scholarly journals Alofa ki te tamā manu: Language, culture, identity, and wellbeing - Caring for gagana Tokelau and lea faka-Tonga in secondary education in Aotearoa New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Juliet Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Secondary Education ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Education System ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Cultural Identities ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Speech Communities ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Research Questions

<p><b>This applied thesis explores why continued access to Pacific language education is of importance in mainstream secondary education in Aotearoa. With a specific focus on gagana Tokelau and lea faka-Tonga, this research examines how mainstream secondary schools can provide continued access to language education in schools where immersion or bilingual education is not currently available. The impetus driving this research comes from my professional experience as a secondary school language teacher. Students I teach want to learn and/or maintain their heritage Pacific languages as part of their education but are often not able to within the curriculum. This is despite several current policies which explicitly promote the use of Pacific languages and cultures within the education system (Ministry of Education, 2019; 2020a). Furthermore, current interdisciplinary research informing educational policy and practice indicates that students thrive in their education, and experience a positive sense of wellbeing when they are strong in their own cultural identities (Franken et al, 2008; Ladson-Billings, 2017; Paris & Alim, 2017). In contrast, negotiation of strong cultural identities is challenging in the face of increasing language shift, such as is present in Tokelauan and Tongan communities in Aotearoa (Hunkin, 2012; McCaffery & McFall, 2010; Parsons, 2020).</b></p> <p>To address these issues, I locate my study by drawing on cross-disciplinary, international, and local literature, exploring the fields of critical education, Indigenous education, and applied critical sociolinguistics. My research questions are underpinned by three theoretical frameworks: (1) social justice (Freire, 1973; Phipps, 2019); (2) sociolinguistic (Norton, 2013) and Pacific (Anae, 2016; Mila-Schaaf, 2011; Tupuola, 2004; Vaai & Nabobo-Baba, 2017) theories of identity; and (3) edgewalking (Krebs, 1999). These theories support the investigation of the research questions, which explore (1) connections between language, culture, identity, and wellbeing; (2) how secondary school experiences of Pacific language education connect with future imagined identities; and (3) reported experiences and beliefs about challenges related to school-based continued access to Pacific language education. The research questions apply a critical strengths-based approach which allows for a positive focus on current efforts and initiatives in communities as a platform for further development, whilst not ignoring struggle (Blackledge & Creese, 2010; Heller et al, 2018; Mila, 2014).</p> <p>The theoretically driven methodological approach looks to relational vā-inspired and critical ethnographic methodologies to support and place the caring and nurturing of relationships and community driven outcomes at the centre of the project (Airini et al, 2010; Anae, 2016; Ponton, 2018). Working together with communities, I am guided by two Tokelauan values: tautua (to serve) and alofa ki te tamā manu (nurturing those in need). In this way, the thesis is about the critical act of partnering ‘doing’ or ‘praxis’ (Freire, 1973; Phipps, 2019) with research. Multiple participant perspectives (community members, students, teachers, and school leaders) and a bricolage of methods (talanoa-inspired interviews and focus group discussions, participant observations, fieldnotes, ongoing service in communities) capture the voices of different stakeholders to contribute a community-centred, complex data set.</p> <p>Findings illustrate how Tokelauan and Tongan community members, and secondary students connect language and culture with (1) confidence and self-esteem, (2) Indigenous understandings of identity and wellbeing, and (3) authentic cultural identity with wellbeing. In addition, data show how multilingualism is the norm in Pacific identities and how the (de)valuing of multilingualism in education can enhance or hinder identity and wellbeing. Exploration of future imagined identities indicates how access to Pacific language education in secondary school supports increased cultural, social, and material capital; language maintenance; and valuing of language. Furthermore, access to language education provides a safe space to critically explore issues of language, culture, and identities and enables community and school partnerships to support sustainable speech communities. Analysing challenges experienced in relation to provision of Pacific language education, specifically gagana Tokelau and lea faka-Tonga highlight the many local and systemic-level issues within communities, the education system, and wider society that need to be addressed if equity and social justice in language education is to prevail.</p> <p>Theoretical insights, and analysis of affordances and challenges from the findings provide suggestions for potential ways forward in both educational practice and policy. Moreover, the research process documents my own journey in attempting to decolonise approaches to language education in my practice as a teacher. Working together with communities, and guided by two Tokelauan values: tautua (to serve) and alofa ki te tamā manu (nurturing those in need), I hope this project can further support community efforts by adding to the growing body of research (Bland, forthcoming; May, 2020; Milne, 2017; Si‘ilata et al, 2019) calling for a systemic approach to nurturing Pacific languages in Aotearoa through education.</p>

