Ngataki School is a small two-teacher primary school situated in Far North of New Zealand. In 2016, the Ngataki School junior classes’ teacher undertook a small study involving her learners, focused on growing their... [ view full abstract ]
Ngataki School is a small two-teacher primary school situated in Far North of New Zealand. In 2016, the Ngataki School junior classes’ teacher undertook a small study involving her learners, focused on growing their expressive capabilities to impact on their writing and overall learning, using a particular language-focused approach. Language as a prime semiotic tool for meaning-making the students’ worlds of being and knowing was at the heart of the study.
There have been powerful outcomes and next steps taken as a result of this initial study. The students’ thinking and curiosity expanded exponentially alongside their expressive empowerment. The outcomes inspired both teachers to traverse a previously unexplored pedagogical approach together as their underpinning learning paradigm. They had the realisation that languaging minds inside purposeful, authentic, place-based content, was the means to inspire and empower the students as learners – for learners to transform into future scientists, environmentalists, geologist, historians, and guardians of nature, and have increasing ‘voice’ in these spaces.
This paper ‘tells the story’ of the Maori young learners and their teachers travelling an on-going journey of ‘languaging minds’. It will present details about how, together with their families and iwi, they are becoming astute guardians of nature and history. The pedagogical journey of learning through languaging and doing will be described and discussed.
