1. NEW ZEALAND – BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND MULTICULTURALITY WITH CHILDREN UP TO THREE YEARS
Jean Rockel,
II World Congress on early childhood:
“The formation and in-service training of educational agents
for early childhood care”, Puebla, Mexico, September 27, 2012.

2. (protect the language)
Tena koutou katoa, greetings Kia ora, kia orana,fakaalofa lahi atu, talofa lava, malo e leilei, bula vinaka, Hola
Toi te reo
(protect the language)
Toi te tangata
(protect the people)
Toi te mana
(protect the mana)
Nola Harvey University of Auckland Faculty of Education & OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand

3. National and international instruments: Rights to mother tongue/heritage language
Treaty of Waitangi, signed 1840 between Crown and Maori chiefs.
“The language is the core of our Māori culture and mana. Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori. (The language is the life force of the mana Māori.) If the language dies, as some predict, what do we have left to us? Then, I ask our own people who are we?”
Ngāpuhi leader Sir James Hēnare, 1985
1989 – United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Articles 29, 30 ‘…a child belonging to ethnic, religious or linguistic minority …or who is indigenous shall not be denied the right…to enjoy…profess…practise…use his or her own …language’
UNESCO guidelines on Language and Education: Principles
Support for mother tongue instruction
Support for bilingual and /or multilingual education
Language as a essential component of intercultural education
International instruments: Rights to Mother Tongue and Rights to play
1989 – United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
–Articles 29, 30 ‘…a child belonging to ethnic, religious or linguistic minority …or who is indigenous shall not be denied the right…to enjoy…profess…practise…use his or her own …language’
Article 31 :1)…[child has right ]to engage in play and recreation activities …to participate freely in cultural life and arts.
2)…[child has right] to provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural,artiStic, recreational and leisure activity.
1948 Universal Declaration of Human rights- Article 2 “… Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration without distinction of any kind, such as …language”
1989- ILO Convention 169 concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries- Article 28
UNESCO guidelines on Language and Education: Principles
1) Support for mother tongue instruction
2) Support for bilingual and /or multilingual education
3) Language as a essential component of intercultural education
Nola Harvey University of Auckland Faculty of Education & OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand

4. Benefits of being bilingual
Research indicates:
The ability to think more creatively and laterally,
An appreciation of differing world views,
A stronger sense of self and cultural identity,
A capacity to participate in more than one culture.
It is important for students to get an early start in high quality immersion education and that they stay in a quality immersion setting for at least six years if they are to become fully bilingual and accrue advantage from being bilingual.
(Skerret, M. & Gunn, A. (2011). Literature review: Quality in immersion-bilingual early years education for language acquisition. Final report for Ministry of Education. Christchurch, NZ: University of Canterbury.

5. Infants as young as 4 months who live in bilingual environments can distinguish between two languages, monitoring lip and facial movements. Babies also show a strong preference for the language their mother spoke during pregnancy …
Because the child’s brain is developing so quickly, across so many regions, the words learned during this critical period carry thick visual and emotional associations.
Skerret & Gunn (2011)

6. Bilingual advantage
Further research into toddler bilingualism claims that a second languages gives toddlers ‘an edge’. In the Canadian context Poulin-Dubois, Blaye, Coutya and Bialystock (2010) found that by 24 months, bilingual children had already acquired a vocabulary in each of their two languages and gained some experience in switching between English or French. The cognitive benefits come much earlier than reported in previous studies.

7. Significant publications

8. Learning for Life Play and Mother tongue
Mother tongue: the language of nurture: heritage language, a community language or a dominant language. Language does not exist in neutral or impersonal state.
Play: Serious and playful engagement with living social and political artifacts, histories and futures.
Identity: Complex and simple dynamic relations, discourses and stories with ‘people, place and things’(Te Whariki)
Learning for Life Play and Mother tongue
Mother tongue: the language of nurture. May also be a Heritage language, a community language or a dominant language. Language does not exist in neutral or impersonal state.
Play: Serious and active engagement with living social and political artefacts, histories and futures
Involves complex and simple dynamic relations, discourses and stories with ‘people, place and things’.
Disturbs and constructs identities, the known and unknown through conflict, provocation, collaboration creation and power (Aliwood, 2002; Toohey, 2000; Rinaldi, 2005; Elkind, 2003)
Nola Harvey University of Auckland Faculty of Education & OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand

