pasifika.tki.org.nzpasifika.tki.org.nz/content/download/1721/10371/... · Web viewTeacher Support Materials to Accompany Stories to Support the Pasifika Learning Languages Series

Teacher Support Materials to Accompany Stories to Support the Pasifika Learning Languages Series Resource Haia! An Introduction to Vagahau Niue IntroductionThese teacher support materials accompany the six storybooks developed especially to support the Learning Languages Series resource Haia! An Introduction to Vagahau Niue. Each story gives students opportunities to extend their language and cultural knowledge and to practise reading the target language of specific units in Haia!

These teacher support materials suggest how teachers can use the six storybooks to foster vagahau Niue learning at levels 1 and 2, particularly in the context of the Haia! programme.

The teaching-as-inquiry cycle and the Newton et al. research1 on intercultural communicative language teaching underpin these teacher support materials. See:

the effective pedagogy section on page 35 of The New Zealand Curriculum or http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Effective-pedagogy

the Newton et al. paper at: http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/curriculum/an-introduction-to-the-concept-of-intercultural-communicative-language-teaching-and-learning-a-summary-for-teachers/1.-overview

Haia! An Introduction to Vagahau NiueHaia! is a resource in the Learning Languages Series. It provides a language-teaching programme that can be used by teachers, including those who do not speak Niue or know how to teach languages. Haia! includes:

twenty units of three lessons each

a range of language suitable for years 7–10 at levels 1 and 2 of the curriculum

video and audio support to engage learners and demonstrate how fluent speakers use the language

lesson plans that could be linked to opportunities for learners to enjoy reading Niue texts.

You can find Haia! online at http://pasifika.tki.org.nz/Pasifika-languages/Vagahau-Niue

Engaging students with texts The teacher’s role is to mediate the interactions between the student and the learning materials and enable the student to meet their learning outcomes.

1 Newton, J., Yates, E., Shearn, S., and Nowitzki, W. (2009). Intercultural Communicative Language Teaching: Implications for Effective Teaching and Learning. Wellington: Ministry of Education.

http://pasifika.tki.org.nz/Pasifika-languages/Vagahau-Niue

http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/curriculum/an-introduction-to-the-concept-of-intercultural-communicative-language-teaching-and-learning-a-summary-for-teachers/1.-overview



http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Effective-pedagogy

http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Effective-pedagogy

The Niue storybooksTitle Overview Links to Haia! An

Introduction to Vagahau Niue

Fakatai La! Just Try It!

Rangi is going to Sifa’s house for a Niue lunch. But Rangi is such a fussy eater. Can Sifa convince her to try new things?

Unit 1 Fakafeleveia / Introductions

Unit 4 Tau Fakafetuiaga he Magafaoa / Family Relationships

Unit 5 Tau Mena Kai / Food

Kua Mau Nakai a Koe, ma Maia? Are You Ready Yet, Maia?

It’s Monday morning, and everyone at Maia’s house is doing chores. Everyone except Maia. She is late for school – again!

Unit 2 Magafaoa / Family

Unit 7 Kaina / Home

Taha Foki e Feua SipoteOne More Sport

Lina and her Canadian friend compare their families’ favourite sports as they complete their homework.

Unit 8 Feua Sipote / Sports

Ko e Heigoa e Kai Laā?What’s for Lunch?

Tomasi and his friends are looking for seafood for lunch. Tomasi gets teased by his friends for being scared of uga. Could there be uga in Wellington?

Unit 12 Tau Vahā he Tau / Seasons

Unit 13 Kumi e tau Mena / Finding Things

Fefeua he PelapelaPlaying in the Mud

Taveli is very happy to go to his cousin Siuni’s first birthday celebration. They play happily together, but Siuni is full of mischief.

Unit 11 Foaki Mena Fakaalofa / Gifting

Unit 15 Tau Fiafia Fakamagafaoa / Family Celebrations

Ko e Mataafaga i AvateleThe Beach at Avatele

Loi and Iakopo are excited about going swimming at Avatele beach. But when they get there, they find something even more exciting – fishing.

Unit 17 Tau Finagalo / Feelings

Unit 18 Talahauaga ke he tau Matakavi / Describing Places

Language learning activities to use with any storybookThese activities support language learning when they are used in the context of making meaning and consolidating learning. You can select and adapt these activities to use with any of the storybooks.

Cloze activity Provide groups of students with a copy of the text in vagahau Niue with some words blanked out and a list of the “missing” words in a random order.

Have the groups fill in the missing words. When the groups have finished, ask one student to read the text aloud, read the text to the students yourself, or play a recording of a native speaker reading the text. Have the groups check that they have placed the words correctly. Discuss.

SequencingGive pairs of students the sentences from the story in random order. Have them arrange the sentences in the correct order without referring to the text. Once the pairs have finished, have them compare and discuss their work with another pair or with the class. Then read the story aloud to the class (or play a recording of the story).

PronunciationWork through the glossary (on the inside back cover of the book) with the students, identifying any words that are unfamiliar. If possible, ask a native speaker of vagahau Niue to model the correct pronunciation of these words. This person could read the story to you and the class as the first reading, or you could record them and then play the recording to the class.

Dictogloss Have the students work in groups and take turns to read aloud a page of the text. The other group members work individually to listen and jot down key words in vagahau Niue – they shouldn’t try to write every word. At the end of reading, they compare their key words. From these key words, they reconstitute the page that was read to them, this time in English.

Vanishing clozeWork on this activity as a whole class. Choose one sentence from the text and write it on the board. Ask the students to recite the sentence at least twice. Rub out one word at random and have the students recite the sentence again, with the missing word included. Repeat the exercise, rubbing out words each time until the students are reciting the whole sentence from memory.

Spoken presentationHave the students prepare to retell the story to their classmates as a present-tense narrative. Explain that they will be describing the story in vagahau Niue and that they may refer to their own notes or pages of the book as they make their presentation.

You may choose to have the students work in groups, taking the roles of different characters and then presenting the narrative from the point of view of each character.

Encourage the students to pronounce the Niue words fluently and with expression rather than just read through their narratives as quickly as possible.

Written communicationHave the students prepare a series of sentences in vagahau Niue as an email to be sent to a friend, cousin, or e-pal about the subject of the story. Vary the number of sentences depending on the level of your students. Encourage them to use appropriate macrons. Explain to the students that, while they will not need to send their final email to their chosen correspondent, they will need to send it to your mailbox for you to assess.

Fakatai La!by Lynn Lolokini Pavihi

This story supports:

Unit 1 Fakafeleveia / Introductions

Unit 4 Tau Fakafetuiaga he Magafaoa / Family Relationships

Unit 5 Tau Mena Kai / Food

Text features

Language featuresThe language features of this story include:

expressions of time – Ko e Aho Faiumu / On Saturday; ko e magaaho kai laā / at lunchtime

ma before a person’s name when addressing them directly – ma Rangi

expressions of place – he poko kaitunu / in the kitchen

the connective mo / and – he moa mo e ika / chicken and fish

words transliterated from English words – pateta, vesetapolo, Iesu Keriso, Amene, foila

the word kai as part of a noun phrase (tau mena kai / food; kai Niue / Niue food; kai laā / lunch) and as a verb (Kua kai a Sifa he takihi lolo / Sifa is eating the delicious takihi)

nouns that are generally uncountable nouns in English (and therefore singular) but are countable in Niue and used with the plural marker tau – tau mena kai / food; tau talo / the taro[s]; tau kai / food

formulaic expressions – Fakamolemole / I’m sorry; Ko e mitaki hā ia! / Yum!; Kā mā? / Really?; mitaki lahi ka pihia / that sounds great; Kai hake / Eat up

the word nākai to express the negative – Nākai fiafia au ke kai e falu vesetapolo / I don’t like eating other vegetables

the word nakai as a question marker in yes–no questions – Fia finage nakai a koe ke he kaina haaku he Aho Faiumu ke kai laā Niue?/ Do you want to come and have a Niue lunch at my house on Saturday?

a word with two meanings – lolo / delicious; lolo / creamy

the word fua, which is a generic term for fruit, is used before a more specific term – fua lākau / fruit that grows on the branches of trees; fua loku / pawpaw

words for members of the family – tugaane / younger brother (of a female); tugaane motua / oldest brother (of a female2); matua taane / father; matua fifine / mother; matua tupuna fifine / grandmother (the grandmother is also referred to as Nena, which is a more familiar term used in many Niue families)