scholarly journals Alofa ki te tamā manu: Language, culture, identity, and wellbeing - Caring for gagana Tokelau and lea faka-Tonga in secondary education in Aotearoa New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Juliet Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Secondary Education ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Education System ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Cultural Identities ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Speech Communities ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Research Questions

<p><b>This applied thesis explores why continued access to Pacific language education is of importance in mainstream secondary education in Aotearoa. With a specific focus on gagana Tokelau and lea faka-Tonga, this research examines how mainstream secondary schools can provide continued access to language education in schools where immersion or bilingual education is not currently available. The impetus driving this research comes from my professional experience as a secondary school language teacher. Students I teach want to learn and/or maintain their heritage Pacific languages as part of their education but are often not able to within the curriculum. This is despite several current policies which explicitly promote the use of Pacific languages and cultures within the education system (Ministry of Education, 2019; 2020a). Furthermore, current interdisciplinary research informing educational policy and practice indicates that students thrive in their education, and experience a positive sense of wellbeing when they are strong in their own cultural identities (Franken et al, 2008; Ladson-Billings, 2017; Paris & Alim, 2017). In contrast, negotiation of strong cultural identities is challenging in the face of increasing language shift, such as is present in Tokelauan and Tongan communities in Aotearoa (Hunkin, 2012; McCaffery & McFall, 2010; Parsons, 2020).</b></p> <p>To address these issues, I locate my study by drawing on cross-disciplinary, international, and local literature, exploring the fields of critical education, Indigenous education, and applied critical sociolinguistics. My research questions are underpinned by three theoretical frameworks: (1) social justice (Freire, 1973; Phipps, 2019); (2) sociolinguistic (Norton, 2013) and Pacific (Anae, 2016; Mila-Schaaf, 2011; Tupuola, 2004; Vaai & Nabobo-Baba, 2017) theories of identity; and (3) edgewalking (Krebs, 1999). These theories support the investigation of the research questions, which explore (1) connections between language, culture, identity, and wellbeing; (2) how secondary school experiences of Pacific language education connect with future imagined identities; and (3) reported experiences and beliefs about challenges related to school-based continued access to Pacific language education. The research questions apply a critical strengths-based approach which allows for a positive focus on current efforts and initiatives in communities as a platform for further development, whilst not ignoring struggle (Blackledge & Creese, 2010; Heller et al, 2018; Mila, 2014).</p> <p>The theoretically driven methodological approach looks to relational vā-inspired and critical ethnographic methodologies to support and place the caring and nurturing of relationships and community driven outcomes at the centre of the project (Airini et al, 2010; Anae, 2016; Ponton, 2018). Working together with communities, I am guided by two Tokelauan values: tautua (to serve) and alofa ki te tamā manu (nurturing those in need). In this way, the thesis is about the critical act of partnering ‘doing’ or ‘praxis’ (Freire, 1973; Phipps, 2019) with research. Multiple participant perspectives (community members, students, teachers, and school leaders) and a bricolage of methods (talanoa-inspired interviews and focus group discussions, participant observations, fieldnotes, ongoing service in communities) capture the voices of different stakeholders to contribute a community-centred, complex data set.</p> <p>Findings illustrate how Tokelauan and Tongan community members, and secondary students connect language and culture with (1) confidence and self-esteem, (2) Indigenous understandings of identity and wellbeing, and (3) authentic cultural identity with wellbeing. In addition, data show how multilingualism is the norm in Pacific identities and how the (de)valuing of multilingualism in education can enhance or hinder identity and wellbeing. Exploration of future imagined identities indicates how access to Pacific language education in secondary school supports increased cultural, social, and material capital; language maintenance; and valuing of language. Furthermore, access to language education provides a safe space to critically explore issues of language, culture, and identities and enables community and school partnerships to support sustainable speech communities. Analysing challenges experienced in relation to provision of Pacific language education, specifically gagana Tokelau and lea faka-Tonga highlight the many local and systemic-level issues within communities, the education system, and wider society that need to be addressed if equity and social justice in language education is to prevail.</p> <p>Theoretical insights, and analysis of affordances and challenges from the findings provide suggestions for potential ways forward in both educational practice and policy. Moreover, the research process documents my own journey in attempting to decolonise approaches to language education in my practice as a teacher. Working together with communities, and guided by two Tokelauan values: tautua (to serve) and alofa ki te tamā manu (nurturing those in need), I hope this project can further support community efforts by adding to the growing body of research (Bland, forthcoming; May, 2020; Milne, 2017; Si‘ilata et al, 2019) calling for a systemic approach to nurturing Pacific languages in Aotearoa through education.</p>

