Summary
Based on surveys and interviews of 25 schools, this report describes the current state of Pacific bilingual units in New Zealand: their philosophy, curriculum, teaching, assessment and transition practices, tracking of learners’ pathways and outcomes, and the support they receive.
ERO found that Pacific bilingual education programmes tended to be developed locally and were resourced out of schools’ baseline funding. Schools were less likely to have developed an approach focused on bilingualism and informed by research literature and best practice, and often had difficulties procuring resources. Further support could help to address some of these challenges, provide a more strategic and consistent approach across schools, and contribute to more fully realising the benefits of Pacific bilingual education.