2 The term tugaane is used only by females to refer to their brothers. Males refer to their sisters as mahakitaga.

imperatives – Fakatai la! / Try it!; Fakamolemole la / Excuse me

the prefix faka-, which turns a noun into a verb – fakamonuina / to bless (from monuina / a blessing)

different forms of a verb that distinguish between performing an action once or performing it several times – fola / to spread; fofola / to spread out in a single motion (when giving the instruction to lay the heated banana leaf on the foil); Folafola / to spread out repeatedly (to indicate repeated action when arranging the slices of taro and pawpaw on the leaf)

pronouns that indicate singular and plural, and inclusion and exclusion of the speaker – koe / you (singular); mutolu / you (three or more persons); mautolu / us or our (three or more persons); laua / they (two persons); lautolu / they (three or more persons)

the particle kua to indicate a completed action in the present tense – Kua pehē a Sifa / Sifa says

idiomatic use of the word nava: Kua kai a ia mo e nava he lolo he takihi / She eats and praises the deliciousness of the takihi (nava means to show admiration or express how tasty something is)

the word tama / child used metaphorically – tama vala takihi / a small portion of takihi (tama means small in this phrase).

Cultural featuresThe cultural features in this story include the following.

The use of the word umu. Umu refers to a particular style of cooking in aga fakamotu Niue. The story includes both written and visual descriptions of preparing the food and putting it into the umu. See Unit 5 of Haia! An Introduction to Vagahau Niue for more information on the umu.

The Niue word for Saturday is Aho Faiumu in recognition of fai umu – the traditional cultural practice in aga fakamotu of preparing food and cooking it in the umu to prepare for the Sunday family gathering.

Different ways of expressing thanks are used. The term fakaaue is used in everyday informal conversation, and Oue tulou in formal respectful speech, for example, when saying the Christian grace.

Christian values are integrated into Niue cultural practices. A prayer of acknowledgment and thanks is said before the meal. The word Iki, which has the meaning of chief or distinguished person in aga fakamotu, is used to give status to Jesus Christ. The grandmother gives the blessing because of her status as an elder in the family.

The use of the verb feleveia expresses the concept of exchanging greetings when meeting people, with the host extending a welcome.

The word masima is an alternative spelling for the word mātima. In vagahau Niue, a ‘t’ followed by an ‘i’ or ‘e’ is pronounced as an ‘s’. Traditionally, ‘s’ was not a letter of the vagahau Niue alphabet. These days, ‘s’ appears more frequently in written texts.

The politeness expression fakamolemole has different meanings according to its context, for example, fakamolemole / I’m sorry; fakamolemole la / Excuse me. Fakamolemole includes the concept of “letting the bad things pass away”.

Takihi is a Niue dish. The word takihi has become part of New Zealand English in the same way that umu has. These are vagahau Niue terms that have been “borrowed” into English, just as English terms have become part of vagahau Niue through transliteration.

Tau momotua / adults is a respectful term for older people, referring to them as “elders”. Older people have special status in aga fakamotu.

Links to the New Zealand Curriculum

Key competenciesReading and working with Fakatai La! could help students develop key competencies set out in the New Zealand Curriculum at: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Key-competencies

ValuesThe story illustrates values that relate to the New Zealand Curriculum and to the core Niue values of loto fakamokoi / a generous nature and loto fakalilifu / respect.

Cross-curricular linksLearners who are working at levels 1–2 in Niue may be working at higher curriculum levels in other learning areas. You will need to consider this in order to make effective cross-curricular links. Here are three examples of cross-curricular achievement objectives that could be linked to this story:

Health and Physical Education, Level 3

Relationships with Other People

Students will:

Identify and compare ways of establishing relationships and managing changing relationships.

Social Sciences, Level 3

Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experience to:

Understand how cultural practices vary but reflect similar purposes

Understand how people view and use places differently.

Learning Languages: Achievement objectivesStudents will:

receive and produce information

produce and respond to questions and requests

http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Key-competencies


show social awareness when interacting with others

(Communication strand, relating to selected linguistic and sociocultural contexts)

recognise that the target language is organised in particular ways

make connections with their own language(s)

(Language Knowledge strand)

recognise that the target culture is organised in particular ways

make connections with known culture(s).

(Cultural Knowledge strand)

Tau Hatakiaga ma e Vagahau Niue: The Niue Language Guidelines, levels 1 and 2 Students will:

give and respond to personal information (1.1)

give and respond to greetings, farewells, and introductions (1.2)

express and respond to desires, needs, and preferences (1.7)

use language, positioning, and movement to show respect (1.8)

make connections with known culture(s) (Cultural Knowledge).

Learning outcomesBelow are some possible learning outcomes for reading this story. Select from and adapt these to meet the needs of your students and share the outcomes with them.

After reading and working with this story, I will be able to:

read the story and identify the likes and dislikes of the main characters, the relationships between the characters, and the main ideas

identify and express likes and dislikes

identify and express family relationships

read, view, and discuss, in English, the information and values in the written and visual texts

research and present, in English, information on aspects of aga fakamotu in the story

compare aspects of aga fakamotu in the story with aspects of my culture.

Learning activitiesYou do not have to use all the activities suggested below. Choose from and adapt them to suit your students’ needs.

Fakatai La! is a challenging text for the language level of students who have worked through five units of Haia! They are likely to need support with the language before and during reading, and several scaffolded opportunities to make meaning from the text.

Introducing the textDisplay an enlarged version of the cover and the title page. Have the students work in pairs or small groups to discuss what they see and make lists of words and phrases in Niue that describe the illustrations and what they think will happen in the story. Prompt them to recall the content and language from units 4 and 5 – in particular, the information about food and how food is cooked in an umu. Have the pairs or groups share their ideas. As they do so, add labels and notes around the cover and title page and introduce any new vocabulary that is relevant to the story.

If the students haven’t done so already, ask them to make predictions about the relationship between the people on the cover and about the context of the illustration on the title page. When discussing the title page, prompt them to recall the Niue words that describe family relationships and record and display them.

Read the title aloud. Direct the students to the glossary and ask them to discuss in pairs what they think the title means. Have the pairs share their ideas and confirm that it means “Just Try It!”

ListeningGive each student a list of words and short phrases that they have learned in units 1–5 of Haia! – most of which occur in the story. Tell them they are going to listen to the story and tick the words or phrases they hear. Read aloud or play a recording of the story once, with a short pause at the end of each page. Have the students compare their answers with a partner’s. Play the story again for them to check their answers.

If appropriate, revise the meanings of the listed words and phrases. Give pairs of students copies of the illustrations with no text (or give each pair one illustration). Have them work in pairs to discuss each page and use the list of words (as well as the lists on display from previous discussions) to make predictions about what is happening and what language they expect to read. Have the pairs share their ideas with the whole group.

Reading the textAsk the students to skim page 2 and find out who the girls are, what foods they like and dislike, and what they are going to do. Discuss their answers and the vocabulary and sentence structures on the page, paying particular attention to the language for food and for describing likes and dislikes (write and display these sentences to refer to during and after reading). Ask the students what they think is going to happen on Saturday.

Have students work in pairs to read and discuss each page. After the pairs have read each page, discuss their ideas as a group and record relevant language and cultural aspects. As you work though the text, support the students to:

check the glossary and the previous units in Haia! An Introduction to Vagahau Niue for words and expressions that they don’t know or can’t remember

describe what the illustrations show

make connections between the illustrations and the written text

work out the relationships between the characters and their involvement in the actions

summarise the main ideas on each page

identify language and cultural practices, for example, formulaic expressions, greetings and introductions, the clothes people wear, and the associated values.

Support students to notice patterns of language, for example, Fiafia au ke kai moa mo e ika – mo e pateta / I like eating chicken and fish – and potatoes. After reading, you can show students how they can use these patterns in other contexts – for example, by constructing speaking or writing frames like the example below and filling them in together. Provide opportunities for them to practise and use the language to achieve a communicative purpose (such as during the food survey described in the “after reading” activities below).

Fiafia au ke kai _______ mo e _______ – mo e ___________.

After reading

Responding to the text

Ask the students questions about their experience of reading the text, for example:

What did you enjoy about the story?

