The website presents my Master’s thesis (2022), which examines Samoan teachers’ perceptions of learners’ home literacy practices and the ways these practices can be connected to classroom language learning. Titled Samoan teachers’ perceptions of learners’ home literacy practices: Making connections for classroom language learning – Soso’o le fau ma le fau, the study is framed by the Samoan metaphor Soso’o le fau ma le fau (“joining the fibres together”), which encapsulates its central conclusion.
The findings indicate that teachers value the home literacy practices that learners bring to school and recognise the importance of establishing meaningful connections between home and school literacy contexts. However, the study also identifies significant implications for classroom practice. In particular, teachers are encouraged to adopt more holistic reading programmes that incorporate a wider range of Samoan reading texts and culturally relevant resources to support learners’ reading comprehension.
While evidence of strategies used to teach Gagana Samoa is evident in classroom practice, the research highlights the need for closer examination of the effectiveness of these strategies in developing reading comprehension. Strengthening the alignment between culturally grounded literacy practices and pedagogical approaches is therefore critical to enhancing language learning outcomes for Samoan learners.
This research was initiated in response to concerns regarding declining literacy outcomes among primary school students in Samoa. It is intended that the findings will contribute to and encourage further research into effective classroom literacy practices. Thank you for capturing the importance of Pacific research and language. Vau Peseta-Afamasaga