New language resources released for Pasifika learners

<h4 style&equals;"text-align&colon; left&semi;">New language resources have been released to support Pasifika new entrants in New Zealand schools&period;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; left&semi;">The resources comprise 100 dual-language flip books&comma; audio and online resources in five Pasifika languages – Samoan&comma; Tongan&comma; Tokelauan&comma; Cook Islands M&amacr;ori and Niuean – and English&comma; as well as supporting materials for teachers and parents&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; left&semi;">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;These resources will help our youngest Pasifika students to thrive and succeed at school&period; They are designed to build on the strengths of Pasifika new entrants’ existing language skills to support the development of their English language and literacy skills&comma; and their transition to English medium schools&comma;” says education minister Hekia Parata&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; left&semi;">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Maintaining their language and using it alongside English will help Pasifika children reach their full potential&period; The bonus is that as well as improving their English&comma; these resources help Pasifika children stay connected to their culture&comma; history and heritage&comma;” says Pacific Peoples&&num;8217&semi; minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; left&semi;">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Development of these resources has already resulted in wonderful collaboration between the Ministry for Pacific Peoples&comma; the University of Auckland and the Pacific community&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; left&semi;">A selection of the resources was piloted in seven South Auckland schools by a team of academics led by Dr Rae Si’ilata&period; The pilot found that students’ achievement&comma; confidence and self-esteem in English language and literacy increased after six months at school&comma; while teachers reported gaining valuable insights into how to further develop their literacy and language teaching skills&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; left&semi;">Parent trials were also held in clusters of Auckland schools&comma; led by Pasifika languages consultant Patisepa Tuafuti&period; These trials received high praise from schools&comma; parents and students who responded enthusiastically to being able to share and learn new ideas about language and literacy in a culturally responsive way&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; left&semi;">The Pasifika dual language resources can be ordered free of charge from the Ministry of Education’s <em>Down the Back of the Chair<&sol;em> catalogue and online from the Ministry’s <a href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;literacyonline&period;tki&period;org&period;nz&sol;Literacy-Online&sol;Teacher-needs&sol;Pasifika-dual-language-books-NEW&period;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank">Te Kete Ipurangi &lpar;TKI&rpar; web platform<&sol;a>&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;