LATEST STORIES
Learning Sign Language
A big interest of tamariki over an extended period of time has been sign language, particularly in the Prep room as well as the preschool room. Tamariki have learnt the sign language for the colours, animals, vehicles, sea creatures, emotions and more and these are incorporated into mat times regularly as well as tamariki taking their new knowledge home to share with their whaanau.
Through tamariki having learnt the sign language for emotions these are often used by tamariki throughout their play to express themselves if they are feeling lost for the words to use, we find that this is helping support their emotional regulation and self-expression. Tamariki often come up to kaiako (teachers) and ask to be shown sign language for something or ask to teach them new signs, their strong interest is keeping kaiako extending their own knowledge too, it is a reciprocal learning process.