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Literacy Forum NZ
TE KORERO PANUI TUHITUHI O AOTEAROA
Vol.34, No. 1, 2019
is published by
The New Zealand Literacy Association (Inc.)
which is an affiliate of the
International Reading AssociationLiteracy Forum NZ is a peer reviewed journal, the official publication of the New Zealand Literacy
Association, which is an affiliate of the International Reading Association. It is published three
times per year and is free to NZLA members. Subscription cost for non-members is available on
application.
Ideas and statements expressed in Literacy Forum NZ are not necessarily the official viewpoint of
the New Zealand Literacy Association.
Editorial Board
Glenice Andrews
Sue Bridges
Trish Brooking
Wendy Carss
Sue Dymock
Joy Hawke
Libby Limbrick
Wendy Morgan
Mal Thompson
Editor: Mal Thompson
Local Editorial team: Manawatu Literacy Association, led by Sarah McCord and Mal Thompson.
The panel of reviewers are members of the NZLA, plus academics and teachers from New Zealand
and overseas.
Address for correspondence
Dr Mal Thompson (General Editor)
178 Burt Street
Wakari
Dunedin 9010
forumeditor@nzla.org.nz
NZLA website: http://www.nzla.org.nz/
Published March 2019 ©
Copyright NZLA
ISSN 2324-3643CONTENTS
From the President........................................................................................................4
Advocating for children: Not all literacy interventions, approaches and resources are
equal Janet S. Gaffney, Suzanne Smith, Frances Commack, Annabelle Ash, Margot
Mackie, Sonia Mudgway............................................................................................5
Va‘atele: Enabling Pasifika literacy success Rae Si‘ilata.............................................. 13
Kiwis, Geckos, School Journal, Annuals, Susan Paris, and me, Kate
Kate de Goldi............................................................................................................25
What to watch out for in children’s publishing in 2019 Rob Southam .......................38
Narrative and nourisment: story and self Barbara Else ............................................... 42
Ramping up reading for pleasure Debbie Roxburgh..................................................... 55
Literacy Landscapes - National 41st Conference Report Sarah McCord ..................60
NZLA 42nd Conference "The Arts as a Bridge to Literacy"......................................64
Book Reviews
Oi Frog Kes Gray, illustrated by Jim Field............................................................. 67
The Old Man Sarah V, illustrated by Claude K Dubois............................................ 67
News from the Councils
Southland..............................................................................................................68
Waikato.................................................................................................................69
What were we reading in 2009?.................................................................................71
Cover photograph;
Story time with "Poppa".NEW ZEALAND LITERACY ASSOCIATION
From the President
Kia ora colleagues
Welcome to the first issue of Literacy Forum NZ 2019. I hope you all have had a relaxing
Summer break and now you will already be full on into term 1.
We are pleased to bring you another issue of great professional reading that includes a
range of quality articles from our 2018 conference, “Literacy Landscapes” in Palmerston North.
This year the Canterbury Literacy Association will be delighted to host “The Arts
as a Bridge to Literacy”, NZLA’s 42nd National Conference which will be held in
Christchurch at Rangi Ruru Girls’ School in Merivale. Registration details about the
conference are up on the website and look out for the ‘Call for Workshop Submissions’
coming soon.
The NZLA Executive is very grateful that the extremely generous Marie Clay
Literacy Trust has given us $15,000 for the 2019 Conference Awards. $12,000 of this
is for Early Career teachers (up to and including six years teaching experience) and
$3000 is for Experienced teachers. Every Council will be awarding 1 x $1000 MCLT
Conference Award for Early Career teachers and NZLA will be awarding 6 x $500
MCLT Conference Awards for Experienced Teachers across New Zealand to attend
the NZLA 42nd National Conference in Palmerston North. To apply for either of these
awards please contact your local Literacy Council for more information. Contact details
for Literacy Councils are on the back cover of this Literacy Forum NZ or on the NZLA
website.
The next Regional Leadership Workshop will be held in Christchurch on Saturday
30 March 2019 for Councils in the central North Island. Leadership workshops held
in previous years have been very well received with participants gaining a lot from the
sharing and discussions. I will be in touch with the local councils in these areas very soon
with more details.
This is the time of the year when most Literacy Associations are holding their
Annual General Meetings. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank those
members who put up their hand and help on their local Association’s committee. Your
work is very much appreciated. If you are not a member of a local Literacy Association
committee, maybe this is the time you could consider joining. The old saying “Many
hands make light work” very much applies to our committees - the
more active committee members you have the less work it should
be for everyone. Belonging to a well-run committee can be very
rewarding and many life time friends have been made from being on
committees with your colleagues. Please consider joining your local
Literacy Association if you are not currently a committee member.
All the best for a wonderful 2019
Joy Hawke, NZLA President
4LITERACY FORUM N.Z. Vol. 34 No.1 2019
Advocating for children: Not all literacy
interventions, approaches and resources
are equal
Janet S. Gaffney, Suzanne Smith, Frances Commack,
Annabelle Ash, Margot Mackie, Sonia Mudgway
Advocacy is not separate from teaching The advocacy role of teachers will
children, it is what allow us to teach our be discussed along with criteria for
children. critically appraising teaching approaches
(Amy Smith, 2013, Teacher Leader, and resources that facilitate literacy
Madison Country Schools, Kentucky) processing. Empirical research, school
and classroom contexts, children’s
At the 2018 New Zealand Literacy competences, and teachers’ theories of
Association’s (NZLA) National learning guide selection of interventions,
Conference in Palmerston North, approaches and teaching resources.
the first author (first name) gave a Which resources are worth the effort?
plenary presentation titled the same Which ones are worthy of children’s
as this manuscript. When invited to time? Why does it matter? In complex
submit a manuscript to the Literacy systems, a change in one part of the
Forum, NZLA’s journal based on this system has ripple effects at every other
presentation, I invited a few educators, level of operation that expands or limits
who attended the keynote, to engage optimal learning of each child. Students’
as dynamic thought partners and co- learning is what is at stake.
