This article explores the extent to which task-based language teaching (TBLT) as an emerging but increasingly popular language teaching approach can be used successfully for teaching te reo Maori as a minority and endangered language in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The article presents the experiences and perspectives of one beginning teacher of te reo…

In 2009 the Philippines introduced a mother tongue-based multilingual education language policy requiring the "mother tongue" as the language of instruction (LOI) in kindergarten through grade 3. Using teacher classroom language data collected from four LOI groups in 2019, we compared the frequency of teachers' use of the target LOI in…

Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia are similar in many ways. Both were colonised by English-speaking British settlers, and English is a national language in each country. In recent years, both countries have become destinations for immigrants speaking languages other than English and international fee-paying students. Both have a chequered history…

Belonging and being are inextricably linked. From a Maori perspective, belonging and being can be viewed through a number of interconnected historical and contemporary frames. One frame is derived from Maori perceptions of the creation of the universe and genealogical relationships to the universe and everything in it. Another frame of belonging…

This article introduces Tofa'a'anolasi, a novel Samoan research framework created by drawing on the work of other Samoan and Pacific education researchers, in combination with adapting the 'Foucauldian tool box' to use for research carried out from a Samoan perspective. The article starts with an account and explanation of the process of…

Indigenous educators desire to use culturally restorative and decolonized pedagogies reflective of their own cultural values and beliefs in their science programs but have lacked models for how to start. They also often lack confidence in their ability to teach the sciences. This three-year qualitative case study used grounded theory methodology…

Immersion programs have long been considered the gold standard for school-based language revitalization, but surprisingly little attention has been paid to the quantity and quality of the input that they provide to young language learners. Drawing on new data from three such programs (Kaqchikel, Western Subanon, and Maori), each with its own…

In New Zealand the recipe for creating bilingual and biliterate Maori-medium graduates is not well understood because, for the most part, schools are left to their own devices to experiment with Maori and English language components. It is therefore not clear whether graduates reach high levels of bilingualism and biliteracy, and ultimately,…

Histories of colonization conjointly with the current economic global climate have enabled English to become a dominant global language. The desire for citizens to attain English language proficiency on a nation-wide level is a common pursuit in developing countries, including the island nations of the South Pacific where English competency is…

Local languages which are also referred as mother tongue should be attached to every child as individual. The re-orientation of language due to global influences should not mean forgetting the local language. Globalization and traditions can run simultaneously so that millennial generations are not only proficient in foreign languages, but also…

This paper concerns itself with how policy is made in democratic nations in order to secure equal language rights. The case study assessed is Aotearoa New Zealand's 2016 Maori Language Act and the process by which it passed into legislation. The paper draws on theories of public policy change, specifically the evidence-based policy approach, and…

This article describes the development and uptake of two dual-language, culturally relevant picture books in five primary schools in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The purpose of the books was to disseminate agricultural and livelihood messages both at school and at home. Schools were provided with big-book versions as permanent school resources and…

Home-school partnerships in mathematics are increasingly seen as a significant contributor to learners' success in school mathematics. Partnering with learners' families can, however, be challenging for schools. This study focused on an exploration of home-school partnership practices in one culturally diverse, low socioeconomic school in…

The intent of this paper was to outline a field endeavor that encourages increased insight into important geographic themes pertaining to the Big Island of Hawai'i. Student participants in this field course come away with an enhanced comprehension and appreciation of the benefits associated with learning to incorporate geographical perspectives as…

Second language (L2) learning is widely acknowledged as complex due to variables such as learner, context, and target language. Such variables are particularly relevant to the learning of immigrant or indigenous languages in countries such as Canada, the United States, and New Zealand. The motivational roles of such variables are considered…