What is Gagana Sāmoa about?
[ Video Resource ]
- Title: Pacific Languages
- Description: Pacific Languages Subject Expert Group members discuss their experiences in the Review of Achievement Standards
- Video Duration: 5 minutes
- Video URL: https://player.vimeo.com/video/571921958
- Transcript: In conversation with Fane Ketu'u Teokota'i Tarai Lemoa Henry S Fesulua'i Transcript below: I think the biggest change is probably going to be changing out of the old system and creating this new system. What we've created
In conversation with
Fane Ketu'u
Teokota'i Tarai
Lemoa Henry S Fesulua'i
Transcript below:
I think the biggest change is probably going to be changing out of the old system and creating this new system. What we've created, what education has created, we've generated a generation of credit crunchers, of credit gatherers. And even for us as teachers, because we've been driven by assessment so long that now with these changes:
What does that mean for me as a teacher?
What is that going to mean for our young people?
What is it going to mean for our parents?
Because we've been driving this Talanoa Ako. We've been driving Pasifika achievement for our communities. Now this has all changed. I really think that's going to be this biggest change, adapting to the change.
With the condensed system of only having four achievement Standards now, it really means that it's not about the assessment. It's not about the final product. But we're looking at the whole process that leads up to the final product, eh? We're trying to make it more user-friendly. We're trying to make it more applicable to our learners, and trying to make... Suitable.
Yeah, suitable, and not make them feel that they're being assessed. But it's part of the learning process for them. The discussion around mātauranga Māori, about having that knowledge about self, about identity, and being open to everyone else is a crucial component for our Pasifika. It's really important that as Pacific, we also value our relationship with Mana whenua, with Tangata whenua.
We also have to try and filter that through, so the next generation can also value that in the terms of a Pacific lens, not a Westernised one. If we do not realise the people that are the basis of where we are, that's when we start to learn and value them as the host. If it wasn't for them, we would not be here.
It's very intense. We are here to do things for everyone else. We are not here for ourselves. We are representing our communities. It's quite a challenge, but I've loved every minute of it. Some of my colleagues think that it's real easy for us. As languages, Pacific languages. But I respond, it's easy, but it's also hard. Because you got to remember that there's diversity amongst us. Yes, we're from the same ocean, we have certain values and we share similar beliefs. But I'm always going to be forefront Samoan. You're always going to be Lea Faka-Tonga.
'Avaiki nui is always going to be at your forefront. That's the difficulties that we have to navigate. So that's the hardest part, because you're going to think about everyone else. What would they want from this? From the online learning, to the small class, right to the bigger class, and right to a community full of Pasifika to a community with no Pasifika.
Sometimes I feel a little bit like the secret service. Because there's things that we talk about here that we can't share outside. We can't go back to school. I'm saying, when I go back to school, I'm going, man, we should be doing more. Just be prepared for changes I suppose, eh?
As part of the team we've tried to create Standards that are at the right level. Just to be open.
That even though, as you've mentioned, these course outlines are designed, it doesn't mean they have to follow them. They still have the element of creativity. They still have that element and the opportunity to think outside the box. Just be prepared for those changes. Changes are there, you just have to have an open mind, and continue to be that teacher that you are.
Creativity. You bring in whatever it is that you can do and do it to the best of your ability. Just remember, you're not the only one in the boat. Because there's much more. There's many of us there, and we can still work together. If there's anything you're stuck with, you call the next person. Because that is what we've been doing. We share, we network, and we work together. That's what has driven us, because you know you're not alone. It's about starting now. It's looking for that information now.
So you know what's coming, and prepare yourself the best way that you can do possible. The other part is informing others. So we're just going to do everything the same, and wait for it to come. But you actually need to prepare now. But, you know, be encouraged, eh?
Knowledge is power.
Subject-specific terms can be found in the glossary.
By engaging with this subject, students develop language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Gagana Sāmoa. Communicating in Gagana Sāmoa allows students to connect meaningfully with local and Pacific communities.
Through Gagana Sāmoa, students learn how to engage with people and communities in culturally-informed ways, develop cultural and linguistic understanding, and strengthen transcultural and intergenerational relationships and communicative skills. As students acquire the skills of both communicative and intercultural competence, they reflect simultaneously on their own personal identities and explore their own culture(s) from a new perspective.
Students are encouraged to use their own cultural kete to enrich their learning of Gagana Sāmoa. They will discover and make connections to the rich histories, customs, and cultures of the communities in which Gagana Sāmoa is spoken. For example, students can make linguistic and cultural connections between Māori and Samoan culture. By engaging in Gagana Sāmoa, students learn that each language has its own way of expressing meaning, and that each has intrinsic value and special significance and mana for its users.
Studying Gagana Sāmoa contributes to language maintenance and revitalisation, supporting the transfer of cultural knowledge and the wellbeing and identity of its speakers. The ability to understand and communicate using Gagana Sāmoa enables exploration, celebration, and deepening of vā through which cultural identity is connected. Heritage language learners of Gagana Sāmoa explore the connection to community and cultural identity through language, strengthening their sense of belonging, resilience, and confidence.
Language learning is both an individual and collaborative process. Students are encouraged to foster rangatiratanga by taking ownership of their language learning. Students will work together in collaborative environments. In doing so, students demonstrate their commitment to learning and their willingness to strengthen their linguistic, relational, and cultural skills.
By engaging in Gagana Sāmoa, students gain skills and knowledge that can lead to, and support, a wide range of personal and career pathways. The ability to communicate in more than one language offers students new opportunities. Students with the knowledge of an additional language demonstrate that they are committed to their learning and are interested in the world beyond their own. This is a considerable advantage and enhances employability in any career.
Skills and knowledge gained in Gagana Sāmoa include:
- increased cultural competence and global awareness
- communicative capabilities and interactive strategies
- understanding structure in thinking and communication
- enhanced creativity and problem-solving skills
- increased understanding of successful learning methods
- an appreciation of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives
- an additional context to embed and enhance literacy and numeracy competencies.
