The Purpose of This Guide

Ko te reo te tuakiri Ko te reo tōku ahurei Ko te reo te ora Language is my identity, Language is my uniqueness, Language is my life. The goal for this cultural pedagogical guide is to provide guidance to Spanish bilingual programs in the United States in developing cultural pedagogical methods and practices that meaningfully…

About the Author: Angela Palmieri

Whāia te pae tawhiti kia tata. Whāia to pae tata kiā maua. Pursue the distant pathways of your dreams so they may become your reality. Māori Proverb Dedication: This guide is dedicated to my country, Venezuela, where I was born and where my heart will always reside. Esta guía la dedico al país que me…

Fulbright Inquiry Project Dedication

This Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching inquiry project is dedicated to the indigenous people of our world: the guardians of our Earth, the kaitiaki of the land, the keepers of ancient wisdom and holders of unique languages- and to those fearless souls who have made it their life’s purpose to stand up for indigenous rights.

Inextricable Connection of Language and Culture

Language is culture and  culture is language. A particular language points to the culture of a particular social group. Learning a language, therefore, is not only learning the alphabet, the meaning, the grammar rules and the arrangement of words, but it is also learning the behavior of the society and its cultural customs. Thus; language…

Teaching Te Reo Māori in Māori-Medium Settings

There are several types of Māori-medium schools in Aotearoa.  They range from bilingual units in English mainstream schools to total immersion schools where 80-100% of instructions occurs in Te Reo Māori. Some schools (especially in cities with large Māori populations like Rotorua and Auckland) will have several language strands to accommodate the students’ needs. For…

History of Māori-Medium Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Māori-medium education has been, and continues to be, strongly community driven. The Māori-medium education sector was established to ensure the preservation of  te reo Māori and the Māori culture. Māori-medium schooling has only been in existence less than thirty years ago and is still building its research and evidence base. The Māori-medium education sector grew…

Indigenous Literature and Curricula

Indigenous literature and curricula play an integral role in the teaching of indigenous stories, legends, and histories. In Māori-medium schools, teachers have a large amount of books not only in Te Reo Māori but also books that focus on the Māori culture. School libraries will carry a large amount of books in Te Reo Māori…

Celebrating Cultural and Indigenous Holidays in Schools

Celebrating Cultural and Indigenous Holidays in Schools in Aotearoa/New Zealand Celebrating cultural and indigenous holidays in schools reinforces the value the school places that particular culture/s. For example, Spanish bilingual schools that celebrate, teach, and observe (through classroom instruction) Latin American (including indigenous) and Spanish holidays send the message to the students that the culture/s…

Bilingual Signage and Personnel in Schools

Bilingual Signage and Personnel in Māori-Medium Schools in Aotearoa/New Zealand Having school signs in both English and Māori acknowledges the importance of the Māori language and provides learning opportunities for students, families and staff. The Ministry encourages schools to install bilingual signs if they have not already done so. http://www.waitangi.tki.org.nz/project-gallery/bilingual-signage/ New Zealand is a dual language…

Integrating Indigenous Food and Cooking Into the Curricula

 Integrating Food and Cooking in Māori-Medium Schools in Aotearoa/New Zealand Food is a big part of culture and identity. Each culture has types of foods, dishes, cooking customs, eating customs, and diets that are unique to the country or peoples of that culture. People also connect to their cultural or ethnic group through similar food…

Indigenous Murals in Schools

Every Māori-medium school that I visited in Aotearoa/New Zealand had several murals that displayed aspects of the Māori culture. The murals often showcased Māori customs, culture (tikanga) and principles, history, as well as aspects of Māori spirituality. The murals act as a vehicle to transmit cultural values onto the students through art. Murals not only…

Decolonization

One of the highlights of my Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching experience was interviewing Tamsin Hanly, the author of Critical Histories: A Critical Guide to Māori and Pākehā Histories of Aotearoa, a 6-book decolonization curriculum and professional development for teachers (the curriculum is not for students). I interviewed Tamsin at Newton Central School in Auckland, where…