Revisit
- Re-look at lay the groundwork. How could you strengthen learning for all children?
- Continue to notice & recognise the progress of individual children.
- Keep adjusting how you respond to children’s progress based on what you notice.
Ngā reo is the understanding of how learning new languages adds to the valuable language and cultural knowledge, strengths, and attitudes that children bring with them.
Aotearoa New Zealand is a culturally and linguistically diverse country. Many children will enter early childhood settings speaking a language that is different from the language commonly used in the centre and therefore become learners of an additional language.
Te Whāriki acknowledges that children entering early childhood services will come from a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. While Māori and Pacific children are highlighted, the curriculum advocates for all children who may be learning an additional language in ECE services.
Kōwhiti Whakapae is built on four foundations: Te Tiriti o Waitangi, identity, language and culture, inclusion, and the principles of Te Whāriki. These guide the teaching and learning of additional languages while placing importance on the preservation of home languages.