Whether being used straight out of school or to enhance tertiary study, the transferable skills, cultural knowledge, and linguistic strategies learnt while engaging in Gagana Sāmoa will continue to support and enhance students’ life pathways long after school.
The Learning Area's Whakatauākī is:
Ko tōu reo, ko tōku reo, te tuakiri tangata. Tīhei uriuri, tīhei nakonako.
Your language and my language are expressions of identity. May our descendants live on and our hopes be fulfilled.
The whakapapa and meaning of the Learning Languages Whakatauākī
The Learning Languages whakatauākī came from Tāmaki Makaurau through Rewa Paewai of Auckland College of Education, gifted by the late Tuteira Brightwell Pohatu of Ngāti Porou.
The Learning Languages Whakatauākī brings to life the why and how of language learning.
Communication is a vital part of human connection. We use language to share our ideas, build relationships, and create communities. There are inextricable connections between language, culture, and identity. Languages carry within them cultural values, practices, and protocols that have developed over time, such as tikanga and kawa, and are a way we express our identity. As such, the vitality of a language impacts the vitality of a culture and vice versa. It is in this way that the hopes of our ancestors live on through the continued use of their language by their descendants.
Subject-specific terms can be found in the glossary.
By engaging with this subject, students develop language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Gagana Sāmoa. Communicating in Gagana Sāmoa allows students to connect meaningfully with local and Pacific communities.
Through Gagana Sāmoa, students learn how to engage with people and communities in culturally-informed ways, develop cultural and linguistic understanding, and strengthen transcultural and intergenerational relationships and communicative skills. As students acquire the skills of both communicative and intercultural competence, they reflect simultaneously on their own personal identities and explore their own culture(s) from a new perspective.
Students are encouraged to use their own cultural kete to enrich their learning of Gagana Sāmoa. They will discover and make connections to the rich histories, customs, and cultures of the communities in which Gagana Sāmoa is spoken. For example, students can make linguistic and cultural connections between Māori and Samoan culture. By engaging in Gagana Sāmoa, students learn that each language has its own way of expressing meaning, and that each has intrinsic value and special significance and mana for its users.
Studying Gagana Sāmoa contributes to language maintenance and revitalisation, supporting the transfer of cultural knowledge and the wellbeing and identity of its speakers. The ability to understand and communicate using Gagana Sāmoa enables exploration, celebration, and deepening of vā through which cultural identity is connected. Heritage language learners of Gagana Sāmoa explore the connection to community and cultural identity through language, strengthening their sense of belonging, resilience, and confidence.
Language learning is both an individual and collaborative process. Students are encouraged to foster rangatiratanga by taking ownership of their language learning. Students will work together in collaborative environments. In doing so, students demonstrate their commitment to learning and their willingness to strengthen their linguistic, relational, and cultural skills.
By engaging in Gagana Sāmoa, students gain skills and knowledge that can lead to, and support, a wide range of personal and career pathways. The ability to communicate in more than one language offers students new opportunities. Students with the knowledge of an additional language demonstrate that they are committed to their learning and are interested in the world beyond their own. This is a considerable advantage and enhances employability in any career.
Skills and knowledge gained in Gagana Sāmoa include:
- increased cultural competence and global awareness
- communicative capabilities and interactive strategies
- understanding structure in thinking and communication
- enhanced creativity and problem-solving skills
- increased understanding of successful learning methods
- an appreciation of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives
- an additional context to embed and enhance literacy and numeracy competencies.
Whether being used straight out of school or to enhance tertiary study, the transferable skills, cultural knowledge, and linguistic strategies learnt while engaging in Gagana Sāmoa will continue to support and enhance students’ life pathways long after school.
The Learning Area's Whakatauākī is:
Ko tōu reo, ko tōku reo, te tuakiri tangata. Tīhei uriuri, tīhei nakonako.
Your language and my language are expressions of identity. May our descendants live on and our hopes be fulfilled.
The whakapapa and meaning of the Learning Languages Whakatauākī
The Learning Languages whakatauākī came from Tāmaki Makaurau through Rewa Paewai of Auckland College of Education, gifted by the late Tuteira Brightwell Pohatu of Ngāti Porou.
The Learning Languages Whakatauākī brings to life the why and how of language learning.
Communication is a vital part of human connection. We use language to share our ideas, build relationships, and create communities. There are inextricable connections between language, culture, and identity. Languages carry within them cultural values, practices, and protocols that have developed over time, such as tikanga and kawa, and are a way we express our identity. As such, the vitality of a language impacts the vitality of a culture and vice versa. It is in this way that the hopes of our ancestors live on through the continued use of their language by their descendants.
Big Ideas and Significant Learning
This section outlines the meaning of, and connection between, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning, which together form the Learning Matrix. It then explains each Big Idea for Gagana Sāmoa.
The Learning Languages Learning Area, including its whakatauākī, inform this subject's Significant Learning – learning that is critical for students to know, understand, and do in a subject by the end of each Curriculum Level. This covers knowledge, skills, competencies, and attitudes. It also includes level-appropriate contexts students should encounter in their Level 6, 7, and 8 learning.
The subject's Big Ideas and Significant Learning are collated into a Learning Matrix for Curriculum Level 6 and indicative learning for Levels 7 and 8. Teachers can use the Learning Matrix as a tool to construct learning programmes that cover all the not-to-be-missed learning in a subject.
There is no prescribed order to the Learning Matrix within each Level. A programme of learning might begin with a context that is relevant to the local area of the school or an idea that students are particularly interested in. This context must relate to at least one Big Idea and may also link to other Big Ideas.
There are six Big Ideas in Gagana Sāmoa. The nature of this subject as a discipline means aspects of Significant Learning often cross over multiple Big Ideas, and vice versa.
This section outlines the meaning of, and connection between, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning, which together form the Learning Matrix. It then explains each Big Idea for Gagana Sāmoa.