authors. We (F, S, A and M; first names) Educators are quite clear that they
offer our reciprocal musings on teachers’ are advocates for the children they teach,
roles as advocates for children to prompt the ones in their respective classrooms
and extend your thinking, whether or not or in their charge as Reading Recovery,
you were able to attend the conference. Resource Teachers of Literacy, Resource
Teachers are advocates for children Teachers of Learning and Behaviour,
in teaching and selection of literacy or Special Needs. Advocacy casts a
interventions, approaches and resources. wider net when teachers join with
Teachers serve an essential role as principals, assistant principals, Boards
members of an informed school team of Trustees and community members to
with responsibility for decision making make resource decisions for the school,
about literacy learning within their local Kāhui Ako or school cluster. Literacy
context. In the workplace of schools, teams are responsible for selecting
colleagues engage with others within and evaluating literacy interventions,
a set of shared assumptions that create approaches, curriculum materials and
the culture of learning and teaching. commercial resources that are used
5NEW ZEALAND LITERACY ASSOCIATION
across classrooms. These school-wide collective decision-making about
decisions are often accompanied by literacy practices that impact the
corresponding professional learning sector, school and cluster levels.
development (PLD). Resource
MM: Being advocates for children is a
decisions, therefore, have pedagogical,
privilege. It is our role to critically
curricular and economic impact on every appraise teaching approaches,
student, their whānāu and educators in a programmes and resources that we
school or school cluster. use. I ask myself, “Do I?”
Teachers are essential contributors Before continuing to read, engage in this
to these school teams. Teachers, who targeted reflection: Think of a resource,
are leading the way, are often in non- programme, curriculum or approach that
positional roles without leadership titles. you have recently chosen to use with a
They are the teachers who their peers class, small group, or an individual child
seek out for guidance, collaboration and respond to the following questions.
and innovation (Gaffney, Price, Abd- • How did you hear about it?
El-Khalick, Frericks, & Sundeman, • Why did you choose it?
submitted). The challenge for teachers, • Did it work?
who are leaders, is that they derive • How did you decide if it worked?
their expertise from their classroom The most important question is “why”.
experience, “yet unless they venture Why did you choose it? Then, consider
out of it, connecting and relating to if your measuring stick for “working”
other adults in the school, they do not corresponds to the reason you chose it.
fulfill the power in their teaching role”
(Ackerman & Mackenzie, 2006, p. 66). FC: Teachers have to constantly keep
An expansive view of teaching advocacy asking, “Why”? Why do they work?
beyond the realm of a classroom creates Why don’t they work? Is it the right
space for teachers to understand and intervention for the child? This links
influence systemic change. “Change well with The Golden Circle (Sinek,
2009). Often in schools, we do what
must be conceived at the level of a
has traditionally always been done,
system, but change can only be achieved
what is easy or what is most time
at the level of an individual” (Gaffney &
effective. Sometimes we don’t always
Paynter, 1994, p. 24).
see the results that we want to
FC: Advocacy for children . . .what is achieve or that have been achieved
your def inition? previously. It really made me think
deeper about some interventions that
JG: To act in support of another’s
I have previously used and I wonder
interests
if the achievement could have been
SS: Teaching is advocacy on a daily different if I had thought deeper about
basis. the approach.
JG: And, extends to children beyond JG: Sinek’s “Golden Circle” is a set of
individual classrooms through three concentric circles with “Why”
6LITERACY FORUM N.Z. Vol. 34 No.1 2019
in the centre, “How” in the middle are protective devices to avoid being
circle and “What” in the outer seduced by fads, unwarranted claims,
circle. Thinking and talking about flash trends, packaged programmes,
teaching in professional discussions gimmicks and testimonials. Assuring
is often focussed on ‘what’ to do and quality of resources protects children
‘how’ to do it rather than addressing and youth from ineffective teaching,
the central question: “Why?” teachers from unproductive PLD and
schools against the waste of funds.
SS: We must rigorously inquire into
On the websites and brochures of
and evaluate interventions,
commercial resources and the back
approaches and resources to meet
covers of professional books, descriptors,
the complex and diverse needs of
such as evidence-based and research-
all our learners. We are accountable
based, are highlighted. As advocates,
for the resources we choose and must
who act in the service of children and
not be caught up in the ‘how’ and
youth, and their families, members of the
‘what’ or oversimplify alternatives.
literacy team would have responsibility
“Why” must remain central to our
for confirming these claims. Duke and
decision making.
Martin (2011) offered a clear distinction
SM: Am I asking my team the right between research- and evidence-based.
questions to challenge their When claims are made that an approach,
thinking? I continue to encourage intervention or material has a research
my team to question and challenge base, this means that the authors have
my decisions (and not be afraid to identified one or more sources in the
assert their opinion when they are literature, which may or may not be
passionate about the progress of a empirical, to back up aspects of their
child). resource. Thus, a professional resource
A thoughtful, critical and collective may cite a handful of related references
approach is needed to appraise resources, that address the importance of a
particularly commercial ones, that are curriculum area, such as comprehension
used in teaching. Quality assurance or writing but are not providing support
procedures can be undertaken in the for specific recommended practices or
selection of resources before they are tools in the book or kit. “Evidence-based”
purchased or adopted full scale in or “research-tested” requires a higher
Year-level classes or across a school standard of use than “research-based”.
or schools. The literacy team fact- Evidentiary claims require empirical
checks advertisements, research claims, studies of specific recommended
alignment with the stated purpose(s) practices or resources using systematic
and with the New Zealand Curriculum procedures in similar contexts.
