Southland Regional Finalists in Education Excellence Awards

Media Release

For Immediate Release

Friday 5 May 2017

Southland Regional Finalists in 2017 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards

Invercargill Middle School is among the finalists at the 2017 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards.

Ministry of Education Acting Deputy Secretary for Early Learning and Student Achievement, Karl Le Quesne, says the commitment and dedication the finalists have shown towards their children and young people is to be commended.

“This year’s finalists demonstrated passion and drive to ensure best possible outcomes for all their children and young people. We wish them all the best.”

Now in their fourth year, the Awards celebrate the best of teaching in New Zealand.

Invercargill Middle School

Invercargill Middle School has been selected as a finalist in one Awards category:

· Excellence in Teaching & Learning - Atatū Award.

Invercargill Middle School noticed that the oral of some students was impacting on their learning and participation, and that existing practice did not empower students to speak and develop the evaluative, critical listening skills they needed to become agents in their own learning.

The staff formulated a plan to improve achievement through oral language, with specific goals and expectations, teacher inquiry focused on developing dialogic teaching, together with talking tools and signals (talk moves) that were modelled as part of teaching practice. The impact has been far reaching, with improvements in students’ oral language, confidence, and participation that have also lifted achievement in literacy more broadly.

Awards Information

The Awards celebrate some of the best of teaching in New Zealand. This year saw 14 finalists selected from more than 140 entries.

Members of the judging panel are visiting finalists during May and June. Winners from each category will be awarded $20,000 and a professional development opportunity.

Winners will also qualify for the Prime Minister’s Supreme Award, which is presented to the school or early childhood service that has had the greatest influence on education outcomes for children and young people.

The Supreme Award winner will receive an additional $30,000 and an opportunity to represent New Zealand education.

Winners will be announced in late June. For more information on the Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards, please visit their website: www.pmawards.education.govt.nz

ENDS

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