The Learning Languages Learning Area, including its whakatauākī, inform this subject's Significant Learning – learning that is critical for students to know, understand, and do in a subject by the end of each Curriculum Level. This covers knowledge, skills, competencies, and attitudes. It also includes level-appropriate contexts students should encounter in their Level 6, 7, and 8 learning.
The subject's Big Ideas and Significant Learning are collated into a Learning Matrix for Curriculum Level 6 and indicative learning for Levels 7 and 8. Teachers can use the Learning Matrix as a tool to construct learning programmes that cover all the not-to-be-missed learning in a subject.
There is no prescribed order to the Learning Matrix within each Level. A programme of learning might begin with a context that is relevant to the local area of the school or an idea that students are particularly interested in. This context must relate to at least one Big Idea and may also link to other Big Ideas.
There are six Big Ideas in Gagana Sāmoa. The nature of this subject as a discipline means aspects of Significant Learning often cross over multiple Big Ideas, and vice versa.
Big Idea Body:
Changes in the use of Gagana Sāmoa have been caused by economic, social, and political factors such as colonisation and globalisation. Learners of Gagana Sāmoa contribute to the language's revitalisation and maintenance, ensuring continuity of intergenerational transmission.
Language revitalisation and maintenance are correlated with the wellbeing of heritage speakers and the communities in which the language is spoken. By protecting the ongoing vitality of Gagana Sāmoa, students are able to learn about, and revive, cultural traditions, behaviours, and ways of relating to family, friends, and community members. All people have the right to know their heritage language, reclaim or build upon their sense of identity and belonging, and strengthen intergenerational relationships.
Students learn the importance of the vitality of Gagana Sāmoa from different perspectives, leading to reflection on their own identity and heritage language(s). As they explore Gagana Sāmoa, and encounter the information and ideas it conveys, students recognise how unique, irrecoverable knowledge is embedded within language. Through this, students understand the significance of preventing language loss for present communities and future generations.
Learning a language contributes to its ongoing vitality and integrity and the wellbeing of the community in which it is spoken
Changes in the use of Gagana Sāmoa have been caused by economic, social, and political factors such as colonisation and globalisation. Learners of Gagana Sāmoa contribute to the language's revitalisation and maintenance, ensuring continuity of intergenerational transmission.
Language revitalisation and maintenance are correlated with the wellbeing of heritage speakers and the communities in which the language is spoken. By protecting the ongoing vitality of Gagana Sāmoa, students are able to learn about, and revive, cultural traditions, behaviours, and ways of relating to family, friends, and community members. All people have the right to know their heritage language, reclaim or build upon their sense of identity and belonging, and strengthen intergenerational relationships.
Students learn the importance of the vitality of Gagana Sāmoa from different perspectives, leading to reflection on their own identity and heritage language(s). As they explore Gagana Sāmoa, and encounter the information and ideas it conveys, students recognise how unique, irrecoverable knowledge is embedded within language. Through this, students understand the significance of preventing language loss for present communities and future generations.
Big Idea Body:
The ability to communicate in an additional language is a rewarding experience. It allows students to engage in effective and appropriate communication with people from different cultures and communities, and the world around us. It also broadens their opportunities to travel, study, and work in Gagana Sāmoa-speaking communities within and outside of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Each student brings their own unique linguistic and cultural repertoires to their learning. Students learn to acknowledge the mana of Gagana Sāmoa-speaking cultures, protocols, and language. They will make connections with the rich history and ways of doing things in Gagana Sāmoa-speaking cultures and communities. In doing so, students are able to reflect on their own personal identities and explore their own culture(s) from a new perspective.
Ultimately, communication in an additional language is an important step towards global citizenship.
Learning languages is about connecting and communicating within and across cultures and communities
The ability to communicate in an additional language is a rewarding experience. It allows students to engage in effective and appropriate communication with people from different cultures and communities, and the world around us. It also broadens their opportunities to travel, study, and work in Gagana Sāmoa-speaking communities within and outside of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Each student brings their own unique linguistic and cultural repertoires to their learning. Students learn to acknowledge the mana of Gagana Sāmoa-speaking cultures, protocols, and language. They will make connections with the rich history and ways of doing things in Gagana Sāmoa-speaking cultures and communities. In doing so, students are able to reflect on their own personal identities and explore their own culture(s) from a new perspective.
Ultimately, communication in an additional language is an important step towards global citizenship.
Big Idea Body:
Languages create and represent meaning by employing unique systems of linguistic building blocks that give rise to endless possibilities for expression and exchange. These building blocks are inclusive of oral features, vocabulary, grammar, and syntax.
Students who learn Gagana Sāmoa get to explore its unique linguistic workings by comparing and connecting it with their own language or languages. They learn how speakers adjust their language when negotiating meaning in different contexts and for different purposes, and how different types of text are organised. This helps them to communicate with greater clarity, creativity, and confidence.
Like te reo Māori, Gagana Sāmoa is a Polynesian language and shares many commonalities, as well as clear points of divergence, with other languages in that group. Similarities in vocabulary and in the structure of possessives and personal pronouns are two such examples. English, while belonging to a very different language family, has also had historical impacts on Gagana Sāmoa.
Languages express meaning through unique forms of communication
Languages create and represent meaning by employing unique systems of linguistic building blocks that give rise to endless possibilities for expression and exchange. These building blocks are inclusive of oral features, vocabulary, grammar, and syntax.
Students who learn Gagana Sāmoa get to explore its unique linguistic workings by comparing and connecting it with their own language or languages. They learn how speakers adjust their language when negotiating meaning in different contexts and for different purposes, and how different types of text are organised. This helps them to communicate with greater clarity, creativity, and confidence.
Like te reo Māori, Gagana Sāmoa is a Polynesian language and shares many commonalities, as well as clear points of divergence, with other languages in that group. Similarities in vocabulary and in the structure of possessives and personal pronouns are two such examples. English, while belonging to a very different language family, has also had historical impacts on Gagana Sāmoa.