(Ministry of Education, MoE, 2007) Imagine a scenario on a teacher
and Effective Literacy Practice (MoE, website in which a teacher asks teachers
2003a and b) and the contextual fit with to recommend resources they use for
the school. These assurance procedures writing. A respondent might say, “I use
7NEW ZEALAND LITERACY ASSOCIATION
“x”. The requesting teacher says, “Do learning, the former requires individuals
you like it?’ The respondent gives an to proceed through the same sequence
acclamation, “We are very happy with it.” that is building a foundation on sand
Another teacher adds. “We use it, too!” (deficits) rather than a solid footing
The initial teacher says, “What school are (competences). “Good teaching . . . arises
you in? Can we bring a team to visit?” out of the understanding teachers have of
Within a few hours, 16 educators have their craft and never out of prescriptive
joined the conversation and expressed programs” (Clay. 1998, p. 130).
excitement about the resource, desire to As advocates, a community of
visit the school or intent to purchase. As colleagues could agree to pay attention
an advocate for children, some different to their own unintended assumptions
responses might be ”Why did you conveyed in language about children.
choose this resource for your context?”, When a label, for example ESOL, is
“What competencies of the children used as a descriptor of a child, is the
did you want to expand?” “What can conversation focussed on building on the
children do now that convinced you that child’s linguistic competences in their
it ‘works’?” “Do some children benefit heritage language/s and other related
more than others? How do you explain funds of knowledge (Moll, Amanti, Neff,
the differential benefits? “Will you & González, 1992; Podmore, Hedges,
share the studies that you read in your Keegan & Harvey, 2016; Rios-Aguilar,
decision-making?” Kiyama, Gravitt, & Moll, 2011) and on
While we would like to think that their current competencies in English?
literacy resources are being thoughtfully “The concept of funds of knowledge . . .
selected as fit-for-purpose and the is based on a simple premise: People are
learning context with evidentiary competent, they have knowledge, and
support, the influx of packaged their life experiences have given them
programmes and downloadable that knowledge” (González, Moll, &
resources that are narrowly targeted for Amanti, 2005, ix-x [italics in original]).
groups (e.g., bi- and multi-lingual and One way to readjust teaching from
cultural, ethnic, dyslexic, oral language) a focus on needs, or deficits, is to take
belies this assumption. Programmes are seriously the challenge of identifying and
designed to teach members of groups focusing only on children’s competences.
as if they are the same and will follow This suggestion comes with a caution
a predetermined sequence of learning. that this shift in mindset and teaching is
Assumptions about groups, in learning not easy, and will take time, commitment,
as in life, are misleading in terms of determination and creativity. Engaging
individuals (Gaffney, 2016). Programmes in advanced professional learning is
are designed to meet needs, or deficits, of best undertaken with colleagues who
group members rather than extending will share their collective wisdom and
each individual’s array of competences. accountability.
The latter leverages children’s learning The Window for Examining Learning-
momentum and leads to sustainable Teaching Interactions was designed by
8LITERACY FORUM N.Z. Vol. 34 No.1 2019
the first author in 2005 to graphically child we teach” and “our job is to
depict the complexity of the relationships f igure out the sense the child is trying
between a child and teacher’s behaviours to make of the world”. As I start a
and cognitions (Clay, 1991, p. 233). new year, this is something that I
keep in front of my mind. I need to
AA: The window of learning-teaching
establish relationships with all my
interactions stood out for me. In
children and their families, spend
Reading Recovery and classroom
time learning about them, how they
teaching, we notice a child’s actions
learn and how they view themselves
and behaviours, then the teacher
as learners and how they see the
responds depending on the needs of
world around them. This will give
the child. Considering what the
me a much better understanding
child does and thinks has helped me
of what is going to work for them
to wait before I respond.
and why it will work. I will be able
JG: As we closely observe what a child to cater for my children in a much
does or says, the challenge is to notice deeper level.
and leverage the child’s responses
JG: Teachers could build rapport with
that represent new and emerging
children without going to that
competencies without being
deeper level of understanding
distracted by diff iculties.
the relationship of learning and
SS: When you touched on learning- teaching. Theories of learning and
teaching interactions, I was teaching offer explanations for
particularly interested in a child’s groups of children. A colleague and
reality vs. our perception of what I have proposed that a personal
they think. What can we do and theory of each child is required—a
look for to best understand their Theory of Callum, Marcus, Cecelia,
thinking? or Tiantian—particularly when
a child’s progress stalls (Gaffney
JG: We can only make inferences about a
& Jesson, in press). The Window
child’s thinking from what they say
offers a frame to analyse learning-
and do; a reminder to be tentative
teaching interactions to explain
in our interpretations of another’s
THIS child’s learning, drawing
behaviour. Our interpretations map
on the child’s language, cultural
more closely on a child’s thinking
and specialized content expertise,
when we listen and observe closely
knowledge and ways of knowing.
over time and identify patterns of
Teaching is an artisan craft (Gaffney,
responses.
2015). As with other artisan crafts, such
FC: As a teacher, I pride myself on the as boat builders, pounamou carvers, and
relationships with my children and glass blowers, developing high quality
their families. You mentioned that in the complex craft of teaching is
“we need to have a theory of each multifaceted. How do we use experience,
9NEW ZEALAND LITERACY ASSOCIATION
intuition, and learning sciences to refine Our challenge is to “transcend the
our teaching craft? boundaries among teachers, leaders and
Reform must be built upon a political authorities in a way that allows
theory of pedagogy that teachers us to nurture, challenge, encourage, and
can take to depth. In this way, the develop every student entrusted to our
theory can provide teachers with an care” (Reeves, 2008, p. 1).
ongoing means of addressing new
demands on their practice, rather
than simply providing them with
a set of practices they are expected
to replicate regardless of context.
(Bishop, O’Sullivan, & Berryman,
2010, p. 60)
SS: The depth of our pedagogical theory
then gives us the power, as artisans,
to address the constant demands of
practice. No matter where we are
in our pedagogical understanding
it is the grounding of ‘why’ that References
reminds us to maintain a standard Ackerman, R., & Mackenzie, S. (2006).
of curiosity and rigour. This Uncovering teacher leadership. Educational
includes regularly clarifying our Leadership, 66-70.
