Kia ora koutou

Thank you for the feedback about our first newsletter, which included positive comments about having a dedicated channel focused on curriculum and suggestions to keep the length shorter and easier to navigate. As we develop the newsletter your feedback is encouraged and welcomed so please keep it coming. 

In this issue we again cover a range of topics, regional supports and resources that you’ll be able to select from the menu. This includes the launch of the action plan for the Literacy & Communication and Maths Strategy and the draft Hei Raukura Mō Te Mokopuna action plan.

There will be much interest in these action plans, so we want to make sure you have the information you need, along with ongoing opportunities to engage with their development and implementation.

On a final note please encourage your teaching colleagues to sign up to the newsletter so we can provide more support through a wider readership audience accessing its’ content.

Ngā mihi
Ellen MacGregor-Reid
Hautū (Deputy Secretary)
Te Poutāhū | Curriculum Centre
 

What's changing?

We have begun our initial engagements for the redesign of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, and we want to hear from you!

What's happening now?

We are inviting kaiako, whānau, and ākonga to online workshops about the redesign. These workshops will run until 24 August 2022. There are also limited kanohi-ki-te-kanohi sessions available.  

View session times and register for Te Whakahou i Te Marautanga o Aotearoa on Eventbrite

Te Whakahou i Te Marautanga o Aotearoa — Eventbrite 

The workshops aim to discuss

• The most important things for ākonga to learn and kaiako to teach 
• What Te Marautanga o Aotearoa currently looks like in kura (strengths and limitations) 
• He Tamaiti Hei Raukura as a proposed framework for the redesign 
• Tīrewa Marau as the proposed structure and,
• any feedback/questions/whakaaro about the proposed redesign. 

The workshops will be facilitated by te reo Māori education experts Aronui Limited, Kia Ata Mai Educational Trust, and Tui Tuia | Learning Circle. Sessions will run for roughly 45 minutes. 

If you want to know more about the redesign, head to Te Whakahou i Te Marautanga o Aotearoa | Kauwhata Reo 

Te Whakahou i Te Marautanga o Aotearoa — Kauwhata Reo

For any queries or concerns, please email Mandy Bird at whakahou.marautanga@education.govt.nz

Please feel free to pass this invitation on to those who might be interested.

What's happening next?

We are planning to host a few more engagement workshops and sessions across Aotearoa in the next few months and we will be in touch when we have more details.
 

What's changing?

In March Ministers launched Hei Raukura Mō Te Mokopuna, our strategy to strengthen te reo matatini and pāngarau across te reo Māori education pathways. 

Hei Raukura Mō Te Mokopuna focuses on strengthening te reo matatini and pāngarau and emphasises the importance of these skills in the journey of reaching iwi aspirations of language revitalization and regeneration. 

It promotes and enhances a mātauranga and kaupapa Māori understanding of te reo matatini and pāngarau. Reclaiming the original intent of te reo matatini and pāngarau should better reflect Māori succeeding as Māori and the central role of te reo matatini in the achievement and success of mokopuna Māori.

Hei Raukura Mō Te Mokopuna recognises the critical role kaiako play in maximising ākonga success and offers the opportunity for whānau, hapū and iwi to define what mātauranga is to them and how it is expressed in their marau ā-kura.

"He taonga te reo matatini ki tōku ao, hei ara rērere ki te ao whānui."
"Te reo Matatini, a treasured pathway by which to access knowledge and understanding of my world."

The strategy honours good practice that already exists in kura and te reo Māori education settings. It aims to further support ākonga and kaiako to learn and teach these foundational skills in and through te reo Māori, which ākonga use to experience the world.

What's happening next?

We are developing an action plan to support kura and kaiako to implement the strategy. This includes:

• developing the proficiency of kaiako in te reo Māori
• ensuring kaiako understand the bodies of knowledge specific to te reo matatini and pāngarau
• that they know how to impart this knowledge in a Māori context.

We welcome your feedback and expertise, at any point, as we progress this mahi for our tamariki mokopuna, ngā rangatira mō āpōpō. We will keep you updated on the strategy through Kauwhata Reo. 

If you have any further questions, email tereo.maorigroup@education.govt.nz
 

Minister Tinetti launched the Action Plans for the Literacy & Communication and Maths Strategy on 12 August.

In them, you’ll find the specific steps we’re taking to realise the strategy’s vision: bringing joy, equity, and clarity back into the teaching and learning of literacy & communication and maths. They lay out the provision of resources, PLD, and supports to help you give your ākonga the best start in their learning of those foundational skills.