What did you learn from both the written text and the illustrations?

What connections can you make to your own language(s) and culture(s)?

Food survey

Have the students work in vagahau Niue to create, conduct, and respond to surveys on the most and the least popular foods among their classmates and then report their findings. You could organise the class into four groups with different lists of foods (allow them to include any foods – not only foods from the story – but they must find the Niue expressions for the food). Each member of each group interviews selected members of the other groups (and is interviewed) and then reports back to their group. Support each group to prepare a written and/or spoken presentation of their findings.

Cultural customs and values connected with food

As a class, discuss what preparations were made for the lunch and who was involved. Discuss the particular aspects of Niue culture illustrated in the story, including the Niue values the story expresses. Set research tasks for your students to find out more about areas they are interested in or about questions that arise during the class discussion (using the Internet, family members, other students they know, and/or members of the community). Have the students present their research to the class (in English). Examples of presentation topics include:

the kinds of foods served at meals in aga fakamotu and in your own culture

food preparation and ingredients

foods that are the most significant in aga fakamotu compared with those in your own culture, and the reasons for this significance

how the written language and illustrations in the storybook reveal cultural practices and values in aga fakamotu.

Guest speaker

Have a guest speaker (a Niue community member) talk about the significance of particular foods and dishes in their family and community. Support the students to welcome the visitor, ask appropriate questions, and thank the visitor appropriately at the end of the session.

The students could plan questions about the cultural practices described in the story, thinking about the characters’ actions, the values shown, and how these are similar to or different from practices in their own cultures.

Technologies for food preparation

The story shows food being cooked in an umu. Unit 5 of Haia! An Introduction to Vagahau Niue gives more information on cooking with an umu, so it may be useful to re-use the activities described there. With your students, facilitate a discussion or set up a research inquiry on different technologies used in food preparation, storage, and cooking across different cultures and in different places. For example, canned coconut cream is used in New Zealand because coconuts are not grown here. In Niue, fresh coconut cream is easily available. Students will also make connections between the use of the umu in aga fakamotu and the way Māori use the hāngi to prepare food, especially when there are large numbers of people to feed.

It may be possible for community members to prepare an umu and share the food at a school event. Participating in the preparations for the umu will give your students and school community a Niue experience.

Following a recipe

Photocopy and laminate enough copies of the recipe on page 8 to have one copy per group. As a class or in groups, prepare the dish by following the recipe in vagahau Niue. Students can read each line of the recipe aloud, then follow the instruction.

You may wish to invite some Niue community members to assist. You may even wish to include other foods and dishes for your students to prepare.

Reflecting on learningPrompt the students to reflect on what they have learnt from working with this text, by asking questions such as:

What strategies helped you to understand the story?

What will help you to remember the new language?

How can you use the new language in other contexts?

Can you identify significant aspects of new learning about aga fakamotu?

For example, a student might say, “I can now talk about food preferences and food preparation in vagahau Niue. I have also learnt about the importance of some foods in aga fakamotu, and the practices and values associated with them.”

English version of the story In English, this story by Lynn Lolokini Pavihi is:

Just Try It!page 2

Rangi and Sifa are eating lunch at school.

“Rangi, what food do you like to eat?” asks Sifa.

“I like eating chicken and fish – and potatoes. I don’t like eating other vegetables. And I also don’t like eating fruit,” answers Rangi.

Sifa says, “Really? I love eating fruit.”

They finish their lunch.

“Do you want to come and have a Niue lunchat my house on Saturday?” asks Sifa.

“Yes, that sounds great,” answers Rangi.

page 3

On Saturday, Sifa and her younger brother Kolo help prepare the lunch.

In the kitchen, they prepare the takihi. They put slices of pawpaw and taro onto a banana leaf.Then they pour coconut cream onto it and add a bit of salt.

Sifa and Kolo also help the adults put the chicken, fish, taro, and takihi into the umu.They cover the food with hot stones, and leaves, and sacks.Then they leave the umu to cook the food until it is ready.

page 4

Rangi arrives at Sifa’s house.

“Hi, Sifa. How are you?” asks Rangi.

“Hi, Rangi. I’m well, thank you,” answers Sifa. “Come and meet my family.”

Sifa leads Rangi into the kitchen.

Sifa says, “This is my oldest brother, Lafaele.This is my mum and dad, and this is my grandmother.”

Sifa’s family says, “Greetings to you, Rangi.”

Rangi says, “Hello. Thank you for the invitation to eat lunch with you all.”

page 5

At lunchtime, Nana Ma blesses the food.

“Jesus Christ our Lord, bless this food. Thank you. Amen.”

Rangi eats the chicken and the fish.

“Do you like taro?” asks Sifa.

“I’m sorry, I don’t like taro,” answers Rangi.

Sifa says, “Just try it!”

Rangi says, “I’m sorry. No, thank you.”

page 6

Sifa is eating the delicious takihi.

“Excuse me. What is that food, Sifa? What are the yellow and the white slices?” asks Rangi.

“They are slices of pawpaw and slices of white taro,” answers Sifa.

“What is the white liquid?” asks Rangi.

“That’s coconut cream,” answers Sifa. “This is my favourite Niue food. Just try it, Rangi!”

Rangi eats a little bit of the takihi. Then she eats a little bit more.

“Do you like it, Rangi?” asks Sifa.

page 7

“Yum! You are so right Sifa! The takihi is really yummy,” answers Rangi.“The slices of pawpaw and the slices of taro are really tasty!And the coconut cream is so creamy!”

She eats and praises the deliciousness of the takihi.

Rangi says, “I also want to try some of the baked taro.”

Sifa says, “Eat up, my friend.”

“Sifa, I love the takihi! Can I please have the recipe?” asks Rangi.

page 8

Sifa’s Takihi Recipe

IngredientsSlices of pawpawCoconut creamSlices of taro

SaltBanana leafStep-by-step methodLay out the heated banana leaf on a sheet of foil.Put the first layer of taro slices onto the banana leaf.Put the first layer of pawpaw slices on top of the taro.Repeat until you have about four layers of both taro and pawpaw.Sprinkle it with some salt.Pour coconut cream onto it until all the layers of taro and pawpaw are covered.Wrap it up with the banana leaf first and foil after.Bake it in the umu for about two hours.

Kua Mau Nakai a Koe, ma Maia? by Joan Makisi


Unit 2 Magafaoa / Family

Unit 7 Kaina / Home

Text Features


expressions of time – Ko e pogipogi Aho Gofua / It is Monday morning

words transliterated from English words – telefoni, sofa, Agikolo, penetala

repetition of structures – Kua mau nakai a koe, ma Maia? / Are you ready yet, Maia?; Nākai, ai la mau ia au / I’m not ready yet

use of nakai in a question and nākai to indicate a negative – Kua mau nakai a koe, ma Maia? / Are you ready yet, Maia?; Nākai, ai la mau ia au / No, I’m not ready yet

common formulaic expressions – Fakaaue, ma Mama / Thanks, Mum; Ko e haau, ma Maia / It’s for you, Maia; Kua mau nakai a koe? / Are you ready yet?

terms for family members, including familiar forms of address – taokete / older sister; Mama / Mum; Papa / Dad; Agikolo / Uncle; Nena / Nana

ma before a person’s name when addressing them directly – Fakaaue, ma Agikolo / Thanks, Uncle

expressions of place – he poko kaitunu / in the kitchen; he poko koukou / in the bathroom; he fale ha Maia / at Maia’s house; he fuga sofa / on the sofa

vocabulary for rooms in a house – poko mohe / bedroom; fale unu / laundry

pronouns – koe / you (singular); mutolu / you (plural)

the particle kua to indicate a completed action in the present tense – Kua mau tai au / Now I’m ready.


The Niue word for Monday is Aho Gofua. The word gofua expresses the meaning of being allowed to do something. So Monday is the day when you are again allowed to do other things after the day dedicated to family and religious matters (Sunday).

The story shows the value of loto fakalilifu / respect – Maia always thanks the person who responds to her question, and she says goodbye to her family before leaving for school.

In the text, fale unu is used for laundry – a reminder of traditional Niue housing arrangements. The text also uses poko kaitunu / kitchen, although other texts may use peito.

The text shows various family members living in the same house. This is a point of discussion, as family living patterns can vary across cultures and in individual households. Many Niue families have members of the extended family living in the same household.


