Ta'iala mo le Gagana Sāmoa - Pasifika Education Community

‘O le fuafuaina o se polokalame mo le gagana ma leaganu‘u fa‘asāmoaSetting up a gagana ma le aganu‘u fa‘asāmoa programmeIt is useful to begin planning a programme by identifying each child’s current level of gagana Sāmoaand whether they are first language speakers or not. The language their parents use in the home willbe a factor to take into account when considering the child’s individual needs. Teachers can observechildren, as part of their daily practice, to get an idea of the children’s level of familiarity with gaganaSāmoa and whether they use it as their first language.This data will enable teachers to select goals and plan programmes that make connections to thelanguage the children have already learned and the language they need to learn. Where childrenalready demonstrate a level of proficiency in the language, teachers need to consider ways to enrichtheir language and cultural development by providing new experiences and discussing them ingagana Sāmoa.Setting up a gagana ma le aganu‘u fa‘asāmoa programme in an early childhood setting involvescollaboration with the local community and their ongoing support. Teachers need to think aboutthe kinds of support that the local Samoan community can offer, and they need to talk about thiswith families when discussing their children’s needs and achievements. Making contact withSamoan community organisations, where appropriate, is also helpful.40Teachers may find it useful to plan units of work using the cycle illustrated on page 39. They canthen observe and record the language learning that takes place and use this information to informfurther planning.Material resources support the teaching and learning of gagana Sāmoa. Developing Programmesfor Teaching Pacific Islands Languages and the accompanying Guidelines for Samoan LanguageProgrammes contain ideas about programme planning and descriptions of gagana Sāmoa books andother resources available. Teachers can also consult www.minedu.govt.nz (for current information forearly childhood education in general) and www.tki.org.nz (for information and resources specific toPasifika languages, including gagana Sāmoa).Iloilo o le alualu ‘i lumaAssessing progressWhen preparing to implement a programme, it is crucial to find out the child’s current level ofgagana Sāmoa in listening and speaking. The planning cycle on page 39 includes an emphasis onparents’ contributions. The concept of soālaupule (see page 21) encompasses a collective approachto assessment that includes everyone’s knowledge about the child.For specific guidance on appropriate assessment approaches at early childhood level, refer toTe Whāriki and Kei Tua o te Pae/Assessment for Learning: Early Childhood Exemplars. The earlychildhood exemplars illustrate a wide range of suggestions for assessing children’s progress andidentifying their next learning steps. Although these suggestions can be adapted to the context ofteaching and assessing gagana Sāmoa, the practice of soālaupule also needs to be explored to ensurethe full participation of a Samoan child’s community (including, for example, their family and church)in the assessment.The different purposes for carrying out assessment in early childhood settings, together with somesuggested techniques, are set out on the facing page.