in the classroom, using back and forth conversations. Because most Maori and Pasifika children arrive at school with an English language deficit, this is crucial to their learning and develeopment, alongside developing sharing skills for co-operative play opportunities. The last workshop I attended was Dr Rebecca Jessen's workshop on "T shaped literacy for Juniors" (going wide and deep) when reading for meaning and finding known words in the text and similar themes to the readers that children may or may not relate to. They introduce new vocabulary which is what can be discussed by the teacher and students and carried out from one text to another... Finally Rae and Kyla advocated for the need to include diversity, cultural heritage and languages from the child's home environment, encouraging the child to speak their heart languages and providing opportunities for the learning intentions to be focused on resources using inclusive practice as a starting point. Rae reminded us of how much literacy and language Maori and Pasifika children accumulate in their home environments from cultural practices such as Talanoa, oratory, story telling from one generation to another, choral reading, Bible verses, song, waiata, Kapa Haka, and dance. The double hulled waka (boat) termed "The Va'atele Model" developed by Si'ilata (2014) represents a range of key factors identified in order for Pasifika learners to thrive in their educational environment. Bilingualism, second language acquisition and literacy learning are all pertinent for this to be achieved. Kyla advocates for "Cultural Visibility" and how teachers can tap into students interest, prior knowledge and engagement in their learning using a collaborative approach and by using a mirror as well as a window. Overall, I found these insights to be useful and significant to the children that I teach and will be changing parts of the way I teach literacy in Reading and Writing into the curriculum in order to support Maori and Pasifika learners.