Key competenciesReading and working with Kua Mau Nakai a Koe, ma Maia? could help students develop key competencies set out in the New Zealand Curriculum at: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Key-competencies

ValuesThe story illustrates values that relate to the New Zealand Curriculum and to the core Niue value of loto fakalilifu / respect.

Cross-curricular linksLearners who are working at levels 1–2 in Niue may be working at higher curriculum levels in other learning areas. You will need to consider this in order to make effective cross-curricular links. Here are two examples of cross-curricular achievement objectives that could be linked to this story:
















Tau Hatakiaga ma e Vagahau Niue: The Niue Language Guidelines, levels 1 and 2Students will:


respond to and express agreement and disagreement and ask for assistance (1.6)

use language, positioning, and movement to show respect (1.8).



read the story and understand it

give examples of how vagahau Niue and aga fakamotu are organised in particular ways

ask and respond to questions about who does chores

make connections with the language(s) and culture(s) I know.


Introducing the textDisplay the cover. Discuss the context and the situation and ask students to guess what the title means. Prompt the students to identify the name and that Maia is the girl on the cover. Confirm, or explain, that the title means “Are You Ready Yet, Maia?” Explain the use of nakai as a question marker.

If necessary, revise the Niue for family members (unit 2) and for rooms in the home and household chores (unit 7) before reading.

Reading the textRead page 2 aloud to the class. Then ask the students to read it aloud in pairs. Have them discuss in pairs what they can see in the illustrations and any words or phrases they recognise. Encourage them to make inferences about the meanings of new words and phrases. Confirm the meanings of the sentences.

Create a graphic organiser like the example below for students to fill in (with the Niue words and phrases from the text) as they read pages 3–7.

Numela laupepa / Page number

Tagata he magafaoa / Family member

Poko / Room Fekau / Chore

Koloa ha Maia / Maia’s possession

Tokaaga (he koloa ha Maia) / Location (of Maia’s possession)

34

Have students work in pairs to read and discuss each page. After the pairs have read each page, have them fill in the graphic organiser, then discuss their ideas as a group and record relevant language and cultural aspects. As you work through the text, support the students to:




work out the relationships between the characters and their involvement in the actions


identify language and cultural practices, for example, questions and negatives, chores being done, members of the family in one household, and the associated values reflected in the written and visual texts.

As a class, complete a shared version of the graphic organiser and identify key unfamiliar words or expressions (in the text or the discussion). Record the words and expressions on the board.

Support students to notice patterns of language, for example, Kua mau nakai a koe, ma Maia? / Are you ready yet, Maia? Nākai, ai la mau ia au. / No, I’m not ready yet. After reading, you can show students how they can use these patterns in other contexts. Provide opportunities for them to practise and use the language to achieve a communicative purpose (such as during the class survey – see below).

After reading

Class survey

Have the students interview 2–3 classmates to find out who does the chores in their households. Prompt them to remember the question from unit 2 – Ko hai ka taute e tau fekau? / Who does/is doing the chores? (Note that Niue doesn’t differentiate between “does” and “is doing” in this context.)

Give each student a copy of a table with the names of chores in vagahau Niue in one column and space for answers from 2–3 classmates in the next column. Tell the students to work in pairs, asking and answering questions and filling in their tables. Give them a time limit and, when it is up, tell them to move into new pairs.

When the students have filled in their tables, have them work in new pairs to discuss their findings (in English) and compare the differences and similarities between the households.

Vocabulary extension

As a class, focus on the items that Maia is looking for and the rooms where these are located, for example, tohi gahua kaina haaku / my homework book; he poko okioki / in the lounge. The students will already have identified these expressions in the written text. Now they build lists of items and locations to use and add to later. The same process could be followed with other language features, such as the use of nakai in questions and nākai in negatives.

Vocabulary and fluency practice

Have the students work in groups to prepare role plays. Tell them to use the structure of the written text but to alter the situation and the items the person is looking for. For example, instead of being late for school they may be late for church, late for going to the movies, or late for their game of netball.

Give them time to rehearse their role plays before presenting them to the class.

Have the class respond to each performance by identifying what the situation is, who the characters are, and what things the main character is looking for.

Cultural aspects

As a class, discuss the particular aspects of Niue culture and values identified in the story – for example, houses and families in aga fakamotu. Give the students time to explore the issues and reflect on their discussions.

Reflecting on learningHelp the students to review their goals for working with this text, individually and as a class. You can help them reflect not only on their learning but also on how they learn. Students could share these reflections with another student, with a small group of students, or with the whole class. As a prompt, ask the students questions such as:





For example, a student might say: “I have learnt about houses and households in aga fakamotu.”

English version of the storyIn English, this story by Joan Makisi is:

Are You Ready Yet, Maia?page 2

It is Monday morning at Maia’s house.Everyone is doing chores.

But Maia is not doing chores. Maia is late for school again!

page 3

Mum is in the kitchen. She is feeding the baby.

“Mum, have you seen my homework book?”asks Maia.

“Yes, it’s on the table in the lounge,” answers Mum.“Are you ready yet, Maia?”

“Thanks, Mum. No, I’m not ready yet!”answers Maia.

page 4

Dad is in the laundry. He is doing the washing.

“Dad, have you seen my black jersey?” asks Maia.

“Yes, it’s in the bathroom,” answers Dad.“Are you ready yet, Maia?”

“Thanks, Dad. No, I’m not ready yet!”answers Maia.

page 5

Uncle is cleaning his bedroom.

“Have you seen my red pencil case,Uncle?” asks Maia.

“Yes, it’s in the kitchen,” answers Uncle.“Are you ready yet, Maia?”

“Thanks, Uncle. No, I’m not ready yet!”answers Maia.

page 6

Nana is in the kitchen. She is cooking her breakfast.

“Nana, have you seen my cellphone?”asks Maia.

“Yes, it’s on the sofa in the lounge,” answers Nana.“Are you ready yet, Maia?”

“Thanks, Nana. No, I’m not ready yet!” answers Maia.

page 7

Maia’s older sister comes into the kitchen. She is holding Maia’s cellphone.

“It’s for you, Maia,” she says.

“Maia! Are you ready yet?”

“Now I’m ready!”

page 8

Maia runs to the front door.

“Bye, Maia! Be good!”

“Bye, family. Have a good day!”

Taha Foki e Feua Sipoteby Joan Makisi


Unit 8 Feua Sipote / Sports

Text features


words in vagahau Niue that are formed through different processes – kiona / snow (derived from the Greek word chiono, the word used for snow in the New Testament of the Bible); pokiata / camera (poki / to catch and ata / shadow or picture); netepolo / netball, lakapī / rugby, tēnisi / tennis, and telefoni / telephone (words transliterated from English words)

use of common formulaic expressions – mafola / That’s fine; Hau a ke ō / Let’s go; ka hā! / Of course!

reduplication in a verb form – gakigaki / to nod several times (from gaki / to nod)

pronouns – tokoua / our (we two); haau / you or your (singular); mautolu / we (three or more); taua / our (we two)

phrases indicating place – i kaina / at home; i loto he komopiuta / on the computer

imperatives (commands) – Omai ki fafo / Come outside; Totō mai e pokiata haau / Grab your camera

lafu to refer to siblings or relatives of the same generation – lafu tugaane haaku / my brothers

names for new technologies – telefoni uta fano / cellphone (literally “telephone carry about”); pokiata / camera (literally “catch shadow/picture”).


The story refers to tā kilikiki, which is a Niue sport that combines some parts of cricket and some parts of baseball. See Haia! An Introduction to Vagahau Niue, unit 8, page 162 for more information about tā kilikiki and other Niue sports.

The word motu can mean country, for example, in the phrase e motu ko Kanatā. The word motu also means island. Because Niue is an island nation, the word motu has come to mean country and nation as well as island.

Tau mamatua (parents) is the plural form of matua (parent). It also has the meaning of “elders”, who are respected people in a village or family.

The phrase heke toume he kiona / skiing is made up of words that express related concepts. Heke, which means to slip or slide, is placed with toume, which means the spathe of a coconut flower that was traditionally used like a ski in a sliding sport.

The illustration on page 8 shows the boy in the house with his shoes off, which is a form of loto fakalilifu (respect).