The action plans have five key focus areas, each dedicated to supporting and strengthening our education system from early learning through to the end of schooling. The actions within each focus area are informed by a foundation of research and evidence, complemented by expertise shared with us by kaiako and other experts across the sector. This collaboration doesn’t stop with the release of the action plans, either – your voice will continue to shape the strategy throughout implementation, to guarantee it works as intended.

You can download the action plans on our website alongside a road map of the actions being developed over 2022-2023, so that you can have an indication of what is coming soon.

Literacy & Communication and Maths Strategy — Ministry of Education

We look forward to working together to provide learning that’s more manageable for you, and a more equitable pathway to excellence for your ākonga.   

Have Your Say

Over the next four years, there will be regular opportunities for you to have your say as we refresh The New Zealand Curriculum together. From fast testing, to sector feedback, to learning area writers’ groups, to piloting of implementation tools – we want you to get involved and be part of the change.

September will provide the next significant opportunity to have your say with the release of the draft Curriculum Framework, and draft English, Mathematics and Statistics content.

Te Mātaiaho is the proposed working name for the Curriculum Framework and means “to observe and examine the strands of learning.”  We want your feedback on the draft framework including the whakapapa, a purpose statement with calls to action, the Vision for Young People, alongside the drafts of Mathematics and Statistics, and English learning areas.

In the lead up to September, we will also be making improvements to our online presence. We want to ensure you have a one-stop-shop for all things curriculum refresh. From the full curriculum change story, to upcoming events, to implementation supports – you will soon have everything in one place. So, watch this space!

We know you need time, and we know you need support. We want to assure you – there will be a steady rollout of implementation supports over the next four years. We have phased the refreshing of learning areas so you have time to get involved and have a play at your own pace within the context of the refreshed ‘Curriculum Framework and Understand, Know, Do’ model before full implementation in 2026. 
We want to make this change with you. So, in September – get involved, have your say, and be part of the change as we refresh The New Zealand Curriculum together.

If you want to get in early to register your interest in providing feedback for the draft Curriculum Framework, and the draft English, Mathematics and Statistics learning areas, email us at nationalcurriculum.refresh@education.govt.nz

Assessment for Learning

With changes underway for the NZC and as part of the Literacy & Communication and Maths Strategy, you may be wondering what this means for assessment practices. Our key message at this point is ‘don’t panic’. There are no immediate changes and you should keep using your existing quality assessment practices and tools, informed by the guidance on Assessment Online. This includes continuing to use the current NZC as the basis of reporting on progress and achievement.

Assessment Online – TKI 

We will be working with you to develop the tools and supports you need for the refreshed curriculum, and there will be a gradual rollout of these with plenty of time for you to align your assessment approaches and reporting to the refreshed NZC when it is fully implemented in 2026. At each stage of the rollout, we will support you through the transition.

A key shift in the refresh of the NZC is the move to a progression approach across the curriculum, and assessment for learning practices that grow our ākonga as capable and active learners who know:  

• what they need to learn,  
• where they are at with that learning, and    
• what their next learning steps are.  

To learn more about Assessment for Learning and current PLD options go to:

Assessment for learning in practice – TKI   
Professional learning – TKI 

The new Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories content uses a progressions approach within the context of the new ‘Understand, Know, Do’ content model, so it’s a great place to start exploring how you can use progressions in the context of a learning area to support your curriculum planning and design. Have a look at

Content structure: Aotearoa NZ's histories – Ministry of Education 
Teaching resources: Aotearoa NZ's histories – Ministry of Education  
 

Getting started with your implementation

To access Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum content, guidance and resources, visit our website

Aotearoa NZ's histories – Ministry of Education 

There are a range of supports available to you for implementing the Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories content into your local curriculum | marau ā-kura from next year. Schools and kura will have different approaches to teaching Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories – it is about what works for you, your ākonga, and your community.

Check out this link for a downloadable PDF of the full range of curriculum resources: Aotearoa New Zealand's histories resources

You may be aware that we offered schools and kura the chance to order up to $200 of Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories books for their school libraries by 29 July.  You can now order any remaining stock from the general catalogue of Down the Back of the Chair website.

Down the Back of the Chair.

Professional learning opportunities

Webinars

There are still a number of webinars scheduled for August to help you with your planning and implementation of the content by 2023.  You can register for these on our website: 

Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories webinars – Aotearoa NZ’s histories

Regionally allocated PLD

Your school or kura can apply for professional learning and development (PLD) around Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories via regionally allocated PLD. You can find more information on the national priorities for schools and kura, and how to apply on the Ministry of Education PLD website.

