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Case Studies – Pasifika Initiatives
Rosebank School, Avondale
Rosebank School is situated in a western Auckland suburb, and has a mixed population, including many migrant groups and Pasifika people. The school roll fluctuates during the year, beginning at around 610 and rising to nearer 700 by the end. Around 280 students enrol in the course of a year, indicating that there is a lot of movement, and students are likely to experience many changes of school. About 30 percent of the students are of Samoan descent, along with sizeable numbers of Tongan, Māori, and other Pacific groups. Approximately 15 percent are from Asian families. Other groups, such as those from North East Africa, are likely to settle in some numbers when they first arrive in the country, but gradually move as new opportunities arise elsewhere.
The issues
Rosebank was especially concerned to provide extra assistance for students from different language groups and those who had multiple changes of school. These students needed to have positive support quickly, so that they would be at ease in the classroom environment. At the same time, the school sought to make steady incremental improvements across all areas of literacy and numeracy.
The planning
The school took part in a Pasifika Home–School Partnership programme to help raise the performance of these students through strengthening the relationships with families.
As well as taking part in the Literacy Leadership project and other continuing professional development, Rosebank sought funding for the purchase of hardware and software for an integrated learning package called SuccessMaker. Their choice of programs focused on comprehension, language structures, and mathematical skills to give students in years 4 to 6 a special boost. Four teachers were trained, both to use the programs appropriately and to adapt them for particular needs. These included one teacher who holds a Diploma in Teaching English as a Second Language. A teachers aide was also trained to manage the day-by-day work.
The actions
The Pasifika Home–School Partnership also involved training a lead teacher and a lead parent from each of the major groups to facilitate the delivery of the program to other parents. The parent facilitator takes the lead in the sessions with parents, with the teacher as a support. This relationship breaks down the barriers of shyness or anxiety among people who may feel intimidated by the unfamiliar territory of the school. Training sessions are held between 6 and 7pm, so that fathers and mothers on shift work are likely to be able to attend. Older children are supervised in the computer room and little ones have a play space – it is vital to have a welcoming family atmosphere. The training is designed to give parents the confidence to teach their children and support their learning, especially reading. It affirms their home language, emphasising that language strength in the first language provides the foundation for acquisition of English. Some parents were hesitant about using their own tongue, concerned that it could impede progress for their children, but with greater understanding they are now borrowing books such as the Tupu series and reclaiming their place as "first teachers".
The computer-based learning support is now established in an area adjacent to the Special Needs Unit, so it can be easily accessed by the second-language teachers. The selected students – approximately 20 percent of the year 4 to 6 roll – are scheduled to have 45 minutes daily for one 10 week term, working with programs chosen to address their needs in comprehension, grammar, and maths skills. Some, for instance, need reinforcement of structures or concepts which would normally be mastered in earlier years. The programs address special language needs. They are one of the available tools that students are motivated to use, and as a result, develop particular skills. The students are integrated into the normal classroom for the rest of each day.
The results
The Pasifika Home–School Partnership has proved a great success in building confidence among families, and the priority is to continue to raise the standard across the whole school. The school is evaluating the impact of these initiatives by the proportion of students reading at or above their chronological age: Of the year 5 students who had been at Rosebank for 12 months to July 2001, 68 percent were reading at a 9- to 10-year-old level, while of those who had been at the school for three or more years, the figure was 88 percent. In year 6, 81 percent of those who had been there one year achieved at a 9- to 10-year-old level, and 88 percent of those who had been there for longer. Now, in the year 2002, the school is raising its expectations and anticipating a good proportion of year 6 students to read at 11- to 12-year-old levels.
SuccessMaker is proving a valuable tool which has its place in the process of developing literacy, especially for second-language learners. It is not seen as standing alone, but as one part of an integrated programme to give an intensive boost in literacy and maths skills for particular students. It engages their interest as most are enthusiastic about technology. Because individual student can operate at their own levels, it is satisfying and gives instant rewards. The school is now developing opportunities for extension mathematics programs for able students as well. The investment in training to ensure that there is skilled oversight and development is an essential part of the process.
Rosebank School has seen exciting changes in its school profile of achievement since initiating these programmes, and looks forward to continuing improvements through using each learning approach in the best way it can to meet the varied needs of the students.
Contact:
Rosebank School, 217 Rosebank Road, Avondale, Auckland
2001
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