scholarly journals Overview of Japanese Language in Upper Secondary Education and School Curriculum in Romania

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-110
Author(s):  
Mariana LUNGU
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Education ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
General Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Japanese Language ◽  
Lower Secondary School ◽  
Contemporary Culture ◽  
Upper Secondary Education ◽  
Upper Secondary

In this paper, I focus my attention on the problem of teaching Japanese as part of compulsory subjects in an upper secondary education to pupils aged between 15 to 19. This article starts out with a brief overview of the Romanian education system and the current state of Japanese teaching in the upper secondary education. As compared to other educational curricula, the Romanian education system focuses on competency-based curriculum emphasizing the applicability of knowledge and the development of competences in an integrated and inter-disciplinary approach. The Japanese Language is part of that curricular area named as Language and Communication. In the Romanian educational system, the process of teaching the Japanese language starts from lower secondary school and continues to upper secondary and then to university level. In the lower secondary school, pupils study the Japanese Language as an elective subject, while in the upper secondary school, they learn Japanese as a mandatory subject of the core curriculum and as an elective one of school-based curriculum. Next, attention is paid to outline the current situation of teaching Japanese in the upper-secondary education system, providing details of our curricula, types of subjects, and specific features of Japanese classes. Forms of Japanese language education vary greatly, as well as their target students and objectives. However, the focus of all is a balanced education in the four language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. In addition to the Japanese language study, Japanese syllabi provide cultural and general education to learn the properties in Japanese Society and about contemporary culture.

scholarly journals The 2016 National Matriculation and General Certificate of Secondary Education English Test: a Challenge to the Goal of Foreign Languages Education in Vietnamese Schools

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hoang Van Van
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Education ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Foreign Language Education ◽  
School Education ◽  
Secondary School Education ◽  
General School ◽  
To Receive

Every year in Vietnam there are nearly a million Vietnamese 12 graders taking as compulsory the national general certificate of secondary education English testto be eligible to receive  general certificate of secondary school education. Since 2015, the English test has been used for students to achieve two goals: (1) to receive general certificate of secondary school education and (2) to gain entrance to Vietnamese universities and colleges. The test is referred to as “the national matriculation and general certificate of secondary education English test”. It has a clear format, clearly specified contents, a clear and detailed scoring scheme, and is made public in the Vietnamese mass media. However, looked at from both theoretical and practical levels, there are still problems with the test that need to be examined and discussed. This is the purpose of this paper. As a way of start, the paper will provide a description of the test. Then, it will examine some of its key qualities, and present its washback and impact on the Vietnamese general school foreign language education. In the conclusion, after summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of the test, the paper will conclude that due to its weaknesses in both content and format,and its long-term negative washback, the 2016 national matriculation and general certificate of secondary education English test presents a big challenge to the communication goal of the Vietnamese general foreign language education. The paper recommends that for the quality of foreign language teaching and learning in Vietnamese schools to be improved andfor the foreign language education in Vietnamese schools to meet the requirements of globalization in Vietnam, a radical renovation in both test format and test administration should be exercised.

