Languages are the means by which we think and communicate with each other.

Literacy is how we make sense of that communication. The ability to make sense of visual and oral texts is as important as reading and writing print. The term “multiliteracies” reflects that ideas are communicated in a combination of ways. 

Each culture will use and express language in different ways. Increasingly, children are likely to be learning in and through more than one language. Located in Aotearoa New Zealand, the vision of Te Whāriki implies a society that recognises Māori as tangata whenua, assumes a shared obligation for protecting Māori language and culture, and ensures that Māori are able to enjoy educational success as Māori. 

Besides English, te reo Māori, and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), some 200 different languages are in use in New Zealand, with Samoan, Hindi, Northern Chinese, French, and Yue (Cantonese) being the most common. Children more readily become bi- or multilingual and bi- or multiliterate when language learning in the education setting builds on their home languages.  

Languages and literacy can consist of: 

• written and oral words and sentences  
• gestures and non-verbal communication 

This includes

• whakairo on the wharenui (carvings) 
• stars, sun, and moon as tohu (symbols) 
• mataora (traditional Māori facial tattoo) 
• waiata and karakia 
• siva, kapa haka, dance, and rhytthm 
• drama, storytelling, and pūrākau Māori  
• visual imagery, tukutuku panels, tapa designs, tivaevae designs, and kowhaiwhai patterns  
• mandala designs  

This whakataukī speaks of the importance of language to culture and identity for tamariki and mokopuna within Aotearoa. How well we recognise and celebrate these directly relates to the wellbeing and sense of belonging of all children in our setting. 

As Treaty partners, all kaiako are kaitiaki of te reo Māori and are obliged to practice and develop the use of te reo and tikanga Māori.

“All children should be able to access te reo Māori in their ECE setting, as kaiako weave te reo Māori and tikanga Māori into the everyday curriculum.” (Te Whāriki, p. 12) 

Children experience success in learning when kaiako, children's families, and the wider community have a shared understanding of what literacy involves, what aspects matter most, and what is valued by everyone. 

Learner identity is enhanced when: 

• children’s home languages and cultures are valued in educational settings  
• kaiako are responsive to their cultural ways of knowing and being 
• social practices at home, in early learning services, and in the wider community support rich oral language and literacy.   

For Māori, this means kaiako need understanding of a world view that emphasises the child’s whakapapa connection to Māori creation, across Te Kore, te pō, te ao mārama, Atua Māori, and tīpuna.

When the beliefs, attitudes, and expectations of children, their families, and the wider community are considered, children will experience literacy that is meaningful to them. This is based on their interests, knowledge, and expertise. 

Children read and interpret information, express their views, and create meanings about the wider world in many varied ways. The role of kaiako is to promote language and literacy through an environment rich in diverse language and literacy resources. 

Literacy practices that are significant in the everyday lives of children do not occur in isolation from their interactions with adults, older children, peers, and significant social events.