Catering for
Priority Learners
Within
Social Sciences
SocCon2015
Creating Collegial Connections
INSPIRING TEACHERS!
Margaret Leamy
National Coordinator Social Science
Te Tapuae o Rehua Consortium
Whakatauki
Te piko o te mahuri, tera te pupu o te rakau
The way in which the young sapling is
nurtured, determines how the tree will grow
Intention of today:
To understand how to cater for Priority learners and what it can look like in
reality
By the end of this session I will:
 Gain a greater understanding of how to cater for our priority learners
 Identify how Tataiako relates to our priority learners
 Have practical ideas to cater for priority learners
Who are our Priority Learners?
 Ethnicity
 Socio-economic
 Special education needs
 Below curriculum level
What we know about learning
• Learning involves thinking
• Experiences are critical
• Actively engaged – doing, thinking, saying
• Structure – intentions, criteria, exemplars
• Variety of settings – placed based contexts
Social Science priority learners
• Build relationships/Build connections
• Contexts – meaningful and relevant
• Learning Intentions and success criteria
• Variety of activities to motivate and engage
• One on one support
• Group work
BES Social Sciences
Connections
Alignment
Community
Interest
Spiral of Inquiry
Effective practice
• Focus group of students
• Evidence about what is happening for these students
• Identify an aspect to help students improve
• Take actions & apply teaching interventions to create
improvements for students
• Quality thinking about the value and effectiveness of actions
• Meet and share regularly with your colleagues
• Include as part of appraisal
Culturally
Responsive
Pedagogy
The culture of the child cannot enter the
classroom until it has entered the
consciousness of the teacher. Basil Bernstein
Tātaiako
Cultural Competencies for Teachers of
Māori learners
Tātaiako in reality...
Ako: Taking responsibility for their own learning and that of Māori learners.
Student voice:
My teacher:
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lets me and my peers know when we’re doing well
never gives up on us
knows what works for me and my learning
asks us what we know
shows me how to learn
expects every one of us to do our best all the time
believes I can succeed
tells me that we are both responsible for how well I do – we both get to celebrate when I
do well, or have to try harder if I don’t!
seems to enjoy learning from us too
What are the actions we undertake to support our students to ensure their voice is heard?
How do these look for you?
5 Cultural competencies in Tātaiako
1.In small groups, brainstorm what is it that you do in your classroom to
ensure you are supporting your students around this cultural
competency?
2.Move back to your original group and share each of your ideas around
the use of the 5 cultural competencies.
My History teacher is very strict and she is the only one who asks me to move
when I talk. She explains to me, she teaches us well. I thought I won’t cope
with History, but I achieved one Merit and one Excellence grade in the
internals.”
“I wanted to change my subject after I spent two weeks in the History class. I
did not like the high expectations, the homework, the exemplars that she
gives us and wanted to go for an easy option. My teacher made me stay, and
she helped me to achieve well. I am lazy but after my first Merit grade, I
started working hard, and now my parents have received an invitation to
attend Senior Prize giving. I know that I am getting a placing in History, I love
it, and will continue with it next year.”
“I was given extra time and opportunity to learn and achieve well. Mrs B.
removed me from externals and said that I need to come to tutorials four
times a week and work with her to get Numeracy and Literacy credits. I am
happy I got 13 in Geo Level 1. I struggle with numbers and reading, but Ms
asked a few people from the Level 2 Geo class to sit by me and help me. I
achieved better in Geography than in any of my other subjects.”
“Geography is an interesting, but tough subject. I love it because of Ms, she
made me achieve Merit grades. I was happy with just Achieved, she said, “You
have another two days to make it for Merit, you are clever, you must resubmit for a higher grade.” I did not want to do it at first, but she did not take
no for an answer, and I did not want to disappoint her because she works so
hard for us. So I listened to her, did the resubmission, got Merit, and now I
feel so confident and decided to try and pass one external exam in
November.”