Mere Berryman

Classroom teachers report on their success with the Māori version of the highly proclaimed Pause Prompt Praise reading tutoring programme. In a surprise result, student tutors improved their reading skills while helping their peer learners improve.

What are the essential elements to motivate students and bring about positive outcomes for all? This article briefly explores some of the conceptual models developed to help teachers work with young people who present challenging behaviours. It advocates an approach based on a modification of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model, now being used by two groups working in teacher training. It offers a comprehensive, culturally appropriate educational strategy that can be applied in the home, school and community to lead towards student success.

Ngā Kete Kōrero (The Language Baskets), a national research study commissioned by the Ministry of Māori Development Te Puni Kōkiri in 1993, has provided comprehensive information about the development of appropriate language assessment and teaching resources. It will help teachers to accurately identify levels of language and literacy in Māori and thus better inform teaching practice in this sector. This article outlines specific aspects of the Kete Kōrero Framework project and discusses some of the implications for teaching reading through the medium of Māori.

A hui whakatika (a meeting that seeks to resolve issues and make amends), facilitated by Māori In a mainstream school setting, provides a Treaty-based model for restoring harmony and avoiding stand down and suspension.

Te Kotahitanga is a project that seeks to improve the educational achievement of Māori students in mainstream schools. Through interviews with Māori students, their teachers and whānau, the authors learnt about the characteristics of teachers that made a difference. They have drawn these together into the Effective Teaching Profile.

A literacy project aimed to raise the reading achievement of Māori students was conducted using Ripene Āwhina ki te Pānui Pukapuka (RĀPP), a tape-assisted reading resource for students learning to read in te reo Māori.