Key competenciesReading and working with Taha Foki e Feua Sipote could help students develop key competencies set out in the New Zealand Curriculum at: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Key-competencies

ValuesThe story illustrates many values that relate to the New Zealand Curriculum, in particular community and participation, and to the core Niue value of loto fakalilifu / respect.



Personal Health and Physical Development

Students will:

Maintain regular participation in enjoyable physical activities in a range of environments and describe how these assist in the promotion of well-being.



Understand how cultural practices vary but reflect similar purposes.

Technology, Level 3

Technological Knowledge

Students will:

Understand the relationship between the materials used and their performance properties in technological products.
















express and respond to desires, needs, and preferences (1.7).



read and understand the main ideas in the story, in particular the characters and the sports they play or like

talk about the sports I and others like and listen to and identify the sports others like

ask questions about sports others like and write about the sports I and others like, with appropriate use of macrons and correct spelling

link sports to their contexts and identify their importance to the people of Niue

make connections with the language(s) and culture(s) I know.


Introducing the textDisplay a copy of the cover and the title page. Ask the students to tell you in Niue what sports they can see. For the sports they don’t know, say them in Niue and write them on the whiteboard.

Discuss the title. Ask the students to make predictions about what they think it means. Confirm that it means “One More Sport”.

Display the illustration on page 2 and ask the students to discuss what they can see and what they think is happening. Ask them to share any Niue they know to describe the illustration (for example, they might know faiaoga) and write these words and phrases on the whiteboard.

Dictation

Dictation is a useful activity for improving the students’ understanding of sound–spelling relationships and building good pronunciation. Read aloud the sentences on page 2, pausing at the end of each phrase to give students time to write. In English, tell them to add punctuation where appropriate.

Hand out copies of page 2 for the students to check what they have written and correct their own work.

Listening comprehensionHave the students listen to you read the text or to a recording (by a speaker of vagahau Niue) and write down the names of the sports they hear. You could tell them to write either:

the names of all the sports in the order they occur

the names of the sports each girl talks about.

You may need to repeat the listening so that your students can complete their task. Tell them they will check their responses as they read.

Reading the textHave students work in pairs to read and discuss the story page by page. After each page, discuss their ideas as a group and write up relevant language and cultural aspects. As you work through the text, support the students to:


describe the illustrations


summarise the main ideas on each page – who is mentioned and which sports they play or like

identify language and cultural practices (for example, formulaic expressions, the sports discussed, sentences for expressing likes) and the values associated with them.

As a class, identify key unfamiliar words or expressions (in the text or the discussion). Write the words and expressions on the board.

Support students to notice patterns of language, for example, Fiafia e matua taane haaku ke he feua kakau / My dad likes swimming; Ko e heigoa e tau feua sipote ne pelē he magafaoa haau? / What sports do your family play? After reading, you can show students how they can use these patterns in other contexts. Provide opportunities for them to practise and then use the language to achieve a communicative purpose.

After reading

Favourite sports

Have students choose a country, research (in English) the popularity of that country’s different sports, and prepare a short presentation in vagahau Niue. Offer guidance on how to find the information as well as a framework for presenting their information in Niue. You could ask them to state three or four sports that the people of their chosen country like, the favourite sport of the country, and (if they can find information about this) any sports the people don’t like. Students could create a poster showing their findings in vagahau Niue and then use the poster as a visual aid to their oral presentation to the class or to a smaller group. As the students listen to their classmates, have them record each country and its sports in a table like the one below.

Motu / Country Sipote ne fiafia a lautolu ki ai / Sports they like

Sipote mahuiga / Favourite sport

Sipote ne nākai fiafia a lautolu ki ai / Sports they don’t like

Niue sports

Find out if there is a community event in your area where tā kilikiki or other Niue sports are played. Either visit the event with your class or invite some community members to your school to organise some Niue games.

The students could plan questions to ask about the significance of these sports in aga fakamotu. They could also discuss how the sports are similar to or different from sports in their own culture(s).






For example, a student might say: “I can now talk about which sports I like and dislike in vagahau Niue.”

English version of the story In English, this story by Joan Makisi is:

One More Sportpage 2

Lina’s class is studying different sports.

The teacher says, “For your homework tonight, find photos of five different sports your friendsand family like to play.”

page 3

Lina says, “Let’s do our homeworktogether at my house, Nisha.”

Nisha rings her mother.

She says, “Yes, that’s fine. Let’s go.”

page 4

Lina and Nisha walk home together.

“Does your family like sport?” asks Nisha.

“Yes, of course!” answers Lina.“Your family’s from Canada, aren’t they?”

Nisha nods. She says, “We like sport, too.”

page 5

At home, Lina opens the family photo album on the computer.

She says, “My dad likes swimming.Here’s a photo of him swimming. It is the parents’ race at the swimming sports. He came last! What sports do your family play?”

page 6

Nisha says, “It’s very cold in Canada. My family love skiing together.”

She shows Lina a photo onher cellphone.

“And here’s me and my mum playing tennis. My favourite sport is tennis.”

page 7

Lina says, “My brothers and I like playing rugby.”

She finds a photo of her rugby team on the computer.

Nisha says, “That’s four sports found.Only one more sport left to find.”

page 8

Lina’s brother, Sione, comes home from school.

“Come outside and play Niue cricket,” he says.

“Grab your camera,” says Nisha. “Our homework’s done!”

Ko e Heigoa e Kai Laā?by Joan Makisi


Unit 12 Tau Vahā he Tau / Seasons

Unit 13 Kumi e tau Mena / Finding Things

Text features

Language featuresThe language features of this story include: formulaic expressions and colloquialisms – Ae tahakau! / Hey guys!; Ua popole / Don’t

worry; Hā fē? / Where?; Oka! / Awesome!; Mitaki hā ia! / That’s nice!

reduplication in a verb to indicate intensity – onoono / to look closely, investigate (from ono / to look)

ma before a person’s name when addressing them directly – ma Tomasi

the connective mo / and – Mafana mo e laā / It is warm and sunny; Kua onoono hifo a Luka, Tuku, mo Jamar ki loto he loloto / Luka, Tuku, and Jamar look into the rock pool

pronouns – lautolu / they; haaku / my; haau / your (singular); haana / his; tautolu / us

the past tense marker ne to indicate a completed action – Fai mena ne gagau e matalima haaku / Something bit my finger; Ne talaage e matua taane haana ki a ia / His father told him

words transliterated from English – Ueligitoni / Wellington; papakiu / barbecue; Agikolo / Uncle; māsolo / mussel

prepositions to indicate place – he mataafaga / at the beach; he papakiu / on the barbecue; ki loto he loloto / into a rock pool; i lalo he tau maka / under the rocks; i loto he falu limu maka / inside some seaweed; i luga he papakiu / on the barbecue

imperatives (commands) – Fakaeneene / Watch out; Omai a / Come on

nakai in a question, and nākai to indicate a negative – Hā ē nakai e uga ne gagau a koe, ma Tomasi? / Is this the uga that bit you, Tomasi?; Ko e kelekele e nofoaga he uga, nākai ko e loloto / The uga lives on land, not in a rock pool.


Vahā mafana means “summer” in vagahau Niue. For more information about the seasons of Niue, and the differences between these and the seasons in New Zealand, see unit 12 of Haia! An Introduction to Vagahau Niue.

Crayfish and shrimp belong to similar species. Tote / small or little is used with uo / crayfish to mean “shrimp”.

The relationships that the names for family members indicate – taokete / elder brother of a man.

The names of meals indicate times of day – kai laā / lunch (food when the sun is up).


Key competenciesReading and working with Ko e Heigoa e Kai Laā? could help students develop key competencies set out in the New Zealand Curriculum at: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Key-competencies

ValuesThe story illustrates many values that relate to the New Zealand Curriculum, in particular community and participation, and to the core Niue value of loto totonu / empathy.


Science, Level 3

Ecology

Students will:

Explain how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how they respond to environmental changes, both natural and human-induced.




Understand how people make decisions about access to and use of resources.















recognise and express number, time, and location (1.4)

respond to and express agreement and disagreement and ask for assistance (1.6)

communicate about people, places, and things (2.1).

Learning outcomes Below are some possible learning outcomes for reading this story. Select from and adapt these to meet the needs of your students and share the outcomes with them.


read and understand a simple story in vagahau Niue

read the story aloud with clear pronunciation and reasonable fluency

recognise and use language to express locations

ask and answer questions about location

research and present information about food gathering in Niue.


