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Happy Tongan Language Week
Mālō e lelei. At BestStart Parkside kaiako use Pacific worldviews, research evidence, references and conceptual models in their planning, teaching and assessments, to demonstrates a strengths-based practice, and build on the cultural and linguistic capital Pacific learners, their parents, families and communities bring.
Kaiako and parents support each other to build their knowledge and understanding of Pacific ethnic-specific identities, languages and cultures including concepts of bilingual acquisition and learning processes. Children develop a sense of Belonging and the learning outcomes achieved when celebrating a child’s culture and language fosters making connections between people, places and things in their world and children experience an environment where they are affirmed as individuals.
Our tamariki at BestStart Parkside are learning to appreciate and enjoy diversity, as they partake in celebrations. The activities planned were very simple, yet authentic as the children lead their own learning journey. It was great to see how empowered our Tongan child was he saw the Tongan flags being made and displayed. Children were learning names of lanu/colours in Tongan language. Children used sea shells and painted and coloured them. Children were matching and sorting the sea shells using the colour chart.
Using natural resources fosters sustainability and sea shells are valuable resource in Pacific culture. Children made and drew Tongan flags and these were used for displays in the centre.