Teaching the Samoan language in NZ

A pathway from Aoga Amata to university

Support for Samoan language teachers in NZ is taking another giant step forward with the TRCC Teaching Samoan in NZ course to be held in October, 2009.

Run by the PEC group of Wellington based teachers, this three day course will provide a forum where teachers of Samoan from ECE (Aoga Amata) through primary to secondary level can discuss, share and work to address some of the challenges they face today.

The course aims to give teachers a chance to share best practice, understand the learning principles underlying the Ta’iala Samoan Curriculum (MoE) update their language teaching and research skills, become more familiar with MoE, ERO policies and programmes including the Pacific Plan, and learn about new resources for teaching Samoan and other Pacific languages.

Karl Vasau, the principal of the Holy Family School Porirua and a member of the PEC team said: “This is going to be a practical hands-on workshop.”

He believes Samoan teachers have responded positively to the opportunity to teach the Samoan Language and Culture in our schools and that having Samoan as an NCEA subject demonstrates NZ has recognised the academic value of Pacific languages.

At the same time, teachers are also asking for more teaching resources to support teachers.
Lotofoa Fiu from Rongotai College described the Ta’iala (Samoan Teaching Curriculum) as invaluable but added that “even a revision book for NCEA would be appreciated.”

Lotofoa also stressed that “there is an urgency in Samoan teachers evaluating, redefining and adopting our own solid foundation of best practice for teaching Samoan.”

Overarching all, this PEC workshop will encourage teachers to reflect on their own learning journeys as teachers and researchers. It is run in partnership with Va’aomanu Pasifika (VUW).

Teaching Samoan in NZ, 5th-7th October, 2009, Quality Hotel, Wellington.

For more information please visit www.trcc.org.nz