PLD  – Ministry of Education

Networks of Expertise

The following networks can provide you with specific support around implementing Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories in your classroom:

• New Zealand History Teachers’ Association (NZHTA),
• Aotearoa Social Studies Educators’ Network (ASSEN), and
• Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Arts Educators (ANZAAE).

You can register for upcoming PLD opportunities on the PLD website

Networks of Experience – PLD

Curriculum Leads

Curriculum Leads provide frontline support for curriculum design and newly developed curriculum resources and guidelines, including material for Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories. You can connect with a Curriculum Lead through your local Te Tāhuhu office.

Hard packs survey and feedback 

Throughout this year, schools and kura have received Te Takanga o te Wā and Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories resources and support packs. With further packs to support implementation planned for later this term and next term, we want to ensure they are meeting your needs and hear how they could be improved.

We invite kaiako and school leaders to participate in our Te Takanga o te Wā and Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories resources and support packs survey.  This survey will be available until Monday 19 September. Go to our survey to have your say!

Feedback for Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories: Resource and support packs – Survey Monkey

Engagement opportunities

ANZH webinars:

• Tuesday, 23 August – 4:00pm
• Wednesday, 24 August – 4:30pm

Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories hard pack survey open for feedback until Monday 19 September.

The New Zealand Curriculum refresh opportunities

• September 5-7: Associated Integrated Schools NZ Wellington – Pauline Cleaver, Associate Deputy Secretary, Te Poutāhū | Curriculum Centre speaking
• September 15: Survey for feedback open for 8-10 weeks for the draft Curriculum Framework and English and Mathematics and Statistics draft content
• September 22-23: Counties Manukau Secondary Schools Principals Association Conference – NZC refresh speaker
• October 5-7: SoCon Conference – Keynote speaker
• October 7-8: NZSTA Conference – NZC refresh workshop
• October 9-12: NZ Literacy Association Conference – Ministry of Education led workshop

In our September newsletter we will outline the 2023 supports for the NZC refresh.

For more information on opportunities in your area please contact your local Curriculum Leads who are based in our regional Te Mahau offices.

Local Te Mahau curriculum leads – Ministry of Education
 

We have launched the first phase of the homepage refresh for the NCEA Education website to ensure we continue to connect well with our audience. 

New home for resources – NCEA Education 

We hope the improvement will enable visitors to better navigate around the website and easily find the information they need. The next phase of the homepage refresh will be released in late August/early September 2022.  The website hosts resources, guidance, achievement standards, co-requisites and tools for both Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and The New Zealand Curriculum, to support kaiako, teachers and school leaders as we progress the implementation of the NCEA Change Programme.

Changes to NCEA and University Entrance for 2022

We would like to thank you for your ongoing efforts to support your teams and your students, and hope that you were able to rest and recover over the school holidays.

The Associate Minister of Education has announced changes to NCEA, which recognise some of the impact student and teacher absences due to COVID-19 and other winter illnesses have had on teaching, learning and assessment this year.

In 2022, students will be entitled to 1 Learning Recognition Credit (LRC) for every 5 credits earned through assessment, up to a maximum of:

To receive a Certificate Endorsement, students will need 46 credits at Merit or Excellence level, instead of the usual 50.

To be awarded University Entrance, students will need 14 credits in each of two UE Approved Subjects, and 12 credits in a third UE Approved Subject (they will also need to attain NCEA Level 3 and meet the regular literacy and numeracy requirements).

The submission dates for some externally assessed portfolios have also been moved back one week - this provides some relief but avoids overlap with end of year examinations. The subjects affected are:

• Technology (NCEA Levels 1-3 and NZ Scholarship),
• Design and Visual Communication (NCEA Levels 1-3 and NZ Scholarship),
• Digital Technology (NCEA Levels 1-3),
• Education for Sustainability (NCEA Level 3),
• Dance (NZ Scholarship),
• Drama (NZ Scholarship),
• Music (NZ Scholarship), and
• Health and Physical Education (NZ Scholarship).

Where learning needs to extend into 2023, NZQA will work with you to help students be awarded their qualification earlier in the year, outside of the normal annual cycle.

In addition to these changes, we are considering additional support to help students catch up with their learning.

With only a few months school to go before NCEA end of year examinations start, we hope this helps to provide clarity about the range of qualifications interventions that NZQA and the Ministry are offering students in 2022; and allows you to plan accordingly.

Accord Teacher Only Days

The next Accord Teacher Only Day  to support the implementation of the NCEA Change Programme will be held from 15-26 August.