Introducing the textDisplay the cover of Ko e Heigoa e Kai Laā? Discuss where the characters are and what their relationship might be. Prompt the students to work out the meaning of the title. Confirm that it means “What’s for Lunch?” Prompt the students to form hypotheses about what will be for lunch.

Display the title page and page 2. Have the students work in pairs to:

discuss the illustrations and remember or find the Niue for what they see

read page 2 and work out the main ideas (Where are the boys? Who are they? What are they doing?)

form hypotheses about what will happen.

Have the pairs share their ideas. Record their hypotheses (using vagahau Niue as much as possible) along with key vocabulary. Prompt the students to remember vocabulary from earlier units in Haia! and use this discussion to introduce new key vocabulary for the story.

Reading the textGive students copies of the book. Read aloud page 3. Ask the students to read each sentence silently. Then discuss the meaning of each one as a whole group.

Have the students work in pairs to read the book and answer the questions below (in vagahau Niue) to prompt their understanding of the main ideas and to focus on the language they are learning.

Ko hai ne moua e kamakama? Ha fē e mena ia?Who finds a crab? Where is it?Moua e Luka e kamakama. Ha hā i lalo he maka.Luka finds a crab. It is under a rock.

Ko e heigoa ha Tomasi ne popole ki ai?What is Tomasi worried about? Popole a ia ha ko e uga. He is worried about uga.

Ko hai ne moua e kamakama tote. Ha fē e mena ia?Who finds a small crab? Where is it?Moua e Tuku e kamakama tote. Ha hā i loto he falu limu maka.Tuku finds a small crab. It is inside some seaweed.

Ko hai ne moua e uo tote?Who finds a shrimp?Moua e Luka e uo tote.Luka finds a shrimp.

Ko hai ne moua e tau fua māsolo? Ha fē e tau mena ia?Who finds some mussels? Where are they?Moua e Jamar e tau fua māsolo. Toka e tau mena ia i luga he tau maka.Jamar finds some mussels. They are on the rocks.

Ha fē e uga?Where is the uga?I luga he papakiu.It is on the barbecue.

When the students have finished, go through their answers together. Record the correct answers. Review the hypotheses they made before reading. Ask the students (in English, if necessary) how they think Tomasi felt and what the other boys thought at different parts of the story. Prompt them to share what they know about uga and to remember what they learned through their work in unit 5 of Haia!

You could have the students read the book again individually. After they have read it, discuss their ideas as a group and record relevant language and cultural aspects. As you discuss the text, support the students to:



identify language and cultural practices, for example, formulaic expressions, activities characters undertake, and the associated values.

Support the students to notice patterns of language, for example, Hā ē, i luga he papakiu / Here, on the barbecue; Tamai he taokete haaku i Niue / My brother brought it from Niue. After reading, you can show students how they can use these patterns in other contexts. Provide opportunities for them to practise and use the language to achieve a communicative purpose.

Reading aloudHave the students work in groups of six to read and perform the story, with each student taking one part (the narrator, the four boys, and Uncle Lene). Encourage them to take turns reading different parts. You could have each group perform for the others. You may wish to get a fluent vagahau Niue reader to help with the pronunciation.

After reading

Information-gap activity

Create worksheets A and B showing two versions of the same scene (a room, a house, or a beach). Select about ten items to include (select items that students have encountered in previous study). Add images of half the items to the scene on worksheet A. Add these same items to the margin of worksheet B. Add images of the remaining items to the scene on worksheet B. Add these same items to the margin of worksheet A.

Have pairs of students sit back to back with either worksheet A or worksheet B and a pen. Tell them that for this task they need to speak in vagahau Niue only and complete their pictures by:

looking at the items in the margin of their worksheet

taking turns to ask where each item is in the scene on their partner’s worksheet

drawing each item in the scene where their partner tells them.

Research

Have students work in small groups or pairs to research food-gathering practices in Niue, especially the gathering of different types of seafood. Each group or pair could research a specific aspect of seafood gathering (for example, a specific food, times of year for gathering seafood, or a specific method) and then present their research to the class (in English).






For example, a student might say: “I can now ask and answer questions about where things are in vagahau Niue.”

English version of the story In English, this story by Joan Makisi is:

What’s for Lunch? Page 2

It is summer in Wellington. It is warm and sunny. But it is windy.

It is a great day for a barbecue at the beach.

Tomasi is at the beach with his friends, Tuku, Luka, and Jamar.

They want to find some seafood for lunch.

Uncle Lene can cook it on the barbecue.

Page 3

Luka looks into a rock pool. “Hey guys! Look what I’ve found. It’s a crab.”

Tomasi reaches into the rock pool. The water is cold. “Where is it?” he asks.

“There, under the rock,” answers Luka.

Tomasi reaches under the rock. “Ouch! Something bit my finger!”

Page 4

Jamar says, “Watch out, Tomasi, an uga might be under the rocks!”

Tuku says, “The uga has sharp claws. It can nip your whole finger off!”

Tomasi jumps far away from the rock pool.His father has told him that in Niue the uga can be as big as the crayfish.

Page 5

Luka, Tuku, and Jamar look into the rock pool.

Tuku finds a small crab inside some seaweed.“Is this the uga that bit you, Tomasi?” he asks.

Luka finds a shrimp. “Is this the uga that bit you, Tomasi?” he asks.

Jamar finds some mussels on the rocks. “Is one of these the uga that bit you, Tomasi?” he asks.

Page 6

Luka says, “Don’t worry, Tomasi. The uga lives on land, not in a rock pool.”

It’s colder now, and the boys are hungry.

Jamar says, “Come on, Uncle Lene is calling us. Lunch is cooked.”

Page 7

They run to Uncle Lene and the barbecue.

Jamar says, “Uga!”

“Where?” asks Tomasi, jumping and looking around.

Page 8

Luka says, “Here, on the barbecue. Ha ha!”

Uncle Lene says, “We have uga for lunch today. My brother brought it from Niue.”

Tomasi says, “Awesome! That’s nice!”

Fefeua he Pelapelaby Lynn Lolokini Pavihi


Unit 11 Foaki Mena Fakaalofa / Gifting

Unit 15 Tau Fiafia Fakamagafaoa / Family Celebrations

Text features


words transliterated from English – Iulai / July; kasini / cousin; keke / cake; Anitī / Aunty

Fakamolemole tali mai, which is the vagahau Niue equivalent of the French formulaic expression “Répondez, s’il vous plaît”, which is commonly abbreviated to R.S.V.P. in regular English usage

common formulaic expressions – Omai a ke kai! / Come and eat!; Oti a! / Stop that!; Oi! Oi! / Oh! Oh!; Kua lata tai he mena ia! / That’s enough now!

singular and plural forms of verbs – kata / laugh (singular) and fekī / laugh (plural); nonofo / sit (plural); omai / come (plural) and hau / come (singular)

pronouns – haaku / my; ha lautolu / their; mautolu / we

phrases to indicate direction – ki fafo / outside; ki fale / inside

phrases to indicate location – he fiafiaaga / at the celebration; i luga he tau laulau / on the tables; i fafo / outside

the connective mo / and – Fakamolemole atu au ma Nena mo Anitī / I’m so sorry, Nana and Aunty

imperatives (commands) – Omai a ke kai! / Come and eat!; Oti a! / Stop that!

expressions of time – A fe: 12 Iulai / When: 12 July; he aho nei / today

the general term for clothes and the term for clothes for a specific occasion – he tau koloa tui / clothes; he taute / clothes specific to the occasion

words or phrases for family members – kasini / cousin; matua fifine ha Siuni / Siuni’s mother; Anitī / Aunty

the particle ke to indicate intention – Kua manako a ia ke fefeua / He wants to play; Omai ke hehele e keke / Come and cut the cake.


The food at this kind of celebration is a point of discussion, for example, ota and roast pig. Ota is a raw fish dish. See unit 14 of Haia! An Introduction to Vagahau Niue for more

information on ota, including a recipe. Having roast pig acknowledges the importance of the occasion. See unit 5 for information on Niue foods and on the preparation of food using an umu.

The illustrations show the different kinds of food on the table – ika tao / baked fish; salati / salads; moa / chicken; sapa sui / chop suey; timala / kumara; and pitako / a dessert dish made from grated banana or tapioca with coconut cream.

