O le ulua'i faitautusi ma le tusitusi: o a'oa'oga maoa'e ma lona a'oa'oina i a'oga amata a le Pasifika. Early literacy: quality teaching and learning in Pasifika early childhood education

Abstract

Executive summary There are few reported studies of teaching and learning in Pasifika bicultural and immersion early childhood centres. The research reported here is of a one-year action research project aimed at encouraging and strengthening children’s Samoan language and literacy learning within an a’oga amata. The study explored the beliefs teachers held about language acquisition and early literacy, the action research process, and the changes that occurred in the teachers’ pedagogical practice over the course of the year. Data was collected in two phases in September 2005 and July 2006, through interviews with teachers about their beliefs and practices, group discussions with parents about their aspirations for children and views of the a’oga amata, videotaped learning episodes focused on literacy experiences, ratings of process quality, and observations and field notes made by the professional development facilitator and researcher.