The concept of home-school partnerships is widely accepted as being important for student success. How this concept can be quantified in a more equitable and valid way, specifically through the lens of the Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB), is the focus of this inquiry. RTLB and parent surveys, plus an interview with a Ministry of…

The primary objective of this small-scale study was to identify ways in which Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) can work with teachers to implement evidence-based practices for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) within an inclusive educational system. With the increasing prevalence of children with ASD in mainstream…

This report investigates students' perspectives on a sense of belonging, and the relationship between inclusive practices. It further considers the implications for Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) as they work in secondary schools to support inclusive teaching practice. The inquiry question, "How can RTLB effectively support…

This professional inquiry investigates how Community of Learning Ka hui Ako across-community teachers (ACT) can support teacher confidence and perceived competence in relation to their culturally-responsive pedagogy. Communities of Learning Ka hui Ako are explored in terms of defining what makes a community successful and how they can be used as a…

A well-developed transition process between the early childhood setting and primary school is important when considering transition to school. This paper reports on an inquiry that focused on the enablers and barriers to a successful transition to school. The inquiry which used case studies at two schools involved interviews with new entrant,…

This research paper focuses on the successful implementation of play-based learning (PBL) environments within the New Zealand mainstream primary school sector. In particular, the focus is on the role of Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) in supporting the implementation of PBL within the junior classes of Year 0 to Year 2. A review…

Research into the effectiveness of SPRING into Maths as a Tier 2 intervention is limited. This article aims to extend the evidence base for SPRING into Maths through reflective practice that links practitioner voice with theory. The article applies a theoretical lens to SPRING into Maths and provides insights into the journey of a group of…

Models of special education that are diagnosis-orientated mean that individuals with ASD are seen as 'different' from their non-disabled peers. These views reproduce school practices in which those labelled disabled are likely to be treated as problematic rather than 'coming from a different place'. This article explores the narrative of one Year…

This research provides chalk-face insights from a group of predominantly Pakeha teachers grappling with culturally-responsive relational practice (CRRP), in a time and environment where external factors can affect self-efficacy and limit personal agency. It details a two-phased professional inquiry undertaken with fourteen teachers from one Kahui…

Inclusive education expects that all students are welcome and that teachers focus on adapting environments so every student can be present, participate, learn and belong. This article summarises a mixed methods, small-scale inquiry which investigated how a sample of 44 New Zealand secondary school teachers understand inclusion and how this…

In this piece, I recount some events in which I was called upon to speak in te reo Ma ori on behalf of others in a variety of formal situations. I call this being 'on the paepae' but the paepae should be understood more properly as the paepae tapu. I will leave the further explanation of this for others who should rightly speak about such things.…

Teachers' lives are multi-faceted and their practice is influenced by personal and contextual enablers and barriers to their wellbeing and identity. Current initiatives, including the focus on teacher wellbeing, pose new tensions. This research is timely as it investigates an emerging group of professionals, specialist teachers in Aotearoa New…

This article examines dyslexia intervention, highlighting tension between traditional medical discourses and pedagogical perspectives. The first of these tensions is regarding views of the learner being variously negative and needs-based versus positive and strengths-based. The second tension is between an atypical, outlier, normative assessment…

The purpose of this article is to examine literacy as a key contributor to cultivating individual and collective self-determination for indigenous peoples. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) defines literacy as a human right intrinsically important for human development and well-being. Therefore, literacy…

The role of teacher aides (TAs)1 has increased in complexity and includes working to support students with challenging behaviour. This review examines the professional learning and development (PLD) needs of TAs who work with students with challenging behaviour and the types of PLD which are effective. TAs feel underprepared for behaviour work and…