Education Minister Erica Stanford announced today that Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers in New Zealand will receive increased support to enhance literacy and numeracy outcomes for young learners.
The online resource Kōwhiti Whakapae will now assist ECE teachers in improving their planning, assessments, and teaching methods for oral language, literacy, and math.
“New research from the Education Review Office (ERO) has shown that many children are starting school without the necessary spoken language skills,” said Ms. Stanford. “The ERO recommends setting clear expectations for students, tracking their progress, and improving teaching practices. It also emphasizes the importance of involving parents and whānau in developing language skills at home.”
Ms. Stanford highlighted that “We want every child to start school with confidence. By integrating the Kōwhiti Whakapae content, we aim to help children develop as readers, writers, mathematicians, and lifelong learners.”
The online tools will enable teachers to refine their approaches based on evidence of a child’s progress and will also provide parents with insights into their child’s learning journey.
“We are dedicated to using data and evidence to improve student achievement in key learning areas and competencies,” Ms. Stanford added. “Oral language is fundamental for all children, and these tools are an important step toward setting them up for success in school and beyond.”