Challenges and Experiences Of EFI Teachers And Newly Arrived Refugee Students: An Ethnographic Study in Turkey

2021 ◽  
pp. 147-164
Author(s):  
Halis Gözpinar
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Education System ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Refugee Students ◽  
Ethnographic Approach ◽  
Efl Teachers

The need within the Turkish education system to educate the overwhelmingly large influx of refugees is becoming a never pressing issue. This present paper examines the challenges and experiences of Turkish secondary school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and newly arrived refugee students towards the current refugeeoriented education. It also aims to gain suggestions from them to improve education, particularly language education. This study was based on qualitative research. It used an ethnographic approach and provided information by using multiple sources of data in a culturally inclusive and multilingual environment. The participants were eighteen EFL teachers from five different schools and eight refugee students. The results indicated that most of the teachers had fears, stress and insufficient experience. They also agreed that EFL classrooms were unique, neutral and safer places to encourage and increase the active participation of refugee students.

scholarly journals The role of secondary school in preventing students from the intellectual threats from the point of view of Islamic education women teachers in the area of ​​Mecca

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lina Muhammed Hamed Al-Sulimani
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Education ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Education System ◽  
School Teacher ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Islamic Education ◽  
Women Teachers ◽  
Years Of Experience ◽  
Academic Qualification

This study aimed at recognizing the status of the role of secondary school in preventing students from the intellectual threats from the point of view of Islamic education women teachers in general and detecting the statistically significant differences at (α = 0.05) between the averages in the role of secondary school in preventing students from the intellectual threats from the point of view of Islamic education women teachers that can be attributed to the variables of: the academic qualification, the years of experience, and the secondary education system. The study used the descriptive analytical method to achieve the aims of the study. The questionnaire was the tool of the study which distributed among (205) of Islamic education women teachers in Mecca. The most important results that the study reached: The reality of the secondary school's role in the city of Mecca in protecting students from the intellectual threats to the average (2.35 out of 3) is generally high. On the level of fields, the secondary school's goals have reached the highest level of 2.53, followed by non-grade activities (2.37), all with high grade, and finally the role of the secondary school teacher with an average of (2.05) and a rating (average). There were no statistically significant differences between the averages in Islamic education women teachers toward the role of secondary school in preventing students from the intellectual threats that can be attributed to the variable of the academic qualification. There were statistically significant differences between the averages in Islamic education women teachers toward the role of secondary school in preventing students from the intellectual threats that can be attributed to the variable of the years of experience. The differences were in favor of the category that have experience exceed 20 years. There were statistically significant differences between the averages in Islamic education women teachers toward the role of secondary school in preventing students from the intellectual threats that can be attributed to the variable of the secondary education system. The differences were in favor of the class system.

scholarly journals Social Media Integration In Secondary Education In Pakistan

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 74
Author(s):  
Rida Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Secondary Education ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Education System ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
Media Integration

This paper investigates the adequacy of social media implementation in the context of secondary education in Pakistan and highlights the importance and necessity of social media in secondary education. This research has helped in understanding the pros and cons of social media implementation in classrooms and also facilitated in analyzing whether social media helps in student learning, classroom performances, competencies and academic grow. The qualitative study paradigm was used for this research. Six phenomenological interviews were conducted from secondary school teachers.In the light of the derived results. It was concluded that social media was an essential tool that could be used to make classrooms more engaging and ethnically diverse. Results suggested that teachers spent time implementing social media in their classrooms for academic purposes and teachers used these forums for self-education and to interact with like-minded people. Social media can serve the most momentous purposes in education system as today’s digitalized world is all about the Internet and technology, and hence it becomes compulsory for the educationist to understand the importance social networking

scholarly journals Professional secondary education system in Ukraine: legal supply

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Kryloshanska
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Education ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Education System ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Career Counselling ◽  
School Students ◽  
Specialized Education ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Differentiated Learning