‘why’ and seeking increasing depth Bishop, R., O’Sullivan, D.& Berryman,
in our pedagogical theory as well as M. (2010). Scaling up education reform:
being leaderful in our dialogue with Addressing the politics of disparity.
Wellington, New Zealand: NZCER Press.
others so that we all keep moving
Clay, M. M. (1991). Becoming literate: The
forward.
construction of inner control. Auckland:
SM: If we engage in collective leadership, Heinemann.
we can centre every decision we Clay, M. M. (1998). By different paths to
make back to children. common outcomes. York, ME: Stenhouse.
Duke, N. K., & Martin, N. M. (2011). 10
JG: One colleague identif ied a shift in things every literacy educator should know
the teacher-education landscape about research. The Reading Teacher, 65(1),
from teachers as advocates to teachers 9-22.
as moral agents (Kubanyiova, Gaffney, J. S. (2015, May). The tradition of
2018). te tukutuku: The unique literacy heritage of
Aotearoa New Zealand. Invited presentation
SM: We have to stand tall for our at National Reading Recovery Tutor
children.And, grow our capacity of Development Week, Auckland, New
“knowing what to do” (Chappell, Zealand.
2014; as cited in Kubanyiova, Gaffney, J. S. (2016). Proposal to establish The
2018). Marie Clay Research Centre. Faculty of
10LITERACY FORUM N.Z. Vol. 34 No.1 2019
Education and Social Work, University of Zealand Curriculum. Wellington, New
Auckland. Zealand: Learning Media.
Gaffney, J. S., & Jesson, R. (in press). We Podmore, V., Hedges, H., Keegan, P. J., &
have to know what they know (and so do Harvey, N. (2016). Teaching voyaging in
they) for children to sustain learning and plurilingual seas: Young children learning
independence. M. McVee, E. Ortlieb, J. through more than one language. Wellington,
Reichenberg, & P. D. Pearson (Eds.). The New Zealand: NZCER.
Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) Reeves, D. B. (2008). Reframing teacher
in Literacy Research and Practice. Bingley, leadership to improve your school. Alexandria
United Kingdom: Emerald Press. VA: Association for Supervision &
Gaffney, J. S., & Paynter, S. Y. (1994). The Curriculum Development.
role of early literacy interventions in the Rios-Aguilar, C., Kiyama, J. M., Gravitt, M.,
transformation of educational systems. & Moll, L.C. (2011). Funds of knowledge
Literacy, Teaching and Learning, 1(1), 23- for the poor and forms of capital for the
29. rich? A capital approach to examining
Gaffney, J. S., Price, R. L., Abd-El-Khalick, funds of knowledge. Theory and Research
F., Frericks, C. B., & Sunderman, J. A. in Education, 9(2), 163-184. DOI:
(submitted). Entrepreneurial teacher 10.1177/1477878511409776
leadership: A framework for catalyzing Sinek, S. (2009, September). How great
innovation student, class, and school leaders inspire action. TEDx. Puget Sound,
impact. Manuscript submitted for
Washington.https://www.ted.com/talks/
publication, Faculty of Education and
simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_
Social Work, University of Auckland, New
Zealand. action
Gonzalez, N., Moll, L. C., & Amanti, C. Smith, A. (2013, October 18). Outreach and
(Eds.). (2005). Funds of knowledge: advocacy: What allows us to teach our
Theorizing practices in households, children. RRCNA Connections: Resources for
communities, and classrooms. Mahwah, NJ: Decision Makers. Worthington: OH.
Lawrence Erlbaum.
Kubanyiova, M. (2018, March). Language Authors
teachers in the age of ambiguity: Educating
responsive meaning makers in the world.
Curriculum and Pedagogy Seminar,
Faculty of Education and Social Work,
University of Auckland.
Moll L.C., Amanti C., Neff, D., and
González, N. (1992). Funds of knowledge
for teaching: Using a qualitative approach
to connect homes and classrooms. Theory
into Practice, 31, 132–41. Janet S. Gaffney is Professor of
Ministry of Education. (2003a). Effective Educational Psychology-Literacy and
Literacy Practice in Years 1 to 4. Wellington,
Director of the Marie Clay Research
New Zealand: Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (2003b). Effective Centre in the Faculty of Education
Literacy Practice in Years 5 to 8. Wellington, and Social Work at the University of
New Zealand: Learning Media. Auckland. She has a dual background
Ministry of Education. (2007). The New in educational psychology and special
11NEW ZEALAND LITERACY ASSOCIATION
education with extensive teaching She has been teaching for 14 years and is
experience in communities with currently a Reading Recovery teacher. She
indigenous populations. has a special interest in Early Literacy for
janet.gaffney@auckland.ac.nz children through Play-based Learning.
annie@aranui-primary.school.nz
Sonia Mudgway has been teaching in
the Manawatu area over 24 years and is Margot Mackie is currently Deputy
currently Principal of Tokomaru School, Principal of Manchester Street School
a rural full-primary outside Palmerston in Feilding. Her current focus is on play-
North. based learning in a school based context
principal@tokomaru.school.nz and implementing the essence of the
inspiring Reggio Emilia approach.
margot@manchesterstreet.school.nz
Frances Cammock has a Bachelor of
Education-Primary (2005). She currently
teaches at Ruahine School in the outskirts Suzanne Sith is a Reading Recovery
of Dannevirke. Frances’ strength lies in teacher, Philosophy 4 Children (P4C)
junior mathematics. lead teacher, and Gifted Education
fcammock@ruahine.school.nz specialist at Russell Street School in
Palmerston North. Last year she trained
as a Reading Recovery teacher to dig
deeper into early literacy processing.
Email: suzanne@russellst.school.nz
Annabelle Ash is a primary school
teacher at Aranui School in Wanganui.
