The NZSL@School initiative was set up in 2014, when the government announced $11m of new funding for NZSL programmes. It is a joint initiative between the Ministry of Education and the Combined Board of Kelston and van Asch Deaf Education Centres.
For your school, this could mean extra funding and resources for Deaf students who use NZSL. NZSL@School is designed to allow Deaf students to have daily access to fluent NZSL in the classroom and for school activities, using teacher’s aides and/or interpreters. There will also be the opportunity for NZSL tuition to Deaf students, their parents and family/whānau, school staff and hearing classmates.
There are initially 60 Deaf students in mainstream schools across New Zealand during 2015 who will receive these additional services. The two Deaf Education Centres are working with each of the schools where the students are enrolled to set up NZSL services and resources for 2015.
We are also looking at what schools are already doing to support Deaf students, and their parents/whānau and schools are currently receiving and ways to continue to build capability through resources, training, technology and sharing practices among schools. This will involve a small project team of NZSL@School staff working with the parents and schools involved. If your school is involved, the project team will be in touch during term two.
The overall aims of the NZSL@School initiative are to:
- build more responsive and effective education for Deaf students whose primary language is NZSL and who attend their local school
- increase the direct NZSL support and services to these Deaf students, their family/whanau and the schools they attend.
The ultimate aim is to ensure every Deaf student at a mainstream school receives the best possible education within a responsive and supportive environment.
Learn more
NZSL@School Initiative contacts and information updates
- For information about the NZSL@School services or access to the services, contact the Kelston Regional Manager, Michael Heeney on michael.heeney@kdec.school.nz or the van Asch acting Regional Manager Margaret Anderson on regservices@vanasch.school.nz.
- For information about the NZSL@School Initiative, please contact the Project Manager, Sonya Logan on slogan14@vanasch.school.nz.
- For ongoing NZSL@School updates see the Kelston Deaf Education Centre or the van Asch school websites.