Big Idea Body:
Language and culture continuously evolve together, influencing one another in the process. Language encodes culture and provides the means through which culture is shared and passed from one generation to the next — contributing to personal, community, national, and global identities.
Learning an additional language provides the richest possible access to another culture. It allows students to communicate with people from Samoan culture and thus explore authentic spoken and written expressions of that language. In this way, students gain an understanding of that culture, which provides a strong foundation for intercultural respect and acceptance, as well as an appreciation for diversity.
Students gain insight into how their own 'cultural lens' shapes their perceptions and ways of doing things. This helps to deconstruct cultural stereotypes and allows them to appreciate the rich knowledge each individual brings to the learning environment.
Heritage learners of Gagana Sāmoa have a unique opportunity to develop an understanding of how language, culture, and identity are linked. Learning about culture through Gagana Sāmoa, students develop awareness of their own identity — how it is formed and how it continues to evolve. As students’ prior knowledge of the language and culture will vary, however, no two journeys will be the same. Regardless of these differences, continued learning in a subject that values and celebrates their identity, language, and culture will support the wellbeing of the individual, their whānau, and their community.
Language, culture, and identity are inextricably linked
Language and culture continuously evolve together, influencing one another in the process. Language encodes culture and provides the means through which culture is shared and passed from one generation to the next — contributing to personal, community, national, and global identities.
Learning an additional language provides the richest possible access to another culture. It allows students to communicate with people from Samoan culture and thus explore authentic spoken and written expressions of that language. In this way, students gain an understanding of that culture, which provides a strong foundation for intercultural respect and acceptance, as well as an appreciation for diversity.
Students gain insight into how their own 'cultural lens' shapes their perceptions and ways of doing things. This helps to deconstruct cultural stereotypes and allows them to appreciate the rich knowledge each individual brings to the learning environment.
Heritage learners of Gagana Sāmoa have a unique opportunity to develop an understanding of how language, culture, and identity are linked. Learning about culture through Gagana Sāmoa, students develop awareness of their own identity — how it is formed and how it continues to evolve. As students’ prior knowledge of the language and culture will vary, however, no two journeys will be the same. Regardless of these differences, continued learning in a subject that values and celebrates their identity, language, and culture will support the wellbeing of the individual, their whānau, and their community.
Big Idea Body:
"Another language opens up a whole new window on the world. It might be small and difficult to see through at first, but it gives you a different perspective, and it might make you realise that your first window could do with a bit of polishing and even enlarging."
(Hone Tuwhare, Die deutsche Sprache und ich, NZCTE, Goethe-Institut, circa 1997)
Language and thought are intricately intertwined. Our language(s) can direct our thoughts and influence our perspectives without us always being aware of it.
By learning an additional language, students can compare and connect their own linguistic and cultural repertoires with people from different backgrounds. In doing so, they gain an appreciation for the ways that people from other linguistic and cultural backgrounds see and approach the world. Students are given the opportunity to navigate different perspectives and gain a deeper insight into how languages influence the way we think and engage with not only each other but also the world around us.
The ability to critically examine diverse cultural and personal points of view, which is facilitated by developing proficiency in another language, is an invaluable skill in our increasingly diverse and globally connected world.
Language learning is a powerful way to exercise the brain. Engaging with another language gives us new metacognitive tools to think about languages as systems, improving overall creativity and problem-solving capabilities.
Learning languages encourages diverse ways of thinking, doing, and being
"Another language opens up a whole new window on the world. It might be small and difficult to see through at first, but it gives you a different perspective, and it might make you realise that your first window could do with a bit of polishing and even enlarging."
(Hone Tuwhare, Die deutsche Sprache und ich, NZCTE, Goethe-Institut, circa 1997)
Language and thought are intricately intertwined. Our language(s) can direct our thoughts and influence our perspectives without us always being aware of it.
By learning an additional language, students can compare and connect their own linguistic and cultural repertoires with people from different backgrounds. In doing so, they gain an appreciation for the ways that people from other linguistic and cultural backgrounds see and approach the world. Students are given the opportunity to navigate different perspectives and gain a deeper insight into how languages influence the way we think and engage with not only each other but also the world around us.
The ability to critically examine diverse cultural and personal points of view, which is facilitated by developing proficiency in another language, is an invaluable skill in our increasingly diverse and globally connected world.
Language learning is a powerful way to exercise the brain. Engaging with another language gives us new metacognitive tools to think about languages as systems, improving overall creativity and problem-solving capabilities.
Big Idea Body:
The language learning process empowers the learner by giving them the essential tools and knowledge they need to understand, and engage meaningfully with, the world.
The process of acquiring an additional language requires regular commitment, practice, and repetition. It fosters perseverance and supports students to take ownership of their own learning. By doing so, they demonstrate and foster rangatiratanga, which encompasses student agency, leadership, and self-determination.
Students are made aware of the processes of language acquisition and gain some insight into the most helpful strategies for communication. These can include pattern recognition, trial and error, techniques to memorise vocabulary, and effective use of tools like dictionaries, verb conjugators, and digital translators. Students are encouraged to find modes of learning that work best for them and to begin thinking like a linguist.
As students build resilience and continually negotiate situations with emerging communicative competence, they feel safe to take the risk of being misunderstood. This encourages them to reframe 'mistakes' as rich opportunities for learning and development. It gives them the confidence to seek out opportunities to use Gagana Sāmoa outside the classroom, which is where language learning truly flourishes.
Through language learning, students become better equipped to communicate competently and meaningfully not only in Gagana Sāmoa, but the language(s) they already know. The attributes gained, such as resilience, self-determination, a commitment to improvement, and increased problem-solving capabilities, will continually support students in every aspect of their life. It is in this way, that the language learning process empowers the learner throughout their life.
Language learning is an empowering process that involves risk-taking and fosters resilience and perseverance
The language learning process empowers the learner by giving them the essential tools and knowledge they need to understand, and engage meaningfully with, the world.
