The pedagogical practices of Maori partial immersion bilingual programmes in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Level 2 Maori medium programmes with 51-80% Maori language instruction make an important contribution to developing Maori language skills and lifting Maori student achievement, yet these programmes are largely hidden from discussions about Maori education attainment. Offering lower levels of Maori immersion than kura kaupapa Maori and being predominantly situated within English medium schools, these programmes give families opportunities to access a unique form of education which unlike high immersion kura kaupapa Maori, maintain significant levels of English language instruction. However, Level 2 programmes suffer from poor support and resourcing, including sourcing teachers highly fluent in the Maori language and knowledgeable in bilingual education approaches. This article, which discusses the pedagogical practices of teachers in 44 New Zealand programmes, found that schools have developed a wide range of bilingual approaches to satisfy their unique situations, and demonstrate high commitment to providing an important education to communities. Despite this, historical assimilationist policies continue to impact schools' ability to form cohesive programmes that produce highly proficient bilingual students. Schools require more support, particularly to lift teachers' Maori language fluency and knowledge of bilingual education theory and practice.