CE’s PEN
Ngā mihi o te Kirihimete, Manuia le Kerisimasi, Kilisimasi Fiefia, Meri Kiritimiti, Marau na Kerisimasi, Monuina e Kilisimasi, Manuia te Kilihimahi, Shèng dàn jié, Shubh krismas, and a Merry Christmas!
Thank you to all who responded to our call for themes to include in our planned briefing to the incoming minister. We received many supportive messages and suggestions and will be bringing the main ideas together to send to the new ministers early in the New Year.
Meanwhile, we have supported the Auckland Languages Strategy Group to send their own briefing to the various ministers whose responsibilities are relevant to language diversity. You can read and download the full briefing here.
The briefing outlines the value that language diversity can bring to social and economic development and summarises key data and current issues affecting languages in Aotearoa New Zealand. It also recommends quick-win actions that could bring significant gains, including:
- Implementing the proposed Pacific Languages Framework
- Setting a timeframe and process towards Te Reo Māori becoming core curriculum in all schools from Year 1
- Creating a Community Languages Framework
- Developing a Hindi language curriculum
- Undertaking a national consultation towards eventual development of a national languages policy.
It’s hard to believe the end of year is almost upon us. As we look back on 2017 and ahead to new challenges in 2018, we’re encouraged to reflect on the many stories of change we’ve been privileged to be part of this year. You can read about some of them in this newsletter.
Thanks for the part you play in making our work possible.
Ngā mihi nui o te Kirihimete me te Tau Hou,
Susan
Pride on Show 
We catch up with Licence to Work graduations in Gisborne and Lower Hutt. Read more here
Baby fish and worm tea
We’re netting baby flounder on the Tāmaki Estuary … and talking worm tea at the Science Communicators Association annual conference. Read more here
Summer talk
How to talk more to your babies and young children over summer – some tips from our parents and partners.
Read more here
A Tribute
Moana Whaanga was an important contributor to COMET’s pioneering Manukau Family Literacy Programme.
Read more here
In the media 
6 November, 2017: Top communication researchers speak in Whanganui. Wanganui Chronicle
6 November, 2017: Young participants find Licence to Work powerful. Gisborne Herald (pdf)
December, 2017: Students graduate with work-readiness skills. BusinessPlus (pdf)
Some summer reading
Predictions for jobs lost and gained with automation and AI – a McKinsey report here.
What does and doesn’t work in schools? Pointers in the 2017-18 Global Education Monitoring Report here.
Plus! All the Briefings to Incoming Ministers you can handle, here.
And before we go …
The COMET Auckland office will re-open in 2018 on the 3rd of January.
If you have a notice, event or job listing you would like to be featured in our next newsletter, please send it through to admin@cometauckland.org.nz
COMET Auckland - A blog about education and skills in Auckland 
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