9. Role of language in play
Constructs identity and subjectivity-in relation to others through dialogue and negotiation with people, technologies, texts and artefacts
Reflects and constructs social and cultural identities and knowledge in the present from past history and possible futures.
Narratives - for rehearsal of voices and discourses mediating knowledge and ways of knowing across time from ancestor to child.
Regenerates- Special vocabularies and protocols used in particular contexts regenerate ways of being, knowing and doing with people, places and things
Nola Harvey University of Auckland Faculty of Education & OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand

10. Te Whariki: Bicultural document

11. New Zealand has a diverse range of services, that support play groups, kindergarten and care and education centres.
Kohanga Reo
Pacific Island language centres
Playgroups  
Tokelauan
Fijian
Niuean
Tongan
Cook Is Maori
Samoan
Other Pacific Peoples
South East Asian
Indian
Chinese (incl. Taiwanese)
Other Asian
Middle Eastern, Latin American and African

12. Te kohanga reo Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Maori
Established 1982
Language maintenance and use
Tu tangata- stand tall
Whakawhaiti- harness strength and resources
Ko tourourou- increase contribution to advance Maori
Rangatiratanga- exercise self determination ,
Change to bilingual education.
Te kohanga reo Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Maori
Established 1982 in Wellington after meeting of the elders from the four winds -Hui.
Tu tangata- stand tall
Whakawhaiti -harness strength and resources
Ko tourourou -increase contribution to advance Maori
Rangatiratanga-exercise self determination
, kohanga reo
kohanga reo
Over 23 years 50, 000 children have been enrolled; 20,000 involved in the movement.
Nola Harvey University of Auckland Faculty of Education & OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand

13. Possibilities for the right to mother tongue in Aotearoa New Zealand
Te Kohanga Reo- Aotearoa New Zealand
“He taonga te reo; He Tino Taongo Te Mokopuna
The language is a toanga/treasure; The child is a taonga /treasure
Te Kohanga Reo is a movement, founded by Maori, for Maori. The kohanga whanau are the owners, the users, the managers, the learners and the teachers.
The mokopuna are the future hope for the survival of Te reo and tikanga Maori. The movement is the foundation for ‘language maintenance’ and ‘language spread’ .
Possibilities for promoting the right to play and right to mother tongue in Aotearoa New Zealand
Te Kohanga Reo movement- Aotearoa New Zealand
“He taonga te reo; He Tino Taongo Te Mokopuna”
( Royal
The language is a toanga/treasure; The child is a taonga /treasure
Te Kohanga Reo is a movement, which was founded by Maori, for Maori. The kohanga whanau are the owners, the users, the managers, the learners and the teachers.
The mokopuna are the future hope for the survival of Te reo and tikanga Maori. The movement is the foundation for ‘language maintenance’ and ‘language spread’ (Cooper,1989 cited in Royal Tangaere, 2005 p.3).
Nola Harvey University of Auckland Faculty of Education & OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand

14. Kaupapa for te kohanga reo
The child’s learning and development ,collective responsibility of whanau
Guided by kaumatua
Nurtured through Whakapapa (genealogical links)to Papatuanuku (earth) and Ranginui (sky).
Values: manaaki tangata and aroha
Responsibilities: tuakana teina
Bond: kaumatua and mokopuna
Interconnectedness; Self with universe
In kohanga, through te reo a child learns
Where he/she belongs
His/her responsibilities to care for another
To know and care for the environment
Cultural values and beliefs
Indigenous knowledge, values and traditions
Established 1982 in Wellington after meeting of the elders from the four winds -Hui.
Tu tangata- stand tall
Nola Harvey University of Auckland Faculty of Education & OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand

15. Contexts for te reo in kohanga
Kaupapa ( concepts)
expectations of whanau: commitment, obligations , participation
activity is te reo ( language) and wairua(spirit) in action with purpose, in life long learning.
Matauranga Kaupapa (knowledge) – te reo frames the matrix for life as Maori; Kaumatua, moteatea and whakapapa
Nga tikanga Maori (customary ways) and kawa(protocols), ‘ways of knowing, ways of being and ways of doing’ through the karakia, mihimihi, waiata, within te reo pedagogical practices of purposeful learning and play
Contexts for te reo in kohanga
Kaupapa ( concepts)
expectations of whanau : commitment, obligations , participation
activity is te reo ( language) and wairua(spirit) in action with purpose, in life long learning .
Matauranga Kaupapa (knowledge) – te reo frames the matrix for life as Maori ; Kaumatua moteatea and whakapapa
Nga tikanga Maori (customary ways) and kawa(protocols),‘ways of knowing, ways of being and ways of doing’ through the karakia, mihimihi, waiata, within te reo pedagogical practices of purposeful learning and play
Nola Harvey University of Auckland Faculty of Education & OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand

16. Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Maori
The Maori child is walked through her learning and development by and with her whanau. Home becomes kohanga reo, which in turn becomes kura Kaupapa maori, the Whare kura, Whare wananga, adulthood and kaumatua status and the cycle begins again with the next generation(Royal Tangaere, 1999)
The Maori child is walked through her learning and development by and with her whanau. Home becomes kohanga reo, which in turn becomes kura Kaupapa maori, the Whare kura, Whare wananga, adulthood and kaumatua status and the cycle begins again with the next generation (Royal Tangaere, 1999).
Nola Harvey University of Auckland Faculty of Education & OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand

17. Total immersion Maori Kohanga reo (ECE) and school (Kura): Mana Tamariki, New Zealand.

18. Assessment of learning: Mana Tamariki kohanga reo
Te aroha o te tuakana
Caring for younger brother.
Knowing his brother was safe
and secure was one of Jalen’s
goals.

19. A’oga Fa’a Samoa
A’oga Fa’a Samoa established in Auckland , by Samoan grandparents to maintain language and culture, using Samoan language.
First licensed Pacific Island language early childhood centre in Aotearoa New Zealand Now Pasifika early childhood Community centres
Tofamanino (Philosophy)
promote Samoan language and culture
nurture positive identity of the children.
promote the physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual and cultural development
A’oga Fa’a Samoa -trained staff respond to needs of the aiga
Family atmosphere for parents and children -secure and loved
A’oga Fa’a Samoa established initiated by Samoan grandparents to maintain language and culture, using Samoan language.
First licensed Pacific Island language early childhood centre in New Zealand of the 109 Pasifika early childhood Community centres established by church and family groups, run by Pasifika peoples for Pasifika children in their Pasifika language/s.
Tofamanino (Philosophy)
promote Samoan language and culture
nurture the positive identity of the children.
promote the physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual and cultural development of young children, and respond to all the needs of the aiga .
Staff are trained or in training and provide stimulating learning environment
A’oga Fa’a Samoa encourages a family atmosphere for parents and children so children will not feel threatened but secure and loved.
Nola Harvey University of Auckland Faculty of Education & OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand

20. A’oga Fa’a Samoa
Language, culture and identity as Samoan children for 21st Century
(Jan Taouma, Head Teacher)
1990 A’oga Fa’a Samoa licensed and joined Richmond Road Primary School.
Incorporated society of Samoan Community members report to School.
Committed to immersion Samoan language context, to nurture child’s identity .
A’oga focus on enjoyment of learning through Samoan language medium.
Special links to bilingual first year classes in Mua I Malae at the Primary school
50 children from birth to 5 years
Family partnership framework, with orientation to bilingual education.
[2003 Awarded Centre of Innovation]
1990 A’oga Fa’a Samoa joined Richmond Road primary School and became licensed.
Incorporated society of Samoan Community members make decisions and manage the centre. The report to the Board of Richmond Rd. School.
Committed to immersion Samoan language context, to nurture child’s identity The emphasis at the A’oga is on enjoyment of learning through the medium of the Samoan Language.
Provides qualified teachers, and special links to bilingual first year classes in Mua I Malae at the Primary school
50 children from birth to 5 years (34/16)
Family partnership framework, with orientation to bilingual education.
2003 Awarded Centre of Innovation
Language, culture and identity as Samoan children for 21st Century
Nola Harvey University of Auckland Faculty of Education & OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand

21. New Zealand Playcentre Federation Parent Co-operative unique to Aotearoa New Zealand
1940s established voluntary groups
National Organisation
regions with 500 Playcentres
Philosophy
Family co-operative education is relevant to the New Zealand setting
Parents, with training and support, make professional contribution
High quality ECE experiences for children with active involvement of whanau and family is valuable investment in the future.
Nola Harvey University of Auckland Faculty of Education & OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand

22. New Zealand Playcentre
Provides Parent Education modules on all aspects of children’s learning
Parents as educators of their own children
Views children as people who are strong and capable and who are competent (child initiated play)
Learning through play
Birth to school age
Mixed ages sessions
Family involvement
Nola Harvey University of Auckland Faculty of Education & OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand

23. Te Puna Kohunghunga,
University of Auckland
Please visit the website