Learning Support Publications
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Understanding student wellbeing in the educational setting
The Student Wellbeing Measures project is a Ministry initiative designed to directly support the wellbeing of our Years 7-13+ ākonga in their education settings.…
Author(s): Ministry of Education
Date Published: October 2023
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Taonga Takiwātanga Wānanga Evaluation Report
The Taonga Takiwātanga Charitable Trust, in partnership with Te Pae Aronui, hosted 5 marae-based wānanga exploring Takiwātanga – Autism from a Māori world view. Led by Dorothy Taare-Smith and hosted by mana whenua, the wānanga offered a collaborative kaupapa Māori…
Author(s): Dorothy Taare-Smith [Taonga Takiwātanga Charitable Trust] for the Ministry of Education
Date Published: April 2023
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Alert Program® in schools – Phase 2 evaluation
This report synthesises emerging findings from the evaluation of the Alert Program® pilot’s second phase (Phase 2), which focused on selected learners with additional needs, their teachers, family and whānau.…
Author(s): Dr Sira Engelbertz
Date Published: April 2023
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Learning Support Coordinators Evaluation: Phase 3
Phase 3 of the Learning Support Coordinators evaluation has been completed to provide feedback on initial implementation of the new role of Learning Support Coordinators (LSCs), a long-awaited, fully funded, in-school learning support role, and inform the success of future…
Author(s): Sarah Andrews, Jessica Adams, Mary Kaye Wharakura, Dr Sarah Appleton-Dyer, Dr Evelyn Marsters, Synergia Ltd.
Date Published: 28 October 2022
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Learning Support Coordinators Evaluation: Phase 2
Phase 2 findings have captured the progress of implementation, which has greater momentum at school than at cluster level. This is to be expected in the relatively early stages of establishing a new and unique role as it is logical…
Author(s): Sarah Andrews, Dr Sarah Appleton-Dyer, Jessica Adams, Mary-Kaye Wharakura, Dr Evelyn Marsters and Emelia Masari, Synergia Limited.
Date Published: December 2021
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Poipoia ngā ākonga kanorau ā-roro
This report provides a Māori-centric view of ākonga kanorau ā-roro, learner neurodiversity. It will help practitioners and educators to work with ākonga kanorau ā-roro and their whānau to provide culturally responsive and effective education and care. It also points to…
Author(s): Dr Melanie Riwai-Couch
Date Published: August 2021
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Te Ara Whakamana: Mana enhancement evaluation
AATEA Solutions presents this report on the evaluation of Te Ara Whakamana – Mana Enhancement Programme (Te Ara Whakamana) developed and delivered by Ako Solutionz (the developers). In December 2019, this evaluation was commissioned by the Ministry of Education (the…
Author(s): Kiwa Hammond, AATEA Solutions Ltd. Report for the Ministry of Education
Date Published: July 2021
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Incredible Years Autism: Parent and teacher training programmes
The Incredible Years Autism programmes are part of a series of interconnected evidence-based parent and teacher training programmes developed by child psychologist and researcher, Dr Carolyn Webster-Stratton. The Incredible Years Autism – Parent (IYA-P) and Incredible Years Autism – Teacher…
Author(s): Associate Professor Laurie McLay, Dr Cara Swit, Professor Neville Blampied, Dr Anne-Marie McIlroy, and Dr Dean Sutherland. University of Canterbury
Date Published: July 2021
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Learning Support Coordinators Evaluation: Phase 1 Formative and process evaluation
Phase 1 of the Learning Support Coordinators evaluation has been completed to provide feedback on initial implementation of the new role of Learning Support Coordinators (LSCs) a long-awaited, fully-funded, in-school learning support role and inform the success of future delivery.…
Author(s): Sarah Andrews, Dr Sarah Appleton-Dyer, Zaffar Ansari, Emelia Masari, Hera Clarke, Synergia Ltd.