Teacher only days - NCEA

During the upcoming Teacher Only Day | Ngā Rangi mō ngā Kaiako-Anake, we will be seeking feedback on Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (TMoA) and the first group of The New Zealand Curriculum NCEA Level 2 draft materials.

• A link to an online survey will be provided on the Teacher Only Days page on the NCEA website (Teacher only days - NCEA)  so you can provide feedback on the NZC draft subject materials.
• Feedback on TMoA draft materials can be provided via face-to-face and online engagements.

There will be a question-and-answer session hosted daily via Adobe Connect during this two-week period. The questions will be monitored by the team between 9am and 3.30pm each day, with subject matter experts on hand to respond to your questions between 1pm and 3pm. (Please note that answers to some topics will be published at a later date.) 

While the NCEA Level 2 resources are likely to be of interest for teachers and kaiako of those subjects and wāhanga ako, other groups of teachers and kaiako may choose to explore the guidance and resources on the NCEA Education website and on the  Learning Management System.  

New home for resources – NCEA Education

Learning Management System Login – Education LMS

If you need support to connect with other schools and kura in your region, contact the NCEA lead at your regional Te Mahau office.

Local Te Mahau office – Ministry of Education 

Regionally-allocated PLD is also available to support your school, kura, Kāhui Ako or cluster in identifying, planning and delivering professional learning and development and supporting the implementation of the NCEA Change Programme.  

Regionally-allocated PLD – NCEA Education 

We’d love to hear your feedback on your Teacher Only Day | Ngā Rangi mō ngā Kaiako-Anake experience and supporting resources. Please email us at ncea.review@education.govt.nz

Te reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy Co-requisites

The first assessment event for the 2022 te reo matatini me te pāngarau | literacy and numeracy pilot took place between 27 June and 1 July. Over 50,000 entries were received from schools, kura, and tertiary providers. This also included entries from schools in Niue and the Cook Islands. New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and the Ministry thank all those who participated and continue to take part in the pilot.

As part of the assessment event, students completed an online Common Assessment Activity (CAA). For the majority of students, this was a new way of completing an assessment and a chance to have a go at something new.

The results of the assessment will be made available to schools on 29 August. A national breakdown of results will be released early next year, following the second assessment event in September. 

An evaluation of the assessment event is also taking place so that the Ministry and NZQA can learn what is working well and what needs to change going forward. Below is some of the feedback we have received from schools and students so far: 

"The overall judgement from my students so far was this was an extremely positive experience for them… I think this could be a big positive step toward equity for some of our kids up here in Northland. Thanks for all the work you're doing." – Whangarei Girls' High School 

"There was excellent guidance built into the writing questions, for those who read carefully. My class enjoyed the reading assessment. There was great coverage of ‘foundational literacy’ over the 8 questions." – St Andrew’s College 

"We have had a pretty successful start to the pilot at Waimea College. No connection issues!  … They were very well behaved and focused too. Our staff were amazing too at supervising and supporting our students. Onwards and upwards!" - Waimea College 

"Overall, the literacy and numeracy pilot was a positive experience for the students and teachers involved. The students, who are all digital natives, found the software platform very user friendly…. The administration of the CAA from an administrator or supervisor perspective is straightforward as long as some time has been spent navigating around assessment master, the software platform used to administer the CAA." - Vaughan Couillault, Principal, Papatoetoe High School 

We look forward to continuing working with pilot schools and kura throughout the year.  

Mana ōrite mō te mātauranga Māori (Equal status for mātauranga Māori) 

One of the key changes being delivered through the NCEA Change Programme is mana ōrite mō te mātauranga Māori. We are working to ensure there is equal status, support and resourcing for mātauranga Māori in NCEA. We are also opening up greater opportunities for ākonga to access mātauranga Māori and the pathways that lead from it. 

We are creating five digital resource toolkits to help build your understanding of mana ōrite mō te mātauranga Māori and support teachers, kaiako and school leaders in applying this to the teaching and learning of NCEA subjects. These resources include a web series, podcasts, supplementary resources and five interactive webinars, and will be released between June and November 2022.

To access the toolkits, please join here: Toolkits – Mana Ōrite

At the end of each month, those who have joined will have access to a live webinar that seeks to summarise and promote better understanding of each resource toolkit topic. 

Te reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy 

Responsibility for developing literacy and numeracy capability in ākonga should be shared across all subjects. 

We will be releasing further resources to support your learners in the week beginning 15 August 2022.