12LITERACY FORUM N.Z. Vol. 34 No.1 2019
Va‘atele: Enabling Pasifika literacy success
Rae Si‘ilata
Ki te taha o toku matua, no Ngati else…. Storied landscapes form
Raukawa, no Tūhourangi, no Otaki spatial and temporal tracks left by
ahau. Ki te taha o toku whaea, no Fiti, our ancestors that can be read with as
no Savusavu ahau. Ki te taha o toku much care as one reads the narratives
tane me aku tamariki, kei te hono ahau of classical history (p. 28).
ki Hamoa. It is appropriate to consider the question
about worldview and prior knowledge
On my father’s side I come from Ngati in light of long term calls by tangata
Raukawa, Tūhourangi and Otaki. On whenua (people of the land) to teach local
my mother’s side from Savusavu, Fiji. tribal place-based histories, and more
Through my husband and children I recently, a petition by the NZ History
Teachers Association for the teaching of
connect with Samoa.
Māori and colonial history in schools:
Storying our land “The New Zealand History Teachers'
A well known Hawaiian proverb states: Association believes too few Kiwis
‘A‘ohe pau ka ‘ike i ka hālau ho‘okāhi: understand what brought the Crown
and Māori together in the 1840 Treaty,
‘Not all knowledge is learned from one
or how their relationship developed
school’. The theme for the 2018 New
over the decades since – partly because
Zealand (NZ) Literacy Association’s
schools are not required to teach it”
conference in Papaioea/Palmerston
(Redmond, 2019). As I considered
North, Manawatu was ‘Literacy
the idea of ‘literacy landscapes’, I was
Landscapes’. In my keynote address, I
reminded of indigenous storying and
asked the question, ‘What is the world
literacies that possibly did not spring
view or prior knowledge that informs
automatically to mind for most teachers
your understanding of this idea?’ Styres and academics at the conference. Why?
(2019) states that: Because not all knowledge or histories
Storying is essentially the ways of local landscapes are valued in the
we narratively describe ourselves same way by New Zealand schools, or
as Indigenous peoples locally, by NZ educators. Stories of landscape
nationally, and globally. Land is at histories are often told through books;
once storied and relational informing however for Māori and Pacific peoples,
the social, spiritual, and systemic storying or storytelling was an important
norms and practices of a particular languaging practice, well before stories
culture-sharing group in relationship were written into books. It is often
to their places… Indigenous people through storying and remembering
exist in deeply intimate and sacred stories that tikanga or cultural knowledge
relationships with Land… it is the is shared. Frequently, storying also had
relationship that comes before all embedded whakatauki or proverbial
13NEW ZEALAND LITERACY ASSOCIATION
sayings that spoke through metaphor, made them water. It was this incident
hidden truths about human behaviour, that led to the name – Wairarapa: the
and ways of being that supported people rarapa (flashing) of the wai (water). As
to live through tikanga (correct customs Hau journeyed from there, he came to
or protocols) in pono or tika (true or a river crossing where he sat and felt
right ways). remorse. Looking into the water, he was
sad as he saw Wairaka’s face reflected
Haunui-A-Nanaia back at him –: Wai o Hine Wairaka
Māori history and stories relating to (Water for his woman Wairaka)
the landscapes of the Manawatu and referring to the tears he shed. We know
Horowhenua tell the journeying story it today as ‘Waiohine’. Hau then carried
of one man: Haunui-a-Nanaia, “who on up the east coast on his way home
was the ancestor of the Te Ati Hau a (Rangitane Education, 2015). In this
Paparangi people of the Whanganui story of Haunui-A-Nanaia and his
region” (Rangitane, Education, 2015). naming of the landscape, we find not
Hau named many of the maunga only information about the environment
(mountains) and the awa (rivers) on – but also a Māori worldview or way of
his journey across the motu (island) in seeing the world, to do with time and
pursuit of his errant wahine (woman) place; deep connection to the land,
Wairaka, who had run off with a slave. to tupuna (ancestors), memorialised
Some say that he began his journey through the naming of landscapes that
in Whanganui meaning Big Bay or reveal both ancient history and the
Harbour, then moved on to Rangitikei: geographical features of those named
which had been a day (rangi) of striding places.
(tikei) – and then to Turakina (to be
felled, or thrown down) where he used Connecting with children’s
a fallen log as a bridge. In his pursuit prior linguistic and world
of Wairaka he came to the Manawatu knowledge
River, where the water made his heart In considering some of the modern
(manawa) stand still (tu) because it was landscape features of Papaioea/
so cold. He carried on and named the Palmerston North, the conference
Ohau River after himself (the place of committee selected the wind turbines of
Hau). At Otaki he put his staff in the
Otaki River to measure the depth (the
place of the staff ). Then to Waikanae –
where he saw the silver flashing of the
kanae (mullet) in the wai (water). Then
he climbed up the hill (now known
as Rimutaka) – naming it Remutaka
(to sit down). As Haunui sat there, he
looked toward Lake Wairarapa and the
reflection of the sun caught his eyes and
14LITERACY FORUM N.Z. Vol. 34 No.1 2019
the Manawatu as a key image connecting “How would you get power from the
with the ‘Literacy Landscapes’ theme wind?” and “What is the girl doing?”
and gifted all participants a rock My colleague once told me a story of
painting of wind turbines and hills. being in a class with Pasifika children,
A text titled “Wind Power” (Quinn where a teacher introduced this book
& Gaynor, 1995) was used in New by showing the front cover image of a
Zealand classrooms for a number of girl with raised hands, and by asking the
question, “What do you think the book
is about?” Some of the Pacific children
in that class responded with, ‘It’s about
praising the Lord.” They were drawing
on their funds of knowledge, connecting
to the image, to make an inference that
the book was about praising God, rather
than about the power of the wind to
generate electricity. It would have been
more helpful if the teacher had initially
supported those children to make prior
knowledge connections to the schema
or underlying theme of the book.
