Teaching and practice
Information and links to resources about teaching and learning in early learning services.
- Te Whāriki
- Assessment for learning
- Transitions in early learning – into, within and beyond
- Transitioning children with learning support needs into school
- Supporting children in care
- Becoming biliterate: Storytelling from the centre
- Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako
- Learning tools and resources
Te Whāriki
Te Whāriki ensures that early learners experience a curriculum that empowers them as lifelong learners. The focus of Te Whāriki is always on supporting children to develop the capabilities that they need as confident and competent learners. The curriculum has five strands that are areas of learning and development.
Assessment for learning
Assessment informs teaching, so that you can plan for a child’s next steps and support them to achieve goals in the future. Assessment actively involves children and their families/whānau in decisions about their learning.
Kei tua o te pae/Assessment for Learning
Kei tua o te pae is a best practice resource that will support teachers to improve the quality of their assessment and their teaching. The exemplars are a series of books that inform assessment practices in ECE. They also show how children, parents and whānau can contribute to this assessment and ongoing learning.
Te whatu pōkeka: Kaupapa Assessment for Learning Māori
Te whatu pōkeka provides a resource based on a kaupapa Māori perspective and context. The resource is used for the assessment of Māori children in Māori early childhood settings.
Te whatu pōkeka is also available in English
Transitions in early learning – into, within and beyond
Moving into a new environment is a time of change and adaptation for children, their families/whānau and teachers. To find out more about supporting children and families/whānau during this time, follow the link below.
Transitioning children with learning support needs into school
Early planning, parent engagement and strong relationships between the school or kura, the early learning service, parents and the Ministry are critical. These factors support a child with learning support needs to make a successful transition in to school.
Supporting children in care
Children and young people in care, or who have been in care, are likely to have had traumatic early experiences. They may need more support with getting along with others, participating and learning alongside their peers.
The Supporting Children in Care guide is for educators in all settings so that they can provide appropriate support for children and young people, so they experience wellbeing and achievement.
Download the guides:
- Supporting Children in Care - English [PDF, 474 KB]
- Supporting Children in Care - Māori [PDF, 506 KB]
The Inclusive Education website provides New Zealand educators with practical strategies, suggestions and resources to support learners with diverse needs.
- Visit the Inclusive Education website(external link)
- Read Calmer Classrooms: A guide to working with traumatised children(external link)
- Read Making Space for Learning: Trauma Informed practice in Schools(external link)
- Read Literature Review: A trauma-sensitive approach for children aged 0-8 years (2012)(external link)
Becoming biliterate: Storytelling from the centre
This learning story describes the path that an early learning service took to provide their children with English/Te reo Māori biliteracy.
Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako
A Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako is a group of education and training providers that work together to help students to achieve their full potential. Communities can include early learning services.
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