The new resources include Literacy Pedagogy Guides in the following NCEA subjects: 

• Agricultural and Horticultural Science, 
• Drama, and 
• Visual Arts.

Numeracy Pedagogy Guides in the following subjects: 

• Dance, 
• Design and Visual Communications, 
• English, and 
• Music.

We will also be releasing Numeracy Enhanced Plans covering lesson planning in the subject areas of Alternative Education, English, Physical Education, Social Studies, Science, and Visual Arts.  Further resources will be released in September. 

These new resources are in addition to what is available on the website. We encourage you to look through the teaching, learning, and assessment tabs for literacy, numeracy, te reo matatini, and pāngarau. Through these tabs you will find the standards, learning matrices, assessment reports, and a range of teaching and learning resources. 

Pacific translations of Whānau Toolkit 

The NCEA Change Programme Whānau Toolkit has been translated into seven Pacific languages (i.e. Cook Islands Māori, Fijian, Gagana Samoa, Gagana Tokelau, Tongan, Tuvalu and Vagahau Niue).  All Whānau Toolkit resources are available on our website and the Pacific translations will be available from early August.

Whānau resources – Education parents and whānau

The Whānau Toolkit is a suite of tools and resources that support ākonga and their whānau at every stage of their NCEA journey. These resources include: 

• pocket guides for whānau and ākonga with current and future information on NCEA, 
• practical interactive tools such as a wall planner and the GROW goal-setting tool, and 
• videos featuring ākonga and whānau sharing their experiences of NCEA.

NZ Sign Language translations of videos about NCEA Level 1 2022 mini-pilot 

  
More than 90 secondary schools are taking part in the 2022 mini-pilot of all New Zealand Curriculum NCEA Level 1 subjects. Learn how the new standards are working for teachers and students in these videos, which have been translated into te reo Māori and NZ Sign Language. 

Pilot school videos — NCEA Education

Universal Design for Learning resources

New resources introducing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) are available on our website.  These include templates to guide planning and Frequently Asked Questions about UDL.

Planning With Universal Design for Learning — NCEA

Universal Design for Learning FAQ's — NCEA

Te Ahu o te Reo Māori aims to support early learning to secondary school leaders, kaiako, support staff and those who assist ākonga learning to grow their capability and confidence in using and integrating te reo Māori into the learning of all ākonga.

Our initiatives are available across the country and cater for all competency levels including those who have little previous experience using the language through to those who use it every day. If you want to strengthen your language capability and learn about your local area using a range of fun activities, then this is worth looking at.

Visit the Te Ahu o te Reo Māori website to find out more information about providers delivering in your region and how to register for the next intake up until September 2022.

Te Ahu o te Reo Māori – Kauwhata Reo

For any questions or feedback please email the Te Ahu o te Reo Māori group: TeReo.MāoriGroup@education.govt.nz
 

What's changing

Kahu Pūtoi is an online network of teachers and kaiako who work in Māori-medium and Māori language education settings. It is a place of contribution, collaboration and sharing, where kaiako can get timely support from their peers and experts on pedagogical and curriculum issues.

The all-new Kahu Pūtoi Knowledge Library contains a collection of exclusive posts, resources, videos and external websites pulled into specific categories to support our kaiako. This curated resource features a category focused on Mātauranga Māori, and also houses recordings from our first online symposium.

What's happening now

Online Symposiums: The next online symposium – Kauawhitia – Transitions – will be held on Wednesday 24 August and will discuss the hot topic of ākonga transitions within the educational setting. This builds from our inaugural online symposium held in March, which focused on providing teachers with strategies to support ākonga with diverse needs.

What's happening next

More categories will be added, with the next one being Kōhungahunga which goes live soon

To find out more and to register, visit Kahu Pūtoi website

Puna Mātauranga Knowledge Library – Kahu Pūtoi

Nā te kaiako, mā te kaiako | Empowering kaiako to support each other
 

NŌ TUA, KI TUA!

Whakamānawatia Te Reo Māori!

For 2022, the Ako Panuku Hui ā-Tau will honour our heritage language and salute its champions! 

This event will feature a range of high-profile speakers, including our keynotes: Wayne Ngata, Hinewehi Mohi and Tainui Stevens! This event further aims to celebrate kaiako who endure and recognise the influence of te reo Māori in learning spaces and acknowledges the myriad of places te reo Māori has been seen, heard and felt.

To find out more and to register, visit our website

Ako Pamuku – TKI

Nau mai ngākau whiwhita mā! Haramai hinengaro tuwhera mā! | Be ready! Be resolute! Come with open hearts and minds!