Both the written text and the illustrations include examples of fakalilifu / respect. The narrator apologises to his nana and aunty for letting Siuni get mud on his party clothes. Everyone is helping to get things ready – Kua lavelave oti e magafaoa he fakatokatoka he tau kai i luga he tau laulau / All the family are busy setting the food out on the tables.

The illustrations show that the family have put on special clothes for the occasion, including foufou fiti / floral headbands and necklaces made from shells. See unit 9 of Haia! for information on particular items of clothing and how these are made. The clothing in the illustrations is a mix of traditional Niue and Western-style clothes.

A first birthday celebration is important in aga fakamotu. The other two main celebrations for children are huki teliga / ear piercing for girls and hifi ulu / hair cutting for boys. These are described in unit 11 of Haia!

Siuni has a special birthday cake, which is common practice with birthday celebrations in New Zealand. The illustrations show a mix of cultural practices – those from within aga fakamotu (for example, the kinds of food offered, the cloths with Niue patterns) and those from wider New Zealand culture (for example, cake and balloons).

Many Niue families say a Christian grace before eating a meal. To show the importance of the first birthday celebration, the family’s Christian minister has been invited and he blesses the food. Examples of blessings are included in unit 5 of Haia!

The story includes an example of a written invitation, which follows the example of the invitation in Unit 15 of Haia! Unit 15 also includes information about cultural practices with invitations.

The story expresses the values of loto fakaalofa / the compassionate heart and loto totonu / empathy when the adults react to the two boys with mud on their clothes by laughing with them.


Key competenciesReading and working with Fefeua he Pelapela could help students develop key competencies set out in the New Zealand Curriculum at: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Key-competencies



ValuesThe story illustrates many values that relate to the New Zealand Curriculum, in particular community and participation, and to the core Niue values of loto totonu / empathy, loto fakaalofa / the compassionate heart, and loto fakalilifu / respect.




Understand how cultural practices vary but reflect similar purposes.

Understand how the movement of people affects cultural diversity and interaction in New Zealand.

Technology, Level 3

Technological products

Understand the relationship between the materials used and their performance properties in technological products.














communicate about people, places, and things (2.1)

understand and express concepts of amount, quality, and state (2.6)

recognise and express ownership and relationships (2.7).




recognise and use expressions of time and direction, personal pronouns, and formulaic expressions

write texts for particular purposes with appropriate use of macrons and with correct spelling

make connections with the language(s) and culture(s) I know

research and present information on aspects of aga fakamotu presented in the story and the values they represent.


Introducing the textDisplay the cover of the book. Tell the students to work in pairs and discuss (in Niue as much as possible) what and who they can see in the illustrations.

Discuss their ideas as a whole group and put labels in vagahau Niue on the illustration. Confirm that the English translation of the title is “Playing in the Mud”.

Dictation

Dictation is useful for improving the students’ understanding of sound–spelling relationships and building good pronunciation.

Give the students a copy of the invitation on the title page with the text removed. Read aloud the text on the invitation, pausing at the end of each phrase to give students time to write. In English, tell them to add punctuation where appropriate. Hand out copies of the complete title page for the students to check what they have written and correct their work.

You could find out how well each student did and ask them to write a note to themselves about what they need to focus on so they can improve their written accuracy and their recognition of sound–spelling combinations.

Ask the students what kind of text the invitation is. Go through the invitation, discussing the meaning of the words and phrases.

Have students work in pairs and discuss what they think will happen in the story. Have the pairs share their ideas. Use this discussion to note and introduce key vocabulary for the story. Record and display the key vocabulary and the students’ predictions.

Listening activityGive small groups of students sets of the illustrations from the book (photocopied and with no text). Read the text or play an audio-recording (using a speaker of vagahau Niue). Have the groups put the illustrations in the correct order as they listen to the story. Give them time to check and discuss their sequence. You may need to repeat the listening so that your students can complete their task.

Have the students tell each other, in vagahau Niue, what they can see happening in the illustrations.

Tell them they will check their sequence of illustrations and their predictions as they read.

Reading the textHave students work in pairs to read and discuss each page. After the pairs have read each page (or two or three pages, depending on the needs of your students), discuss their ideas as a group and write up the relevant language and cultural aspects. As you work though the text, support the students to:




summarise the main ideas on each page, in particular, who is mentioned and what they do or say

identify language and cultural practices, for example, formulaic expressions, language for talking about celebrations, and the associated values.

As a class, identify key unfamiliar words or expressions (in the text or the discussion). Record the words and expressions on the board.

Support students to notice patterns of language, for example, Ko e fulufuluola hā ia! / How beautiful they are!; Kua manako a ia ke fefeua / He wants to play. After reading, you can show students how they can use these patterns in other contexts. Provide opportunities for them to practise and then use the language to communicate.

After reading

Research projects and posters

As a class, discuss some of the aspects of Niue culture in the story and the Niue values that the story expresses. Have the students work in small groups to look at the illustrations and write down the things that are relevant to aga fakamotu, for example, the patterns on the fabrics, the birthday boy’s chair decoration, and the kinds of food.

Have each group share their observations. Build a list of the aspects of Niue culture shown in the illustrations. Divide these aspects into research projects. Tell each group to choose one aspect, research it, and develop an attractive and informative poster about it that contains illustrations and written text in vagahau Niue. Note that while the research and the presentation will probably need to be in English, the poster will be in vagahau Niue.

Below are some ideas for posters on aspects of aga fakamotu:

important celebrations for children

clothes for special occasions

food at celebrations

gifting practices

crafts, including items to wear

family relationships

Niue patterns on clothes and fabrics

invitation practices

Niue values, with illustrative examples from the text.

When the posters have been completed, display them on the classroom wall. Have each group present and explain their posters (in English when necessary). Following each poster presentation, have the class discuss:

similarities and differences in relation to their own cultures

the values related to the cultural practices of each culture.

Plays

Have the students work in groups to prepare plays in Niue that summarise the main events in Fefeua he Pelapela. Each student can be one of the characters (the groups don’t have to include all of the characters), and one student can be the narrator. Support the students to use the vocabulary and structures from the book and from their work with the units from Haia!

Give them time to rehearse their plays before they present them to the class to enable them to build fluency in the delivery of their lines and knowledge of the structures and vocabulary.






For example, a student might say: “I can now describe the importance of particular celebrations in aga fakamotu and the practices and values associated with them.”


Playing in the Mudtitle page invitation

The family is happy to invite Taveli Foufou to the first birthday celebration of their dear son Siuni Paelo

When: 12 July Time: 11 a.m. Where: Kelston Community HallRSVP: Phone (09) 888 3708

page 2

Siuni is my little cousin.It is Siuni’s first birthday today.I have an invitation to the celebration. Cool!

Siuni is wearing his new clothes.What awesome clothes Siuni has!

page 3

Wow! There are lots of family members at the celebration.The feast is plentiful.There is lots of ota and a pig as well.All the family are busy setting the food out on the tables.

Siuni’s special chair is at the front table.Nana Lose and Nana Esa are covering it with special Niue fabrics.How beautiful they are!

page 4

The minister blesses Siuni’s first birthday celebration and the food.Nana Lose says, “Come and eat!”I am very happy to sit with Siuni at the special front table.

Siuni is very happy after the meal.He wants to play.“Taveli,” Nana Lose says to me, “take Siuni outside to play.”

page 5

“Siuni! Taveli! Come and cut the cake now,”calls Siuni’s mum.

Nana Lose says, “They are outside.”

“No, Siuni. Stop!”

page 6

Siuni’s mum and Nana Lose come outside.Siuni is playing happily in a muddy puddle.I am trying to pull Siuni out of the mud.

Oh! Oh!His new shoes are dirty.His new shirt is dirty.His new pants are dirty.He is very dirty!

page 7

I say, “I’m so sorry, Nana and Aunty.”Siuni jumps around in the mud and water splashes on me.I say, “Siuni! That’s enough now!”Nana Lose starts to laugh, and then we all laugh.

page 8

We all go back inside.Everyone starts singing the happy birthday song.But they laugh when they see Siuni and me.Siuni claps his hands and laughs too.

I say, “Happy birthday, little cousin. Come and cut the cake.”