The process of acquiring an additional language requires regular commitment, practice, and repetition. It fosters perseverance and supports students to take ownership of their own learning. By doing so, they demonstrate and foster rangatiratanga, which encompasses student agency, leadership, and self-determination.
Students are made aware of the processes of language acquisition and gain some insight into the most helpful strategies for communication. These can include pattern recognition, trial and error, techniques to memorise vocabulary, and effective use of tools like dictionaries, verb conjugators, and digital translators. Students are encouraged to find modes of learning that work best for them and to begin thinking like a linguist.
As students build resilience and continually negotiate situations with emerging communicative competence, they feel safe to take the risk of being misunderstood. This encourages them to reframe 'mistakes' as rich opportunities for learning and development. It gives them the confidence to seek out opportunities to use Gagana Sāmoa outside the classroom, which is where language learning truly flourishes.
Through language learning, students become better equipped to communicate competently and meaningfully not only in Gagana Sāmoa, but the language(s) they already know. The attributes gained, such as resilience, self-determination, a commitment to improvement, and increased problem-solving capabilities, will continually support students in every aspect of their life. It is in this way, that the language learning process empowers the learner throughout their life.
Key Competencies in Gagana Sāmoa
Developing Key Competencies through Gagana Sāmoa
Learning languages is inherently about extending the ability to relate to, and interact appropriately with, others in more than one cultural setting through the fine-tuning of linguistic skills. The language learning process itself requires students to manage self, participate, and contribute. Students will be exposed to new ways of thinking about the world and their place in it. They will be encouraged to think about how they can participate in, and contribute to, their communities and the wider world around them.
Thinking
Students of Gagana Sāmoa will:
- deduce rules, recognise patterns, and use their problem-solving abilities to make meaning with an imperfect set of linguistic skills
- evaluate and choose from a range of vocabulary, structures, and communicative strategies to engage with different audiences, sometimes having to think on their feet to improvise and adapt for different contexts and purposes
- explore and reflect on the many ways language, culture, and thinking influence each other
- compare their own language(s), culture(s), and ways of thinking to Gagana Sāmoa and Samoan culture, and critically reflect on their assumptions and identities in a way that fosters intercultural competence and global citizenship.
Using language, symbols, and texts
Students of Gagana Sāmoa will:
- develop increased proficiency in using language, symbols, and texts effectively to communicate information, opinions, and ideas, not just in the additional language they are learning but also in their own language(s)
- recognise how choices of language, symbols, or text work together and affect people’s understanding of, and responses to, communications and how they work together in different languages
- think about the type of language which is appropriate to use in a range of contexts and formats and for different purposes and audiences
- expand their ability to express themselves in increasingly independent and imaginative ways and improvise and adapt in a range of communicative situations.
Relating to others
Students of Gagana Sāmoa will:
- build upon their listening skills, recognise different points of view, negotiate, and share ideas, embracing different cultural practices
- explore how language, culture, and identity are interrelated and thereby develop the ability to relate to people, both from other cultures but also their own, with more empathy and insight
- develop an appreciation of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific
- experience how a curious, open-minded, and respectful engagement with the values and identities of others can lead to valuable insights into their own identity and offer opportunities for self-development.
Managing self
Students of Gagana Sāmoa will:
- be encouraged to take ownership of their own learning process and find ways of learning and practising that work for them
- use their understanding of how language acquisition works, for example, lots of input, lots of output, making mistakes as part of the process, and so on, to actively engage in the practice necessary to make steady progress
- build on their own strengths and address their own identified learning needs, setting and meeting their own learning goals
- be involved in reporting processes
- participate actively and responsibly in group activities.
Participating and contributing
Students of Gagana Sāmoa will:
- be encouraged to take risks, learn from mistakes, and take responsibility for initiating and maintaining communication — through this, they will gain confidence to participate and contribute in and outside of the classroom with the skills they have
- mature as local and global citizens by getting to know the worldviews and needs of other people
- recognise the interconnected nature of societies and communities in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific.
Key Competencies
This section of The New Zealand Curriculum Online offers specific guidance to school leaders and teachers on integrating the Key Competencies into the daily activities of the school and its Teaching and Learning Programmes.
Developing Key Competencies through Gagana Sāmoa
Learning languages is inherently about extending the ability to relate to, and interact appropriately with, others in more than one cultural setting through the fine-tuning of linguistic skills. The language learning process itself requires students to manage self, participate, and contribute. Students will be exposed to new ways of thinking about the world and their place in it. They will be encouraged to think about how they can participate in, and contribute to, their communities and the wider world around them.
Thinking
Students of Gagana Sāmoa will:
- deduce rules, recognise patterns, and use their problem-solving abilities to make meaning with an imperfect set of linguistic skills
- evaluate and choose from a range of vocabulary, structures, and communicative strategies to engage with different audiences, sometimes having to think on their feet to improvise and adapt for different contexts and purposes
- explore and reflect on the many ways language, culture, and thinking influence each other
- compare their own language(s), culture(s), and ways of thinking to Gagana Sāmoa and Samoan culture, and critically reflect on their assumptions and identities in a way that fosters intercultural competence and global citizenship.
Using language, symbols, and texts
Students of Gagana Sāmoa will:
- develop increased proficiency in using language, symbols, and texts effectively to communicate information, opinions, and ideas, not just in the additional language they are learning but also in their own language(s)
- recognise how choices of language, symbols, or text work together and affect people’s understanding of, and responses to, communications and how they work together in different languages
- think about the type of language which is appropriate to use in a range of contexts and formats and for different purposes and audiences
- expand their ability to express themselves in increasingly independent and imaginative ways and improvise and adapt in a range of communicative situations.
Relating to others
Students of Gagana Sāmoa will:
- build upon their listening skills, recognise different points of view, negotiate, and share ideas, embracing different cultural practices
- explore how language, culture, and identity are interrelated and thereby develop the ability to relate to people, both from other cultures but also their own, with more empathy and insight
- develop an appreciation of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific
- experience how a curious, open-minded, and respectful engagement with the values and identities of others can lead to valuable insights into their own identity and offer opportunities for self-development.
