Feedback can be powerful, but its effects are dependent on what students do. There has been intensive research in recent years under the banner of 'feedback literacy' to understand how to help students make the most of feedback. Although there are instruments to measure feedback literacy, they largely measure perceptions and orientations rather…

Digital technologies have fast become integral within literacy learning and teaching across contexts as students engage with a variety of digital and multimodal texts. While teachers in New Zealand schools have a high degree of autonomy in the design and planning of literacy programs, little is currently known about how they understand and enact…

My research aims to explore teachers' literacy experiences and teaching practices in New Zealand intermediate schools through the lens of multiliteracies pedagogy (MLP). However, upon the initial semi-structured interview, I realised my (mis)assumptions and learned that it could be demanding and challenging for teachers to narrate their literacy…

The concept of physical literacy (PL) has increasingly drawn global interest from practitioners, academics and policymakers within the fields of sport, health and physical education. Its value and appeal appear to lie in its potential to help refocus attention on the importance of human physicality and movement in enabling individuals to flourish…

Globally, literacy can be conceived of in different ways. Two perspectives that have influenced adult literacy policy internationally are the economic functionalist and the sociocultural. In Aotearoa New Zealand, Maori educators have repeatedly advanced a matauranga Maori perspective of literacy. This perspective has parallels with the embodied,…

Current research into, and definitions of, historical literacy do not adequately acknowledge the cultural backgrounds of indigenous learners across the historical disciplines and levels. Nor do they recognise the vital role of historical literacy in empowering indigenous students. In conversations with teachers of a range of ethnicities and Maori…

The "new" of new literacies are multifaceted social practices to make and share meanings with new communication tools and technology. Despite gaining considerable research focus in recent times, there is scarce evidence of new literacies as instances of practice in secondary science classrooms. In this article students' engagement in…

Purpose: The purpose of this New Zealand study is to analyse the influence of the literacy course from an initial teacher education degree, to support beginning teachers to view themselves as policy actors, not mere policy subjects. In our role as teacher educators, we sought to support beginning teachers to find freedom within the constraints of…

Background: There are a number of pathways available for international students to gain admission into universities in English-speaking countries. While many international students for whom English is not their first language succeed academically, there is concern that some do not cope with the demands of university which can affect their…

Teaching as a process of inquiry is the underpinning philosophy stated in the New Zealand Curriculum. Teachers are tasked with inquiring into the needs of their students and the efficacy of their own practice in the light of those needs. The results of ongoing inquiry inform how practice might be honed or changed. The authors consider how the…

Good health is a benefit in many domains, such as work, studies or social relationships. Fostering a sound knowledge on healthy habits and the implications of risk-taking behaviours is a key to shaping societies with healthier lifestyles.

In this article, we examine how teachers in two kindergartens, one in New Zealand and one in China, used the stimulus of a fictional story combining mythical creatures from Maori and Chinese culture to enhance young children's sense of place and cultural identity. Sociocultural understandings about the role of collaboration and cultural tools in…

This article critiques international assessment of adult literacy using research findings from students completing a Maori tourism certificate who achieved significant gains in assessment. It is argued that the focus of literacy assessments potentially forces educators to narrow their teaching and learning approaches, manoeuvring them into…

The climate strikes of 2019, an extraordinary worldwide phenomenon, swiftly and succinctly showed the world the collective concern of youth. What insights might curriculum planning for climate-change education and classroom pedagogy gain from these climate strikes? Preliminary findings from this study identified four significant considerations in…

In this article, we discuss the importance of developing the skills of ecological citizenship for teachers and students. In particular we consider how we can support teaching practice to develop the skills of social agency and ecoliteracy. We argue that these skills are essential for building teacher and student capabilities to co-create…