Ko e Mataafaga i Avateleby Lynn Lolokini Pavihi


Unit 17 Tau Finagalo / Feelings

Unit 18 Talahauaga ke he tau Matakavi / Describing Places

Text features


words transliterated from English – pasi, motokā, pakete, agikolo

common formulaic expressions – To liu mai vave au! / I’ll be back soon!; Mo au foki / Me too

use of nakai in questions and nākai to indicate a negative – Mafola nakai? / How’s things?; Kua nākai tuai tupetupe a ia / He’s not worried any more

singular and plural verb forms – poi / run (singular); tafepoi / run (plural); hohoko / reach, arrive (plural)

colloquialisms – Ae tahakau / Hey guys (tahakau is commonly used in an informal situation addressing a group of people you know well)

words and phrases for expressing temperatures and feelings – mafola / good, all right; vela / hot; hauhau / cool; pōtake / shallow; mainiini / excited; tupetupe / worried; fiafia lahi / very happy; makalili / cold; hoge / hungry; matehoge / starving

the term for dinner, which gives the time of the day – kai afiafi / dinner (literally “evening food”)

mo / and – Makalili foki ni au mo e hoge / I’m cold and hungry.


The names are common contemporary names in Niue families: Iakopo, Loi, Hiti, Uni.

The season for catching kaloama in Niue is between December and March.

The illustrations show two of the boys wearing lavalava at the beach. A lavalava is a piece of fabric wrapped around the waist and worn as a casual garment. The fabric is often patterned with Niue designs.

In Niue, the boys would usually go swimming in the sea. In New Zealand, not everyone lives close to the sea, so a nearby swimming pool or even a river would also be common places to swim. There are no rivers on Niue.

Tahi refers to the ocean, with a focus on the part of the sea that goes from the beach or the cliff edge right out to the deep. Moana is used to refer to the deep ocean.

The beach at Avatele is well known in Niue. It is located south of Alofi, the capital. There is a boat ramp that is used by commercial operators as well as by local people and a platform that people can fish from. It is a popular place to swim or snorkel for locals and tourists, but care is needed as there are strong currents in certain places. The white sand beach is made of small pieces of coral, sharp enough to hurt sensitive feet. In the illustrations, the boys wear jandals to protect their feet. Locals keep their outrigger canoes at the beach, covered by coconut leaves.

The boys use simple fishing rods made of wood because the kaloama are easy to catch. The term for fishing rod in vagahau Niue is akau hī / wood for fishing.


Key competenciesReading and working with Ko e Mataafaga i Avatele could help students develop key competencies set out in the New Zealand Curriculum at: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Key-competencies

ValuesThe story illustrates many values that relate to the New Zealand Curriculum, in particular community and participation, and to the core Niue value of loto fakamokoi / a generous nature.



Relationships with Other People

Students will:

Identify and compare ways of establishing relationships and managing changing relationships.




















communicate about people, places, and things (2.1)

communicate about feelings and needs (2.5)

understand and express concepts of amount, quality, and state (2.6).




identify the main ideas in the story

retell the story

recognise and use language to describe places and feelings

write texts for particular purposes with appropriate use of macrons and correct spelling

research and present information on aspects of aga fakamotu related to the story.


Introducing the textDisplay the cover of the book. Tell the students to work in pairs and discuss (in Niue as much as possible) what and who they can see in the illustrations. Confirm that in English the title means “The Beach at Avatele”.

You could have the students work in pairs to research Avatele and share what they have learned (in English). During this discussion, highlight or introduce key Niue vocabulary for reading the story.

Reading the textGive students copies of the book and read and discuss page 2 together. Create a table like the one below to help students identify the main ideas and the language. Together, fill in the table for page 2, using Niue as much as possible but allowing English when necessary. Encourage the students to contribute what they can infer from the text and illustrations as well as what they read and see.

Lau / Page

Ko hai? / Who?

Fe fē ha lautolu a tau logonaaga? / How are they feeling?

Ko e hā? / Why?

Tau matakavi? / Places?

Fe fē e tau matakavi ia? / What are the places like?

For pages 3–8, have students work in pairs to read each page and fill in the table. After the pairs have worked through two or three pages (depending on the needs of your students), discuss their ideas as a group, write up the relevant language and cultural aspects, and fill in a shared version of the table. As you work though the text, support the students to:




summarise the main ideas on each page, in particular, places and activities, as well as who is mentioned and what they do, say, and feel

identify the language and cultural practices, for example, formulaic expressions, clothing, activities, and the associated values.

As a class, identify key unfamiliar words or expressions (in the text or the discussion). Record the words and expressions on the board.

Support students to notice patterns of language, for example, Kua mainiini a Loi mo Iakopo ke ō ke koukou tahi / Loi and Iakopo are excited about going swimming; Vela hā ia. Omai la ke koukou / It’s so hot. Let’s swim. After reading, you can show students how they can use these patterns in other contexts. Provide opportunities for them to practise and then use the language to communicate.

After reading

Reading aloud

Have the students take turns in groups to read the story aloud. One person can act as the narrator to read all the parts that are not dialogue. Ask group members to give one another feedback as they practise, congratulating each other by saying mitaki or suggesting they try again to get the

pronunciation right. You may wish to get fluent vagahau Niue readers to help others with their pronunciation.

Plays

Have the students work in groups to prepare short plays summarising the main events of the story. Each member of their group will take the part of one of the characters or the narrator.

You could record these plays on video. You can then play the video so that students can review their performances and receive and give feedback on them. This feedback may include:

how well they can be heard how well they can be understood whether the story makes sense (in terms of both plot and use of vagahau Niue) how well the play is presented (for example, fluency, lack of hesitation, not looking at

notes).

Posters

Have students prepare posters advertising the kaloama season in Niue and the attractions of the beach at Avatele. The posters should contain written text in vagahau Niue and visual material. Display the posters.

Presentations in English

Discuss aspects of aga fakamotu in the story and the Niue values the story expresses. Assign research tasks to pairs or individual students to find out more information about life in Niue, aga fakamotu, and Niue values.

Some possible topics for presentations are:

seasonal food gathering in Niue and in your own country and culture

popular places to go to in Niue

how the language and illustrations in the book reveal cultural practices and values in aga fakamotu.






For example, a student might say: “I can now describe some places in vagahau Niue.”


The Beach at Avatelepage 2

Loi sits next to his friend Iakopo on the school bus.

“Hey, Iakopo, how’s things?” asks Loi.

“I’m good. But I’m very hot. The sun is so hot today,” answers Iakopo.

“I’m hot too. Do you want to go swimmingat Avatele beach?” asks Loi.

“Yes. Avatele beach is great for swimming!The water is cool and shallow!” answers Iakopo.

page 3

Loi and Iakopo are excited about going swimming.

They invite their friends Hiti and Uni to come with them.

They all arrive at Avatele beach.

Hiti says, “Hey guys, look at all the cars!”

“Why are there so many people?” asks Loi.He is worried.

page 4

Loi and his friends run onto the beach.

Iakopo says, “Look, the people are fishing!”

Hiti says, “It’s so hot. Let’s swim.”

Uni says, “We can’t swim. The people are fishing for kaloama.”

page 5

Loi says, “Just wait.”

He quickly runs back up the beach.

“Loi, where are you going ?” asks Iakopo.

Loi laughs and says, “Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon!”

He runs back up to the car.

page 6

Loi returns with a fishing rod and a bucket.

Loi says, “Instead of swimming, let’s go fishing!”

He’s not worried any more. He’s very excited.

Iakopo’s uncle is fishing for kaloama nearby. He gives Loi some bait.

Loi lowers his fishing rod into the sea.

page 7

Loi feels the fish eating the bait on his hook.

“Hey! I’ve caught a kaloama!”

His friends are very happy. “Awesome, Loi!”

They all take turns fishing with Loi’s rod.

It’s not long before the bucket is full of kaloama.

page 8

Hiti says, “I’m cold. The sun isn’t hot any more.”

Uni says, “I’m cold too, and hungry.”

Iakopo says, “I’m starving!”

Loi says, “Me too. Let’s go and grill some kaloama for dinner.”

Iakopo says, “Yum! Grilled kaloama is so delicious.”

Documents

pasifika.tki.org.nzpasifika.tki.org.nz/content/download/1721/10371/... · Web viewTeacher Support Materials to Accompany Stories to Support the Pasifika Learning Languages Series