Managing self
Students of Gagana Sāmoa will:
- be encouraged to take ownership of their own learning process and find ways of learning and practising that work for them
- use their understanding of how language acquisition works, for example, lots of input, lots of output, making mistakes as part of the process, and so on, to actively engage in the practice necessary to make steady progress
- build on their own strengths and address their own identified learning needs, setting and meeting their own learning goals
- be involved in reporting processes
- participate actively and responsibly in group activities.
Participating and contributing
Students of Gagana Sāmoa will:
- be encouraged to take risks, learn from mistakes, and take responsibility for initiating and maintaining communication — through this, they will gain confidence to participate and contribute in and outside of the classroom with the skills they have
- mature as local and global citizens by getting to know the worldviews and needs of other people
- recognise the interconnected nature of societies and communities in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific.
Key Competencies
This section of The New Zealand Curriculum Online offers specific guidance to school leaders and teachers on integrating the Key Competencies into the daily activities of the school and its Teaching and Learning Programmes.
Connections
Gagana Sāmoa sits within, and is connected to all subjects within the Learning Languages Learning Area of The New Zealand Curriculum. Students in Learning Languages are all connected through their exploration of language and culture. Subjects in the Learning Area include:
New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL)
Asian Languages
- Chinese (Mandarin)
- Korean
- Japanese
European Languages
- French
- German
- Spanish
Pacific Languages
- Lea Faka-Tonga
- Te Reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani
- Gagana Sāmoa
- Gagana Tokelau
- Vagahau Niue
Gagana Sāmoa is also connected to subjects outside of the Learning Languages Learning Area. This includes the Learning Areas and subjects of:
Social Sciences
Religious Studies — shared topics include exploration of different systems of thought and belief. Both subjects are multi-disciplinary and allow students to explore and understand issues from a range of perspectives, equipping students to operate globally and develop critical thinking skills.
Geography — shared topics include exploration of regions and significant geographical features. Students also explore the relationship between people, culture, and their environments.
Social Studies — shared topics include research and exploration into values, cultures, and social concerns. Students consider the diversity of identities, cultures, and shared experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand and make connections with the world. Additionally, students learn to understand and be responsive to Aotearoa New Zealand’s diverse cultures and identities. Students will learn to understand, respect, and value different bodies of knowledge.
History — shared competencies include developing insight into the forces that have shaped our world and ourselves. Additional shared topics include studying different cultures, regions, indigenous histories, and languages.
Tourism — shared topics include describing and comparing the social and cultural aspects of tourism.
Media Studies — shared topics and skills include exploring different cultural forms and expressions, and developing analytical thinking alongside communicative skills.
English — shared capabilities include developing productive and receptive skills. English, like language learning, provides excellent training in critical thinking, analytical skills, grammar, and organising and expressing ideas.
The Arts
Visual Arts — shared topics include exploring visual expressions of creativity. Stories shape our culture and enrich our society, students can explore their ideas and experiment with a wide range of creative mediums.
Dance — shared exploration and comparison of different cultures, art, custom, and styles of dance across communities.
Music — shared exploration of different musical genres and styles across cultures and communities. Through music, students can develop a deeper understanding of themselves and explore different contexts, developing confidence in their ability to express themselves creatively and emotionally.
Art History — shared topics include exploring art across cultures and communities during different periods. For example, different forms of calligraphy across different periods of time. Students can also explore how language and culture shapes art, and vice versa. Both subjects encourage different ways of seeing and provide unique entry points into different worldviews and perspectives.
Health and Physical Education
Food and Nutrition — shared topics include exploration of cultural and staple foods, lifestyles, and celebrations across cultures. For example, exploring the values and beliefs underpinning why people eat what they eat, and practise what they practise in relation to food.
Health — shared topics include discussing the complex interconnections between the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of people’s lives.
Physical Education — shared topics include discussions into popular sports in Samoan culture, key sports personalities, and events.
Gagana Sāmoa sits within, and is connected to all subjects within the Learning Languages Learning Area of The New Zealand Curriculum. Students in Learning Languages are all connected through their exploration of language and culture. Subjects in the Learning Area include:
New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL)
Asian Languages
- Chinese (Mandarin)
- Korean
- Japanese
European Languages
- French
- German
- Spanish
Pacific Languages
- Lea Faka-Tonga
- Te Reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani
- Gagana Sāmoa
- Gagana Tokelau
- Vagahau Niue
Gagana Sāmoa is also connected to subjects outside of the Learning Languages Learning Area. This includes the Learning Areas and subjects of:
Social Sciences
Religious Studies — shared topics include exploration of different systems of thought and belief. Both subjects are multi-disciplinary and allow students to explore and understand issues from a range of perspectives, equipping students to operate globally and develop critical thinking skills.
Geography — shared topics include exploration of regions and significant geographical features. Students also explore the relationship between people, culture, and their environments.
Social Studies — shared topics include research and exploration into values, cultures, and social concerns. Students consider the diversity of identities, cultures, and shared experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand and make connections with the world. Additionally, students learn to understand and be responsive to Aotearoa New Zealand’s diverse cultures and identities. Students will learn to understand, respect, and value different bodies of knowledge.
History — shared competencies include developing insight into the forces that have shaped our world and ourselves. Additional shared topics include studying different cultures, regions, indigenous histories, and languages.
Tourism — shared topics include describing and comparing the social and cultural aspects of tourism.
Media Studies — shared topics and skills include exploring different cultural forms and expressions, and developing analytical thinking alongside communicative skills.
English — shared capabilities include developing productive and receptive skills. English, like language learning, provides excellent training in critical thinking, analytical skills, grammar, and organising and expressing ideas.
