In 2022 we created have 3 bilingual classrooms across all year levels.
- Room 9 which is our Year 1 and 2 class has been named Maahoe.
- Room 7 which is our Year 3 and 4 class has been named Patetee.
- Room 8 which is our Year 5 and 6 class has been named Hiinau.
Bilingual education is most effective when families, the school and the wider community see it as good for students to learn a second language and to become confident in two languages. This is call ad "additive" approach, because students are "adding" a second language rather than replacing one language with another. This is the approach that we will be using at TKP. Research shows that additive approach are very effective educationally and results in students becoming bilingual as well as biliterate - being able to read and write in two languages.
The research also highlights that becoming biliterate is one of the keys to academic success. Students who are biliterate are more likely to succeed academically and also often outperform students in English-medium schools. Of course, they also end up knowing two languages rather than just one.
Advantages of Being Bilingual
Learning two for more languages has many advantages. Some of these advantages currently publicised are:
- Wider communication ability(extended family, community, international links, employment)
- Literacy in tow languages
- Broader understanding of cultures, a deeper multi-culturalism, and two"language worlds" of experiences.
- Greater tolerance and less racism.
- Thinking benefits (creativity, sensitivity to communication)
- Raised self-esteem
- Security in identify
- Increased curriculum achievement (higher accademic skills)
- Easier to learn a third language
- Future economic and employment benefits
Advantages for the school
- It creates an opportunity for early diversity and discussions about culture
- Better academic achievement across groups of learners
- Cross cultural appreciation and a celebration of culture within the school environment
- Acceptance of difference
- Maori language if revitalised
- Increase in community engagement
- An environment where te reo and tīkanga māori are enhanced.
At TKP, Ngaa Maramara o Ngaa Muka, will give the opportunity for students to be a part of a bilingual environment, where students will have the opportunity to learn Te Reo Maaori me ona tiikanga and Tainuitanga from Years 1 - 6.
Bilingual Education Guidelines and Procedures
The Board of Trustees and staff of Te Kauwhata Primary School are committed to providing quality teaching and learning for all children through our Year 1 - 6 Te Reo Māori Bilingual classes. The class sizes within the Bilingual unit will be funded using the MOE guidelines on teacher to student ratios that reflect non Māori immersion teacher to student ratios, until a time that Māori immersion education is available at Te Kauwhata Primary School.
Each year the board will determine the number of places that are likely to be available in the following year for the bilingual classes. The board will publish this information by notice on the Te Kauwhata Primary School website. The notice will indicate how many applications are to be made and will specify a date by which all applications must be received.
Applications for enrolment into the bilingual classes will be processed in the following order of priority:
First priority must be given to any applicant who is mana whenua. (eg. Ngāti Naho, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Pou and Ngāti Taratikitiki.
Second priority must be given to any applicant who is from the wide Tainui rohe.
Third priority must be given to any applicant who has attended Kohanga Reo or Māori immersion education eg. Kura Kaupapa or Rumaki class.
Fourth priority must be given to any applicant who is of Māori descent and whakapapa to other iwi in Aotearoa.
Fifth priority must be given to any applicant who is the sibling of a current or a past student of the reo rua unit at Te Kauwhata Primary.
Sixth priority must be given to all other applicants.
In any given year that the class sizes reach the MOE guidelines on teacher to student ratios that reflect non Māori immersion teacher to student ratios, the classrooms will be closed for that year. If there are students who arrive at Te Kauwhata Primary School during this time and want to be placed in a bilingual class they will be added to a waiting list for the following year and will have to apply accordingly under our Bilingual Enrolment guidelines.