Instructional Series
Welcome to the English medium literacy instructional series teaching and learning resources for years 1 to 8.
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17 items - Showing 11 - 17
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Sapasui: It’s hard to get wrong!
by Susan Paris
Carlos Vakalaloma has lots of interests. He likes playing rugby (he’s a prop) and doing jigsaw puzzles (the old-school kind with up to a thousand pieces). During lockdown, he also spent a lot of time cooking. Carlos really likes Italian food. But if he was forced to choose his favourite meal, to both cook and eat, he’d say sapasui. Sapasui is eaten all across the Pacific. The dish is a version of chop suey, which originally comes from China.
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Tinā at School
Lani brings Tinā to school and they learn about Samoa.
Focus sounds: Multisyllable words
New high frequency words: some what come
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Tinā Visits
Tinā is visiting from Samoa. She sees a lot of differences!
Focus sounds: air ear ere
New high frequency words: of what you are
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School Journal Level 2, October 2012
Teacher support materials (TSM) and audio are available for the following texts in this issue of the School Journal:
TSM Audio Stories Uncle Tino ✔ ✔ Articles Dances of Sāmoa ✔ ✔ Living Fossils ✔ Look inside this issue
Dances of Sāmoa
by Toleafoa Avauli Peter Setefano
This article describes three well-known dance forms from Sāmoa. The article is accompanied by colourful, high-energy photos of students from a Porirua primary school performing the slap dance and the sāsā. The article features some of the history of the dances and it also provides opportunities for an in-depth exploration of the relationship between the heroes of the dances and the stories that each dance tells.
Living Fossils
by Sue Gibbison
This article describes tuatara and how they are bred in captivity. Photos, including X-rays, and a glossary provide support for students as they learn about this fascinating animal. Some of the concepts may be challenging for students, particularly “living fossils”, extinction, and X-rays. Also, the article contains mixed text types, although these are clearly signalled through headings.
Uncle Tino
by Jane Davitt Va‘afusuaga
“Uncle Tino” is a deceptively simple story about Samoan twins, Jessie and Jonas, who are embarrassed by their exuberant uncle who has recently arrived from Sāmoa. The lively story is woven through with Samoan concepts and values as Jessie and Jonas gradually change their attitudes toward Uncle Tino. The story reinforces the idea that cultural knowledge and skills are “cool” and worthy of respect.
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School Journal Level 4, May 2013
Teacher support materials (TSM) are available for all the following texts in this issue of the School Journal:
TSM Plays A Real Steal ✔ Articles The Great Barrier Reef ✔ Tuto'atasi The Struggle for Samoa's Independence ✔ Look inside this issue
A Real Steal
by James O’Sullivan
An art gallery has a new exhibition and it’s hired a security guard to make sure no one touches the paintings. A visiting art critic has strong opinions about the value of the works, but things start going wrong when a thief enters. The humour in the play comes from the diverse array of characters and their changing opinions on the value of the “art”.
The Great Barrier Reef
by Sarah Wilcox
The Great Barrier Reef is very beautiful – and threatened. This report describes the Great Barrier Reef and explains what coral is. It also outlines the threats to the reef from climate change and its “evil twin”, ocean acidification.
Tuto'atasi The Struggle for Samoa's Independence
by Damon Salesa
The people of Sāmoa celebrated fifty years of independence in 2012. This article tells the complex story of colonisation and decolonisation that saw Sāmoa controlled by Germany, and then New Zealand, before finally securing self-rule. The former rulers enforced unpopular laws and punished dissent harshly. In addition, thousands of Samoans died of influenza as a result of poor quarantine practices under New Zealand’s rule.
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Keeping Our Stories Alive
by Lana Lopesi and Grace Teuila Evelyn Iwashita-Taylor
This book explores Samoan tatau in two parts: the first part is an interview with tattooist Tyla Vaeau and the second is a comic that retells how tatau came to Sāmoa. The interview with Tyla explores her Samoan culture, how she became a tufuga tā masini (electric tattoo artist), the process and practice of tattooing, and the significance of being a woman working with tatau. The comic retells the origin story of how tatau – and in particular the malu – came to Sāmoa through Tilafaigā and Taemā. The book links to the article “For the Ancestors”, published in School Journal, Level 3, November 2019, which recounts one woman’s experience of receiving her malu.
Information and tips for using comics in the classroom:
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Tautai
by Sisilia Eteuati
illustrations by Mose Eteuati
This contemporary story is about a boy and his love of planes, but students will also read about the importance of his name and how a chance meeting helped him gain confidence. Samoan students will identify with Lagi, and all students will enjoy his enthusiasm and excitement as he sets off on his first trip to Sāmoa.
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