Problem setting. Nowadays the content of secondary education in Ukraine does not take into account individual characteristics of the students and it is not focused on the formation of creative potential and  system of  knowledge by interests, the educational process is overburdened with secondary factual material and  is overly regulated. It necessitates the search  and implementation of new approaches to organization of  educational process in high school. One of such approaches is career counselling for secondary school students that provides thourough and specialized general education, access to quality education  in accordance with the individual skills and needs of the student youth.Recent research and publications analysis. The problem of career counselling for secondary school students in Ukraine has become the subject of research by Ukrainian scholars. In particular, theoretical and conceptual foundations of career counselling training were investigated by N. Bibik, M. Burda, S. Volyanskaya, O. Adamenko, V. Kizenko, A. Samodrin, B. Fedorishin, G. Vashchenko, M. Goncharov, N. Dmitrenko.Highlighting previously unsettled parts of the general problem. The introduction of specialized secondary education is one of the priorities of public education policy. Therefore, it is advisable to investigate the legal bases for introducing career counselling for secondary education system in Ukraine within the science of public administration.The aim of the article is to analyze the legal support for the introduction of career counselling for secondary education system in Ukraine.Paper main body. According to Article 53 of the Constitution of Ukraine everyone has the right to education. However, the deterioration of indicators of competitiveness and the innovative attractiveness of secondary education system in Ukraine need a thorough reform within the framework of the Concept of Implementation of the State Policy for the Reform of General Secondary Education “New Ukrainian School” for the period up to 2029. The aim of the reform of the education system in Ukraine is to create the conditions for personal development and creative self-realization of every citizen of Ukraine, to create generations capable of learning throughout life, to create and develop the values of civil society.In accordance with the objectives of the first phase of implementation of the Concept (2017 – 2018), a new Law of Ukraine “On Education” was adopted, Article 10 of which defines three levels of secondary education: primary education lasting four years; basic secondary education lasting five years; specialized secondary education lasting three years. At the third stage of the Concept implementation (2023 – 2029), it is planned to introduce a specialized level of secondary education – a process of individual and differentiated learning, the basic ideas of which are the education of students in grades 10 – 12 by: interests; competencies; plans for self-realization.According to the Law of Ukraine “On Education”, obtaining a specialized secondary education involves two directions:– academic – specialized education based on the combination of the content of education which is defined by the standard s of secondary specialized education, and in-depth study of individual subjects taking into account the abilities and educational needs of education recipients focusing on continuing education at higher levels of education;– professional – labor market oriented specialized education based on a combination of educational content defined by the standard of secondary specialized education and a professionally oriented approach to learning taking into account the abilities and needs of students.Conclusions of the research and prospects for further studies.1. The crisis and the challenges of the problem have led to the reform of the content of secondary education in Ukraine on the basis of competent and personally oriented approaches to learning;  orientation to the acquisition of skills necessary for successfu students self-realization in their professional activity.2. One of the directions of modernization and improvement of the secondary education system in Ukraine is to ensure the acquisition of appropriate qualitative skills and competences at school needed for work, innovation and active citizenship through the introduction of a specialized link education. The content of career counselling for secondary education involves the introduction of the process of individual and differentiated learning of students in grades 10 – 12 by interests, competencies and plans for self-realization.3. The legal basis for career counselling for secondary education system in Ukraine is the Constitution of Ukraine, the Laws of Ukraine “On Education”, “On Complete General Secondary Education”, the Concept of the implementation of state policy in the field of reforming general secondary education “New Ukrainian School” for the period up to 2029. For the effective reform of the general secondary education with the introduction of  the career counselling component it is necessary to implement the provisions of the Law of Ukraine “On comprehensive general secondary education”, to develop and adopt the new Law of Ukraine “On Vocational Education”.The subject of further scientific research in this area will be the content and forms of organization of specialized education in secondary school.

The utility of non-formal education in addressing the school dropout phenomenon : a case study of Asifundeni Secondary School in Makonde District Zimbabwe

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 41-69
Author(s):  
Francis Muchenje ◽  
◽  
Pedzisai Goronga
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
School Dropout ◽  
School Level ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Secondary School Level

The study sought to explore students' views on the utility of non-formal education in addressing the school dropout phenomenon at secondary school level. Qualitative research approach was adopted and a case study design was utilised. The population consisted of all the students in the non-formal programme at the school from which a sample of 11 students (2 male and 9 female) was selected through purposive stratified sampling technique. Data were gathered through structured in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Non-formal education was seen to address the school dropout phenomenon by providing school drop outs with an opportunity to continue their education and hence becomes a form of empowerment. A number of challenges such as lack of adequate tuition in some subjects, lack of conducive learning environment as well as negative perception of non-formal education held by pupils in the formal stream and community members were identified. The study recommends that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should review the staffing situation in schools to ensure the availability of teachers in the various subjects in the non-formal stream. Schools should make an effort to provide appropriate learning facilities for students in the nonformal stream. Furthermore, schools should conscientise their communities on the importance of non-formal education.

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