When considering text choice,
writing foci and class inquiries, we
need to not only think about the
stories behind ancient landscapes, but
also reflect on the ‘reo-scape’ of NZ’s
years, as a guided reading text to support changing demographics. The specific
inquiries into the use of wind turbines prior linguistic, literacy and world
to generate electricity. In the teacher’s knowledge systems held by children in
notes for this text, suggested questions many linguistically diverse classrooms
for introducing the text included: in Aotearoa NZ need to be explored
15NEW ZEALAND LITERACY ASSOCIATION
and validated to enable meaningful found that there was an overall need
connection making between children’s for early learning services and schools
existing funds of knowledge and text to improve their response to ‘culturally
knowledge. A few years ago, a teacher in and linguistically diverse learners’,
one of my Bilingual Education classes and to support their acquisition of the
told me that one of her Pasifika children English language. Auckland is New
when writing an asTTLe writing Zealand’s most culturally diverse city,
assessment titled, ‘The Belle at the Ball’, with over 100 ethnicities and more than
wrote, “The bell ring. I pick up my ball 150 languages spoken on a daily basis.
and go inside.” Obviously his ‘kete of Most services and schools knew who
prior knowledge’ for ‘belles and balls’ these learners were and had, to some
did not connect with the assessment extent, taken steps to respond to their
writer’s schema! language and culture. However, “only
37 percent of services and 58 percent of
Responding to NZ’s schools intentionally promoted learning
linguistically diverse student by using a home language or cultural
population lens to support the learners’ acquisition
The Ministry of Education’s ESOL of English, and to promote engagement
(English for Speakers of Other with the learner, their parents and
Languages) funding allocation to communities” (p. 5). Although ERO’s
schools for the period 2 funding round report focused on Auckland schools, it
in August 2018 was for 47,807 students is likely that other regions in NZ face
in 1,485 schools. These students similar challenges regarding the need
represent 176 different ethnic groups, for teachers to learn how to validate,
175 different countries of birth, and 135 normalise and utilise the full linguistic
different languages. Within the 1,485 repertoire of emergent bilinguals at
schools, numbers vary greatly with three school.
schools having 300+ funded students,
12 schools with 200-299 students, and Remembering NZ’s literacy
at the lower end: 580 schools with 1-9 teaching history
students (Ministry of Education, 2018). In order to enable linguistically diverse
These ESOL funded totals represent learners within NZ’s classrooms to
only a portion of the linguistically experience schooling in culturally
diverse or emergent bilingual student sustaining (Paris, 2012) or culturally
population currently at school in NZ, revitalising ways, it is helpful to
as not all bilingual students are funded remember the legacy of one of the
by the ministry, due, either, to having historical figures of NZ’s literacy
completed their funding allocation, or, teaching past. Sylvia Ashton Warner
to not meeting the funding criteria. left a legacy focused on the essential
The (2018) Education Review value placed on the beliefs, languages,
Office (ERO) report on responding and cultures of the child at school. Her
to linguistic diversity in Auckland pedagogy in rural schools with Māori
16LITERACY FORUM N.Z. Vol. 34 No.1 2019
children used the words the children such as Franken, May & McComish
themselves brought to school (their (2005, 2007) and Si‘ilata (2006, 2007,
‘key vocabulary’). Her students learned 2014, 2017). Cummins argued that the
to read their own words. Ashton- boundaries between languages/dialects
Warner supported her students to are fluid and socially constructed, and
write books that valued and maintained that as emergent bilinguals gain access
their cultures and beliefs, whilst also to their two languages, these languages
providing a pathway to reading in become fused into a single system
English. Ashton-Warner stated in (the common underlying proficiency
her seminal text, Teacher: “First books (Cummins, 2008). He found that
must be made of the stuff of the child” creative translation activities and
(Ashton-Warner, 1963, p. 34) (Si‘ilata, “translanguaging” have a role to play to
Gaffney & Stephenson, in press). enable learners to create multimedia texts
that communicate in authentic ways in
The Pasifika Early Literacy both L1 and L2 [the first language and
Project second language]” (Cummins, 2008, p.
Since 2014, the Ministry of Education 65). “Translanguaging” originated with
has contracted a team of researchers and Williams (1996, 2000), who used it
"...they had not previously valued or utilised the
linguistic resources that Pasif ika learners were
bringing with them to school."
professional learning and development in Welsh-medium education to name
(PLD) facilitators from the University a pedagogical practice that switches
of Auckland to work with teachers of between language modes – for example,
Pasifika children in Tāmaki/Auckland reading is done in one language and
schools to support them to draw on their writing in another. In essence, it
own linguistic repertoires, as Ashton teaches students to receive curriculum
Warner did: Through bilingual storying; content input in one language and
through the writing and reading of their output it in another mode or genre in
own bilingual stories; and through the another language (Si‘ilata, 2014, p. 22).
reading of Pasifika dual-language texts Teachers realised through the PLD
that provide windows into their own project that they held existing beliefs
and other’s worlds (Si‘ilata, Gaffney, about their children’s language and
Stephenson & McCaffery, 2015). This literacy capabilities. Often, they had
work built on the international work of not previously valued or utilised the
bilingual writers and researchers such linguistic resources that Pasifika learners
as Baker (2011) and Cummins (1986, were bringing with them to school. One
2007, 2008) as well as local researchers teacher reflected deeply on how her
17NEW ZEALAND LITERACY ASSOCIATION
changed beliefs and pedagogical actions improvement teachers, principals and
had impacted her students: PLD facilitators who supported Pasifika
The bottom line is I failed this child children to succeed and to become
and I have changed. Now I am really literate in linguistically and culturally
emotional about this because if I failed sustaining ways.