The Arts
Visual Arts — shared topics include exploring visual expressions of creativity. Stories shape our culture and enrich our society, students can explore their ideas and experiment with a wide range of creative mediums.
Dance — shared exploration and comparison of different cultures, art, custom, and styles of dance across communities.
Music — shared exploration of different musical genres and styles across cultures and communities. Through music, students can develop a deeper understanding of themselves and explore different contexts, developing confidence in their ability to express themselves creatively and emotionally.
Art History — shared topics include exploring art across cultures and communities during different periods. For example, different forms of calligraphy across different periods of time. Students can also explore how language and culture shapes art, and vice versa. Both subjects encourage different ways of seeing and provide unique entry points into different worldviews and perspectives.
Health and Physical Education
Food and Nutrition — shared topics include exploration of cultural and staple foods, lifestyles, and celebrations across cultures. For example, exploring the values and beliefs underpinning why people eat what they eat, and practise what they practise in relation to food.
Health — shared topics include discussing the complex interconnections between the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of people’s lives.
Physical Education — shared topics include discussions into popular sports in Samoan culture, key sports personalities, and events.
Learning Pathway
Students of Gagana Sāmoa will gain experience and knowledge that enriches every aspect of their pathways. Language learning provides a space for students to understand who they want to be and explore their interests and aspirations. Engaging in Gagana Sāmoa enhances students’ cultural awareness and understanding, supporting them to navigate culturally diverse societies like Aotearoa New Zealand. The knowledge of an additional language demonstrates resilience, a commitment to learning, and an openness to understanding different cultures and perspectives.
No matter what students choose to do beyond school, the knowledge and skills developed through Gagana Sāmoa will be carried with them throughout life. By developing the ability to engage with people of different languages and worldviews, students can establish connections, both locally and globally. This allows them to bridge cultural gaps and facilitate effective communication. This is a valuable process not only to understand others but to better understand oneself.
Students of Gagana Sāmoa gain a number of skills that are applicable across all potential pathways. Any job that requires interaction with a diverse range of people will greatly benefit from enhanced linguistic proficiency and awareness of cultural differences. In Aotearoa New Zealand, cultural competency is becoming increasingly sought after by employers and, in some cases, has been established as a pre-requisite for roles in particular sectors and industries.
Learning a Pacific language strengthens historical, cultural, and community understanding. As Aotearoa New Zealand’s identity as a Pacific nation develops, students of Gagana Sāmoa are increasingly sought for work related to advocacy, education, journalism, health, and government. Further study of Gagana Sāmoa beyond NCEA can lead to a career as a translator or interpreter. More broadly, further study of human language is available at tertiary level and includes degrees related to linguistics and speech language therapy.
Learners of languages will be able to experience the pleasure of being able to access the art and literature of another culture at a deeper level. This includes being able to enjoy Gagana Sāmoa songs, literature, and media in the original language. They will be able to break down language barriers to extend their own social sphere and grow close personal relationships with a wider range of people.
By engaging in Gagana Sāmoa, students will learn to be open-minded and curious, and understand that who they want to be is just as important as what they want to be.
Students of Gagana Sāmoa will gain experience and knowledge that enriches every aspect of their pathways. Language learning provides a space for students to understand who they want to be and explore their interests and aspirations. Engaging in Gagana Sāmoa enhances students’ cultural awareness and understanding, supporting them to navigate culturally diverse societies like Aotearoa New Zealand. The knowledge of an additional language demonstrates resilience, a commitment to learning, and an openness to understanding different cultures and perspectives.
No matter what students choose to do beyond school, the knowledge and skills developed through Gagana Sāmoa will be carried with them throughout life. By developing the ability to engage with people of different languages and worldviews, students can establish connections, both locally and globally. This allows them to bridge cultural gaps and facilitate effective communication. This is a valuable process not only to understand others but to better understand oneself.
Students of Gagana Sāmoa gain a number of skills that are applicable across all potential pathways. Any job that requires interaction with a diverse range of people will greatly benefit from enhanced linguistic proficiency and awareness of cultural differences. In Aotearoa New Zealand, cultural competency is becoming increasingly sought after by employers and, in some cases, has been established as a pre-requisite for roles in particular sectors and industries.
Learning a Pacific language strengthens historical, cultural, and community understanding. As Aotearoa New Zealand’s identity as a Pacific nation develops, students of Gagana Sāmoa are increasingly sought for work related to advocacy, education, journalism, health, and government. Further study of Gagana Sāmoa beyond NCEA can lead to a career as a translator or interpreter. More broadly, further study of human language is available at tertiary level and includes degrees related to linguistics and speech language therapy.
Learners of languages will be able to experience the pleasure of being able to access the art and literature of another culture at a deeper level. This includes being able to enjoy Gagana Sāmoa songs, literature, and media in the original language. They will be able to break down language barriers to extend their own social sphere and grow close personal relationships with a wider range of people.
By engaging in Gagana Sāmoa, students will learn to be open-minded and curious, and understand that who they want to be is just as important as what they want to be.
Introduction to Sample Course Outlines
Sample Course Outlines are being produced to help teachers and schools understand the new NCEA Learning and Assessment Matrices. Examples of how a year-long teaching and learning course could be constructed using the new Learning Matrix and Achievement Standards are provided here. They are indicative only and do not mandate any particular context or approach.
Sample Course Outlines are being produced to help teachers and schools understand the new NCEA Learning and Assessment Matrices. Examples of how a year-long teaching and learning course could be constructed using the new Learning Matrix and Achievement Standards are provided here. They are indicative only and do not mandate any particular context or approach.
Vocabulary List
The vocabulary list supports teachers to understand the language appropriate at Curriculum Level 6 for Gagana Sāmoa. It also contains language related to external assessments in these sections:
- Gagana Sāmoa to English
- English to Gagana Sāmoa
- Categories such as time, numbers, and people
- Grammar structures.
Any examples and formulaic expressions provided are suggestions only. The teaching and learning of Gagana Sāmoa and language used for Internal Assessments are not restricted to the expressions or vocabulary contained in this document.
