Literacy & Communication and Maths Strategy

Our journey has started through the Early Learning Action Plan, and its focus on better supporting ākonga to develop capabilities that are valued by their whānau and community, and supporting them to be competent and confident learners. We have already released Te Kōrerorero | Talking Together. We are also working with kaiako on Kōwhiti Whakapae, which will help them strengthen formative assessment and teaching practice for foundational learning in Te Whāriki.

The Strategy’s Common Practice Model will guide teaching and learning that is appropriate to different stages and phases of learning. It will include separate, distinct components (such as Kōwhiti Whakapae) for early learning that are within the bicultural, inclusive, and holistic framework of Te Whāriki.

Schools are required to use the Common Practice Model from 2026, but its use is not mandatory in early learning settings.

Support will be available through Te Whāriki Online(external link)

The strategy confirms and aligns with the overall direction we are already putting in place through the refresh of The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC).

A lot of the actions in the Action Plans will help you to work more effectively with the refreshed NZC, with a range of updated and new supports signalled in the Strategy. Some of these improvements to our supports are already underway, such as the Early Literacy Approach(external link) 

The Strategy will introduce the Common Practice Model, developed in collaboration with the education community. ‘Common’ in this case does not mean creating a one-size-fits all approach. It is about creating greater national consistency around the quality of practice, by providing clear and practical guidance alongside a range of resources, tools and professional learning.

The Common Practice Model will be available for schools to use in 2024 and is expected to be used by all schools from 2026. 

Find resources to help you use the Common Practice Model

The NCEA Change Programme already includes a focus on strengthening NCEA literacy and numeracy. The Literacy & Communication and Maths Strategy will help kaiako support the progress of ākonga in these foundational skills across different subjects. This will also support ākonga to be successful with the new NCEA literacy and numeracy co-requisites, while recognising that emphasis on literacy & communication and maths remains important across and beyond the learning pathway. Strengthening teaching and learning earlier in the pathway will mean that ākonga enter secondary school well-placed for success in learning and in life.

A range of updated and new supports are signalled in the Strategy, including the introduction of the Common Practice Model. This has been developed in collaboration with the education community and includes clear, practical guidance alongside a range of resources, tools and professional learning appropriate to different stages of learning, from early learning through to the end of secondary schooling.

The Common Practice Model will be available for schools to use in 2024 and is expected to be used by all schools from 2026.

Find resources to help you use the Common Practice Model

Schools and kura seeking PLD support under the regionally allocated PLD fund can still use the facilitator search tool on the PLD website(external link) to search for facilitators across literacy & communication and maths.

The Strategy will introduce the Common Practice Model to support more consistent literacy, communication and maths teaching, assessment, and learning approaches. ‘Common’ in this case does not mean creating a one-size-fits all approach. It is about creating greater national consistency around the quality of practice, by providing clear and practical guidance alongside a range of resources, tools and professional learning.

The Common Practice Model has been developed in collaboration with the education community, including PLD providers. PLD providers delivering professional learning will be required to align with the Common Practice Model to help embed it across the system. This will ensure that teachers get more consistency in terms of approaches supported by our PLD provider and facilitator workforce and their alignment to the refreshed curriculum.

What is the Common Practice Model?

• The Common Practice Model is a key part of the Literacy & Communication and Maths Strategy and supporting Action Plans. It will guide kaiako/teachers in delivering the best possible teaching, learning, and assessment, by making it clear the pedagogical approaches and practices that we know work and supporting there use across the learning pathway.
• The Common Practice Model will be embedded across the supports and resources, professional learning and additional learning supports provided by Te Poutāhū | The Curriculum Centre. 

Does the Common Practice Model cover the entire learning pathway?

• Yes.  The Common Practice Model will support the entire learning pathway from early learning through to the end of secondary school. 

Does the Common Practice Model align to the refresh of  the New Zealand Curriculum?

• Yes.  Work on the Common Practice Model connects to the refreshed learning areas of  Te Mātaiaho | the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum and Mātairea – supporting progress.
• The progressions link literacy & numeracy across all learning areas, and will provide greater clarity and detail on the important progress steps that support students towards the progress outcomes for each phase of learning.

What does it mean for me? And for my school?

• We know that New Zealand’s teachers are excellent at focusing on the learning needs of individual students.
• At the same time, there is widespread concern about children’s literacy, communication and maths learning.
• Teachers have asked us for more clarity about pedagogical approaches and practices to support their teaching.
• As a result, we have partnered with a wide range of education experts including teachers and leaders – to develop an evidence informed Common Practice Model.
• From 2026, all school will use the Common Practice Model when teaching literacy, communication and maths.
• We will also be clear about the harmful practices we know don’t work (such as streaming) and support schools in moving away from those.

How will kaiako/teachers be supported through these changes?

• We want to make sure that kaiako/teachers feel confident in integrating the changes into their practice, so that we have the best possible outcomes for students and mokopuna.
• A suite of implementation supports (e.g., resources, guidance, tools, and professional learning) will be available to support kaiako/teachers and leaders.

What difference will the Common Practice Model make to the students who need more support?

• We are focused on delivering equity to a system that has historically underserved a great deal of students, including ākonga Māori, Pacific learners, and neurodivergent learners.
• In developing the Common Practice Model we have considered the pedagogical approaches and practices we know work for all students, with a particular focus on those whose needs the current system is not addressing and/or have diverse learning needs.