Pasifika Early Literacy Project

In 2014, Dr. Rae Si‘ilata as project director, and a team of bilingual and early literacy experts, were contracted by the Ministry of Education to design and deliver the Pasifika Early Literacy Project (2014-2019).  From 2020-2023, Va‘atele Education Consulting’s team of PLD facilitators, fono facilitators, and researchers are delivering PELP PLD to Early Learning Services (ELS) and Years 0–2 primary teachers from English-medium and Pacific-medium spaces. PELP supports teachers to expand their notions of ‘literacy’ to include Pacific languages, literacies, and embodied cultural practices.  Kaiako learn how to use the Pacific/Pasifika dual language books as catalysts to support linguistically and culturally sustaining teacher practice, to grow Pacific children’s bilingual capabilities.