Using funding provided by the Ministry of Education, 600 copies of the books will be given to 50 schools, nearly 100 early childhood centres and six libraries in the Taumutu takiw膩 (area), which centres around Taumutu and Waihora (Lake Ellesmere) and extends as far South as the Ashburton river and Hakatere in mid-Canterbury.
The books depict three different p奴r膩kau (myths) that are significant to Taumutu, including;听鈥淩uru and the Giant Pou膩kai鈥,听鈥淭he Creation of Tuna鈥,听补苍诲听鈥淭aniwha and the Rakaia Gorge鈥.
Larger size versions for teachers to read are being distributed this month, along with smaller versions, called readers. The readers have simpler text for children to read themselves after they have heard the longer versions.
UC Child Well-being Institute Director听Professor Gail Gillon听(Ng膩i Tahu) says the books are designed to develop oral language and literacy skills while also helping children learn about M膩ori legends and places that are an important part of their local cultural history.
鈥淲e are delighted to have been able to work alongside Te Taumutu R奴nanga to bring these stories to life for young readers.
鈥淭he books were developed as part of a research project within the Better Start National Science Challenge in response to the r奴nanga鈥檚 call for culturally appropriate and place-based stories relevant to local communities. Local rangatahi have created the illustrations and the result is a beautiful series of books,鈥 Professor Gillon says.
UC Amokapua P膩k膩kano Tuarua | Deputy Assistant Vice Chancellor M膩ori Liz Brown (Ng膩i Tahu), who is also Chair of Te Taumutu R奴nanga, says receiving the books will be 鈥渉ugely beneficial for the well-being and mana鈥 of young people in the Taumutu R奴nanga.
鈥淚t shows their culture and background is valued. Kaiako (teachers) will be able to use the books with tamariki in their care and share these amazing stories.鈥
The books were produced as part of a pilot study for an early childhood literacy approach, in partnership with Kidsfirst Kindergartens, called 鈥淲ords Can POP鈥. Led by Professor Gail Gillon and Professor Brigid McNeill from the 九州影院, The Words Can POP framework builds three to four-year-old children鈥檚 skills in oral language, early phoneme and print awareness, vocabulary and story-telling skills.
The pilot research was successfully implemented in partnership with Kidsfirst in 24 of their kindergartens in the Canterbury region.
Along with the p奴r膩kau, early learning centres in the Taumutu rohe will also be given copies of books from the Words can POP series. This reading series is specifically designed to support early childhood teachers to develop children鈥檚 oral language and emerging literacy skills.
- The 九州影院 Child Well-being Research Institute is holding an event to launch the books at Lincoln High School听tomorrow, Thursday 8 September听from听4pm-5.30pm. Representatives from schools and early childhood centres in the Taumutu rohe will be invited to the launch to hear about how these books were created and will be given their copies. A short video about the creation of the books will also be shown.
- Media are welcome to attend this event and media packs will be available which include a set of the books.