him how many other children have I? The Va‘atele Framework uses the
And I’ve noticed that every single one metaphor of the double hulled deep sea
of my children are now moving... And canoe in relation to Pasifika learners
this has all taken part in the last month and their experiences at school. The
or so… It’s happened… And often we double hulls and the voyaging of the
think we know it all. Actually, we deep-sea canoe are compared with
don’t. I used to think I was a damn Pasifika learners’ passage or journey
good teacher and you woke me up through the schooling system as
on that day. I had to have a really bilingual/bicultural people. Ideally these
good check of myself and my teaching Pasifika learners would be in school
practices and what was working and settings that support the development
what wasn’t, and how I could change of their bilingualism, biliteracy and
it and to this day it has affected me so biculturalism, enabling success not only
greatly…The year 0-1’s shouldn’t be in the world of school, but also in the
at level two yet. See all those names world of home and community. One hull
up there? See how he has changed in may be seen to represent the language,
his writing? Oh, my goodness, did you literacy, culture, and worldview of home,
listen to those children? Did you hear while the second hull is representative
the conf idence? They are teaching me of the language, literacy, culture
so much. Their language, their lifestyle and worldview of school. As with
is being acknowledged and accepted a va‘atele, both hulls/ va‘a (or languages,
in our classroom and I’ve actually got literacies, and cultures) should work
goose bumps just thinking about it, in unity to ensure the safe passage of
because it has changed them... And it the people on board. The platform/
has changed me. fata built over the two hulls is a bridge
that helps to hold the whole va‘atele
The Va‘atele Framework together, thus enabling the hulls/ va‘a to
The Va’atele Framework was utilised move through the water as one vessel,
in the Pasifika Early Literacy Project while also providing the stability needed
as a framework on which to strengthen to sail through any storm (Si‘ilata, 2014,
teacher practice. It was developed p. 251).
in my doctoral work (Si‘ilata, 2014) Dimensions and indicators of
which focused on Pasifika learner effective practice for Pasifika learners
success, and demonstrated accelerated were developed from the literature and
literacy achievement (Si‘ilata, Dreaver, from the research findings, and were
Parr, Timperley & Meissel, 2012), used to analyse teacher practice. The
through the work of effective teachers, dimensions included:
18LITERACY FORUM N.Z. Vol. 34 No.1 2019
• Knowledge of Pasifika learners Pasifika-specific dimensions were used
• Expectations of Pasifika learners as the overarching framework for the
• Knowledge of Pasifika bilingualism, analysis of teaching practice, and form
second language acquisition and the lens through which the data from
literacy learning teachers and the observations of their
• Instructional strategies, including practice were analysed and the results
Pasifika languages as resources for articulated.
learning
• Pasifika connections with texts, Dimension 4: Use of
world, language, and literacy instructional strategies
knowledge including Pasifika languages
• Partnerships with Pasifika families/ as resources for learning
aiga and community knowledge In the initial project pilot (Si‘ilata et
holders al. 2015), a number of (non-Samoan)
This set of six dimensions of effective teachers read Samoan texts with their
classroom practice for Pasifika learners, students, by using digital sound files
each elucidated by two indicators, were of the texts that provided models of
used to consider all of the evidence correct pronunciation. Some teachers
collected, and were then applied to the asserted that they were now more open
Va‘atele Framework. The description of to utilising children’s total language
effective teacher practice described in resources, as well as family and cultural
the dimensions and elucidated through knowledge and experiences in the
the indicators was developed primarily classroom. Other teachers said that they
through a top down process informed had developed greater awareness about
largely by the relevant research their children’s bilingualism, and were
literature. However, these indicators now viewing it as a resource rather than
were checked in a more bottom-up a problem. Teachers supported their
process against the practices of the learners to connect their own funds
effective teachers, who were known to of knowledge with the schema in the
be successful in promoting accelerated book, and enabled them to utilise the
student achievement in literacy. The text structure to tell and write their own
original six ‘dimensions of effective bilingual digital stories using iPads. The
practice’ for learners in general, are transcript below illustrates Dimension 4a:
described in Effective Literacy Practice Teachers explicitly teach English language
in Years 1–4 (see Ministry of Education, and vocabulary by building on Pasif ika
2003, p. 12). The six dimensions of home languages and oral practices. It is
effective literacy practice were modified an example of ‘digital translanguaging’
to make them more specific to Pasifika (students using both receptive and
learners and to validate the utilisation productive bilingual modes to create
of their linguistic and cultural resources their own bilingual digital books, using
within the New Zealand education a Samoan dual language reading book as
space (see Table pp. 20-21). These a catalyst and model:
19NEW ZEALAND LITERACY ASSOCIATION
Table 1:
Dimensions of Effective Practice for Pasifika Learners applied to the Va‘atele Framework
(Si‘ilata, 2014)
Dimension Indicators Representative part of the
va‘atele
Knowledge 1a) Teachers analyse and The hull/va‘a of the va‘atele as
of Pasifika use English language the foundation of the vessel
learners and literacy data in their – the uniqueness of the canoe
practice. is specific to the hulls and
1b) Teachers analyse and use the knowledge of the builder
Pasifika home language to craft it according to the
data and family/cultural conditions in which it will
funds of knowledge. travel.
Expectations 2a) Teachers set high, The mast/tila that connects
of Pasifika informed expectations for the hulls/va‘a with the sail/la,
learners student learning which enabling it to withstand the
build on Pasifika learners’ strength of the wind and to act
aspirations and values. as a solid base from which to
2b) Teachers build effective furl the sail.
teacher-student
relationships that focus on
learning and build Pasifika
learner agency.
Knowledge 3a) Teachers know about The sail/la that enables the va‘a
of Pasifika Pasifika bilingualism, to catch the wind – combining
bilingualism, second language the strength of the hulls/va‘a
second acquisition, and literacy and mast/tila, with the height
language learning. of the sail, and the power of
acquisition, 3b) Teachers use evidence the wind to enable greater
and literacy from student data and speed and success toward the
learning from practice to design journey’s end.
learning sequences, and
monitor progress in
relation to Pasifika learners’
language and literacy
needs.