Date Published: March 2021
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Responding to neurodiversity in the education context
This report presents findings of an integrative literature review designed as one response to Priority 4: Flexible supports for neurodiverse children and young people, articulated in the New Zealand Learning Support Action Plan 2019 – 2025. The review explored research…
Author(s): The Donald Beasley Institute
Date Published: July 2020
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It's, like, trying to make us better people - My FRIENDS Youth final evaluation report
This evaluation report shows that the My FRIENDS Youth Resilience Programme aligns with government strategies, is consistent with the New Zealand Curriculum key competencies and the health and physical education curriculum, and can be effectively facilitated by teachers for all…
Author(s): Jo MacDonald, Roseanna Bourke, Melanie Berg and Jacky Burgon, New Zealand Council for Educational Research. Report prepared for the Ministry of Education.
Date Published: December 2016
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Patterns of student progress in the Intensive Wraparound Service
Intensive Wraparound Service (IWS) is designed for the small number of children and young people with highly complex and challenging behaviour, social or education needs, including those with an intellectual difficulty. IWS in New Zealand is a relatively new and…
Author(s): Jacky Burgon, Melanie Berg and Nicole Herdina, New Zealand Council for Educational Research. Report for the Ministry of Education.
Date Published: March 2016
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A Positive Culture of Support: PB4L School-Wide Final Evaluation Report
This report summarises the findings from the final phase of an evaluation of Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) School-Wide. It describes the extent of implementation of School-wide in Schools, identifies short-term shifts and considers the longer term sustainability of the…
Author(s): Sally Boyd and Rachel Felgate, New Zealand Council for Educational Research. Report for the Ministry of Education.
Date Published: August 2015
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"It's who we are" Stories of practice and change from PB4L School-Wide Schools
This report summarises the findings from case studies of seven schools that are part of the Positive Behaviour for Learning School-Wide (PB4L-SW) initiative. Schools were selected for their effective practice. In this report, commonalities and differences in practice are summarised,…
Author(s): Sally Boyd, Alex Hotere-Barnes, Lesieli Tongati’o, and Jo MacDonald, New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
Date Published: June 2015
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PB4L School-wide Evaluation: Preliminary findings
This report presents indicative findings from the first phase of an evaluation of Positive Behaviour for Learning: School-Wide (PB4L: School-Wide). The report discusses the implementation and short-term shifts for schools that began PB4L: School-Wide in 2010/11. The findings suggest that…
Author(s): Sally Boyd, Rachel Dingle and Nicole Herdina, New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
Date Published: June 2014
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Transitions from early intervention to school-age special education services
This paper presents an overview of the international literature related to transitions between early intervention services and special education services for school-aged children. The review describes, firstly, families’ perceptions of services during the transition period, and, secondly, key factors associated…
Author(s): Research Division, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: September 2013
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Successful transitions from early intervention to school-age special education services
The purpose of this report is to explore what is currently ‘not working’ in transitions from EI to school-age services from the perspectives of people involved in these transitions—to identify ‘what we can do better’ and explore how to improve…
Author(s): Jacky Burgon with Joanne Walker, New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
Date Published: September 2013
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Understanding special education from the perspectives of Pasifika families
The aim of this report is to identify the strengths of current service provision; barriers to accessing SE services for Pasifika; and the extent to which cultural perspectives on disability and SE and the low numbers of Pasifika professionals affected…
Author(s): Lila Mauigo-Tekene, Lin Howie, Dr Bill Hagan, School of Education, Manukau Institute of Technology.
Date Published: July 2013
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Supporting deaf learners using visual modes of communication within mainstream schools to access the curriculum
Many deaf learners are geographically dispersed and many attend local mainstream classes, which can result in linguistic isolation with little access to natural visual language models. There is concern that they don’t always have adequate access to the curriculum because…
Author(s): Fitzgerald and Associates. Commissioned by Sally Jackson and Yvonne Hope, Special Education Strategy, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: June 2012
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Evaluation of the 'tips for autism' professional learning and development programme
In June 2007, the Ministry of Education contracted a team from Massey University to evaluate ‘tips for autism’ – a professional development programme for people who work with and/or care for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The evaluation spanned…
Author(s): Jill Bevan-Brown, Roseanna Bourke, Philippa Butler, Janis Carroll-Lind, Alison Kearney, Mandia Mentis, Massey University College of Education.
Date Published: November 2011
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