Valuing Language, Culture and Identity

Valuing language, culture and identity is central to all programmes in order to maximise the potential of children. PD programmes will need to ensure that educators are able to engage with all children and their families to be able to provide an environment that is accessible, equitable and responsive to the needs/interests of all learners.

Key components of valuing language, culture and identity for educators for inclusion in the PD programme include:

• educator understanding of their own culture and identity
• understanding that what the learning environment offers will be different for children from different cultures
• making environmental and behavioural changes to accommodate different cultural needs
• communications with parents and families about their aspirations for the child in the ECE service.
• understanding how language develops, particularly second language acquisition
• focus on difference rather than deficiency when helping children to develop English
• educators know how to apply the required skills to engage positively with children and their families.

Focus Area

The focus of PD will be on the target location’s assessed need for PD in one or more of the following areas:

• literacy and numeracy: supporting the development of children’s early literacy and numeracy competencies)
• transitions: supporting transition into ECE services; transition within ECE services including between Māori and English medium settings
• leadership: developing professional leadership to promote ongoing improvements in effective teaching and learning
• education and care of under two year olds: increasing educator understanding of how best to support learning and development of very young children
• developing children’s social competence:children developing skills in managing themselves and relating to others.

Programme Goal: Communities

The programme is to provide in depth professional development to services. Programmes will be flexible in duration.

Programme Goal: Leadership

To develop professional leadership to promote ongoing improvements in effective teaching and learning.

Leadership roles are strengthened across teaching teams leading to stronger relationships with families/whānau, more effective teaching and learning and resulting in improved education outcomes.

Leadership programmes will be based on one of the focus areas: literacy and numeracy, transitions, developing social competence, transitions, education and care of under two year olds.

Providers will establish facilitated networks for ongoing development of understanding and practice. The networks must be designed to become self sustaining.

Programme Goal: Education and care of children under 2 years

The goal of the programme is to increase educator understanding of and practice in how best to support learning and development of very young children.

This programme will provide information on best practice in working with children under two years.

Programmes will have at their core “language, culture and identity are valued”.

Providers will establish facilitated networks for ongoing development of understanding and practice. The networks must be designed to become self sustaining.