Vocabulary List
The vocabulary list supports teachers to understand the language appropriate at Curriculum Level 6 for Gagana Sāmoa. It also contains language related to external assessments in these sections:
- Gagana Sāmoa to English
- English to Gagana Sāmoa
- Categories such as time, numbers, and people
- Grammar structures.
Any examples and formulaic expressions provided are suggestions only. The teaching and learning of Gagana Sāmoa and language used for Internal Assessments are not restricted to the expressions or vocabulary contained in this document.
Assessment Matrix
Conditions of Assessment for internally assessed standards
These Conditions provide guidelines for assessment against internally assessed Achievement Standards. Guidance is provided on:
- specific requirements for all assessments against this Standard
- appropriate ways of, and conditions for, gathering evidence
- ensuring that evidence is authentic.
Assessors must be familiar with guidance on assessment practice in learning centres, including enforcing timeframes and deadlines. The NZQA website offers resources that would be useful to read in conjunction with these Conditions of Assessment.
The learning centre’s Assessment Policy and Conditions of Assessment must be consistent with NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess. This link includes guidance for managing internal moderation and the collection of evidence.
Gathering Evidence
Internal assessment provides considerable flexibility in the collection of evidence. Evidence can be collected in different ways to suit a range of teaching and learning styles, and a range of contexts of teaching and learning. Care needs to be taken to allow students opportunities to present their best evidence against the Standard that are free from unnecessary constraints.
It is recommended that the design of assessment reflects and reinforces the ways students have been learning.
Effective assessment should suit the nature of the learning being assessed, provide opportunities to meet the diverse needs of all students, and be valid and fair.
Ensuring Authenticity of Evidence
Authenticity of student evidence needs to be assured regardless of the method of collecting evidence. This must be in line with the learning centre’s policy and NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess.
Ensure that the student’s evidence is individually identifiable and represents the student’s own work. This includes evidence submitted as part of a group assessment and evidence produced outside of class time or assessor supervision. For example, an investigation carried out over several sessions could include assessor observations, meeting with the student at a set milestone, or student’s use of a journal or photographs to record progress.
These Conditions provide guidelines for assessment against internally assessed Achievement Standards. Guidance is provided on:
- specific requirements for all assessments against this Standard
- appropriate ways of, and conditions for, gathering evidence
- ensuring that evidence is authentic.
Assessors must be familiar with guidance on assessment practice in learning centres, including enforcing timeframes and deadlines. The NZQA website offers resources that would be useful to read in conjunction with these Conditions of Assessment.
The learning centre’s Assessment Policy and Conditions of Assessment must be consistent with NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess. This link includes guidance for managing internal moderation and the collection of evidence.
Gathering Evidence
Internal assessment provides considerable flexibility in the collection of evidence. Evidence can be collected in different ways to suit a range of teaching and learning styles, and a range of contexts of teaching and learning. Care needs to be taken to allow students opportunities to present their best evidence against the Standard that are free from unnecessary constraints.
It is recommended that the design of assessment reflects and reinforces the ways students have been learning.
Effective assessment should suit the nature of the learning being assessed, provide opportunities to meet the diverse needs of all students, and be valid and fair.
Ensuring Authenticity of Evidence
Authenticity of student evidence needs to be assured regardless of the method of collecting evidence. This must be in line with the learning centre’s policy and NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess.
Ensure that the student’s evidence is individually identifiable and represents the student’s own work. This includes evidence submitted as part of a group assessment and evidence produced outside of class time or assessor supervision. For example, an investigation carried out over several sessions could include assessor observations, meeting with the student at a set milestone, or student’s use of a journal or photographs to record progress.
Submissions should consist of a minimum of two interactions. The interactions must take place in real time and show that the student can use spoken Gagana Sāmoa to respond to new information, ideas, and opinions.
Students may work in pairs or a group of more than two people. If students are working in a group, it is essential that each student contributes enough appropriate language to meet this Standard. Assessors may assist students in selecting suitable partner(s).
The overall individual contribution of each student over both interactions should be 2-3 minutes.
The interactions submitted as evidence must:
- be a single video recording without any edits
- be clearly audible and allow for each student to be identified clearly.
Students may not:
- practise the exact task with their partner(s) prior to the assessment – rote-learned exchanges or scripted role plays will not meet the requirements of this Achievement Standard
- be provided with any scaffolding, instruction, teaching, or other forms of guidance during the assessment
- use notes, language learning resources, or dictionaries during the assessment.
Students may:
- practise the language, including formulaic expressions, on the topic or objective being taught.
Assessors may provide general feedback to students after the first interaction event. Prior to providing feedback, assessors must refer to the feedback guidance provided in the Assessment Activity under ‘Teacher Guidance’. The feedback provided must not interfere with the authenticity requirements for evidence.
Submissions should consist of one project. The submission may be in written Gagana Sāmoa, spoken Gagana Sāmoa, or a combination of both.
If a combination of both is chosen, the spoken and written language content must be complementary to each other. Students should not only be reading out what has been written.
A rote-learned presentation of pre-existing phrases will not be sufficient to meet the requirements of the standard.
The total amount of evidence should be:
- a minimum of 300 words of written evidence, or
- approximately 1.5 minutes of spoken evidence, or
- an equivalent combination of both.
Assessor involvement during the assessment event is limited to providing students with feedback on the technical aspects of their work only. For example, formatting, design, or audio, visual, and image quality. Assessors must not provide feedback on student language be it written or spoken.
Assessors must ensure that students are only assessed based on the quality of language.
Students may not:
- copy whole sentences or passages from any source without significant modification
- use any digital language tools (for example, translators) other than dictionaries
- have anyone else point out errors, edit, or correct their work before handing it in for assessment.
Students may:
- submit evidence which involves one or more other people, but students are assessed individually.
Where a collaborative approach to collecting evidence is used, assessors must ensure that each student has met the requirements of the Standard individually.