20LITERACY FORUM N.Z. Vol. 34 No.1 2019
Use of 4a) Teachers explicitly teach The paddles/foe that are used
instructional English language and by the paddlers to advance the
strategies vocabulary by building on va‘a when there is no wind,
including Pasifika home languages and that use the water to
Pasifika and oral practices. generate the motion through
languages as 4b) Teachers explicitly teach which the va’a sails.
resources for strategies for written
learning language, including use of
Pasifika literacy practices.
Supporting 5a) Teachers support The platform/fata that
Pasifika Pasifika learners to make connects the two hulls so
connections meaningful connections that they sail as one vessel,
with text, with Pasifika cultures, enabling the progress made
world, experiences, languages, with one hull to benefit the
language, literacies, texts and other hull.
and literacy worldviews.
knowledge 5b) Teachers provide
opportunities for Pasifika
learners to transfer
knowledge, languages and
literacies from one context
to another.
Partnerships 6a) Teachers collaborate with The keel/ta‘ele running from
with Pasifika Pasifika families/aiga stern to bow, which helps the
families/ in identifying student va‘a maintain its stability and
aiga and learning needs and valued straight movement despite the
community outcomes. conditions – keeping the va’a
knowledge 6b) Teachers build reciprocal ‘grounded’ and secure.
holders relationships with
Pasifika families/aiga and
community experts to
utilise their knowledge at
school.
21NEW ZEALAND LITERACY ASSOCIATION
[Teacher with new entrant five- Teacher: No sweetie, but I’m learning.
year-olds creating their own digital
Child 2: She’s English. She’s from England…
stories about themselves using the dual
language Samoan text as a structure]: Teacher: Yes, cos even though I’m a teacher, I
never stop learning either. I have to go
Teacher: Off you go, you guys carry on. home and do homework too.
Children: Yay! (Reading the story they have Child: Cos you’re a English. You’re from
written on their ipad): ‘O la‘u ‘ato England.
ā‘oga lea. Here is my school bag.
Teacher: I am from England, yes.
Teacher: Okay do you maybe need to record It was evident that the teacher’s
that one again if you can’t really hear willingness to put herself in the position
it? of the learner, to privilege the linguistic
Child 1: You need to delete it. knowledge of the children, and to create
opportunities for them to connect
Teacher: Okay so delete that one. You guys their Samoan linguistic and conceptual
have another go at the sound file. knowledge with their English language
Teacher & child together: ‘O la‘u ‘ato ā‘oga and literacy acquisition had a major
lea. (Here is my school bag). impact on the children’s willingness
to utilise their linguistic resources at
Teacher: Wanna play it and see what it school. The use of those linguistic
sounds like? resources had a direct impact on their
Children play their sound recording: ‘O la‘u English language acquisition and on
‘ato ā‘oga lea. Here is my school bag. ‘O their biliteracy development. They
la‘u pusa mea‘ai lea. Here is my lunch were also prompted to consider their
box. ‘O la‘u tusi lea. Here is my book. teacher’s and their own linguistic and
cultural identities as a result of reading
Teacher: Let’s see if they’ve got their sound dual language texts together.
file (plays the file). Awesome. You guys
are way ahead. Let’s read it together Concluding thoughts
(uses the digital text on the interactive For Pasifika learners at school in
whiteboard to read with students): Aotearoa New Zealand, enacting the
metaphorical double-hulled canoe, (or
Teacher & children: What’s this one? We can
linguistically and culturally sustaining
read this one; we’re clever. ‘O la‘u tusi
environment that privileges bilingual
lea. And what does that one mean?
and biliterate goals over monolingual
Here is my book.
ones), is more likely to elicit effective
Child: How do you know how to do it? outcomes than an ‘English only’
approach. In order for Pasifika learners
Teacher: Because Mrs Roberts has been
to be successful at home and at school,
practising at home!
they need to strengthen and build
Child: Are you Samoan? capacity and capability in both. We need
22LITERACY FORUM N.Z. Vol. 34 No.1 2019
to transform our schools by challenging Education, (pp. 65-75)
the hegemonic agenda that still privileges Education Review Office (2018). Responding
western knowledge over indigenous and to language diversity in Auckland.
minority language group knowledge Auckland, New Zealand: Author.
Franken, M., May, S., & McComish, J.
systems. English-medium classroom
(2005). Pasifika languages research and
teachers need to normalise and utilise guidelines project: Literature review.
community languages, multiliteracies, Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of
family and cultural knowledges within Education.
the valued knowledges and pedagogies Franken, M., May, S., & McComish,
of schooling, making them central to J. (2007). Language enhancing the
the educational endeavour. Pasifika, and achievement of Pasifika (LEAP).
other linguistically diverse learners can Downloaded from the world wide web
on 8 April 2012 http://leap.tki.org.nz
be highly successful at school. Their
Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of
utilisation of their language, biliteracy
Education.
and cultural resources is fundamental to Ministry of Education (2018). ESOL funded
that success. Teachers can learn how to students: Statistical information period 2,
teach Pasifika learners effectively, and in 2018. Auckland, New Zealand: Author.
particular ways that connect with and Paris, D. (2012). Culturally Sustaining
build on their languages, cultures, and Pedagogy: A Needed Change in Stance,
identities, so that they can learn through Terminology, and Practice. Educational
a curriculum that both teaches their Researcher 41(3), 93-97.
Quinn, P. & Gaynor, B. (1995). Wind Power.
worlds, and provides windows to other
Wellington, New Zealand: Learning
worlds. Only then, will these children and Media, Ministry of Education.
their families understand that success at Rangitane Education (2015). Traditional
school does not require their languages stories: The story of Haunui-a-
and cultures to be left at the school gate. Nanaia. Retrieved from https://
rangitaneeducation.com/the-story-of-
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