MāORI AND SCIENCE

Science education needs to make science more accessible to Māori students. It must make use of teaching strategies which are effective with Māori students and must be responsive to the diversity of their cultural and language backgrounds. Acknowledging tikanga Māori, and valuing the use of Māori language and the experiences of Māori students, affirms their identity and creates a positive learning environment.

An inclusive curriculum in science provides opportunities for Māori students to:

• learn science that they, their peers, their teachers, their whánau, and the wider community value;
• learn science through the medium of te reo Māori;
• learn science which acknowledges and values Māori scientific knowledge;
• develop scientific concepts within Māori contexts;
• use their preferred learning and communication styles, such as co-operative learning and holistic approaches; and have oral contributions recognised for both learning and assessment purposes;
• interact in an environment where the language and resource materials used are non-racist;
• use a wide range of resources in te reo Māori;
• have access to positive Māori role models, including Māori teachers, in their science programme.

STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL ABILITIES IN SCIENCE

School and classroom programmes in science need to identify and nurture students with special abilities in science. When used flexibly, the curriculum offers talented students both acceleration and enrichment. An inclusive curriculum in science provides opportunities for students with special abilities to:

• have their special ability in science valued by their peers, their teachers, their families, and the wider community;
• develop their knowledge and skills at their own pace;
• engage in learning activities which encourage higher-order thinking skills, such as analysis, evaluation, and synthesis;
• learn through open-ended activities which encourage imaginative and creative thinking and lateral exploration of ideas;
• use co-operative and problem-solving approaches to learning;
• communicate their ideas with others of similar ability.