Student achievement – Teaching & Learning Research Initiative

Using home languages as a resource to enhance statistical thinking in a multicultural classroom

Introduction Aotearoa New Zealand is a super diverse nation in terms of the ethnicities of its people and languages spoken. With an increased rate of immigration (New Zealand Immigration, 2018) from various parts of the world, the presence of multiple languages in many domains of social life is a reality. Individuals may identify with several nationalities or racial groups and may speak combinations or mixtures of several languages (Dockrell et al., 2022; Education Review Office, 2018). Consequently, classrooms are now places where learners have different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, where they may speak one language at home and another at school, where teachers and students may not share a common language

Generating positive outcomes by Year 5 to 8 priority learners in writing: An inquiry into effective teacher practice

1. Writing: The issue to be addressed Writing is a demanding, multidimensional process that is, cognitively and socially, highly complex. Success in writing is vital to success in education and in the workforce (Graham, Capizzi, Harris, Hebert, & Morphy, 2014). Writing is increasingly used to demonstrate learning through schooling and has the potential to contribute toward understanding and learning in the content areas (Bangert-Drowns, Hurley, & Wilkinson, 2004). Beyond school, it is an integral part of students’ everyday lives as they participate in the world of texting, blogging, and social networking. In the workplace, it is a threshold skill for hiring and promotion amongst many workers. New Zealand-based data on success

Marae-ā-kura: Teaching, learning and living as Māori

Introduction Marae-ā-kura (school-based marae) have been part of the secondary school landscape since 1978. Today there are approximately 99 marae in state secondary schools in New Zealand (Ministry of Education, 2008).[1] although marae-ā-kura are officially endorsed by the Ministry of Education (2000) to better engage with Māori parents, whānau and communities, there is little research on the way marae-ā-kura operate, their pedagogical practices and their effect on Māori student outcomes. This two-year research project investigated the role of marae-ā-kura as culturally determined spaces in mainstream secondary schools. It involved the participation of students, teachers, principals, whānau and community representatives of three urban marae-ā-kura within the Auckland region. The study examined the

School achievement: Why summer matters

Introduction The “summer learning effect” is where students’ school literacy achievement plateaus or declines over summer. This limits students’ levels of achievement over time which can create a barrier to decile 1 schools’ effectiveness. It is a well known effect both within New Zealand and worldwide, but there is limited research evidence on how to overcome it. Our aim was to identify factors that may help overcome the summer learning effect in reading in decile 1 schools in New Zealand. Key findings The summer learning effect was confirmed as a major barrier to ongoing achievement: the gains made over the school year disappeared. Specific preparation by teachers for students and guidance

Sustainability of effective teaching and school practices: Developing a model for sustaining and extending literacy achievement. A summary

The focus of this TLRI project was on sustaining gains in reading comprehension made through TLRIfunded interventions in two clusters of schools in South Auckland. The aim was to develop a model for sustaining effective teaching and school practices so that student achievement continued to improve once the interventions ended. This involved identifying and explaining the conditions that enabled schools to continue improving achievement; explaining how the conditions interrelated; and how these relationships resulted in differing patterns of achievement after the intervention. Research questions Can two clusters decile 1 schools with mainly Māori and Pasifika students sustain student achievement gains one year after their participation in TLRI reading comprehension interventions? Sustainability

Addressing obstacles to success: Improving student completion, retention, and achievement in science modules in applied health programmes

1. The project and its context Addressing Obstacles to Success[1] was a two-year project that sought to address science achievement rates in applied-health undergraduate degree programmes at Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), with particular attention to Māori. Throughout their teaching careers, staff members at Wintec have heard many anecdotal stories about science being a “problem” for midwifery and nursing students. Research to inform retention strategies for Māori students studying midwifery at Wintec indicated that science was a potential barrier to their overall success (Gibson-van Marrewijk, 2005). Notwithstanding this anecdotal concern, the nature and extent of science as a “problem” for any student had not been systematically researched up to that point.

Early algebraic thinking: links to numeracy

1. Introduction Many students struggle with introductory algebra and teachers have little to guide them in assisting students to learn this important component of high school mathematics. Little is known about the effect of students’ numeracy on the learning of early algebra, or about the strategies that students use to solve equations. There is widespread agreement that algebra is not easily understood by many students. The Cockcroft Report in the United Kingdom highlighted the fact that algebra is a source of considerable confusion and negative attitudes among pupils (Cockcroft, 1982), while the title of Brekke’s (2001) paper, “School Algebra: Primarily Manipulations of Empty Symbols on a Piece of Paper?”, sums up