12 Dec 2013

Teachers' expectations of Maori special needs children too low

6:34 am on 12 December 2013

A Massey University researcher says her studies show teachers who educate Maori special needs children have low expectations of their pupils.

Associate Professor Jill Bevan-Brown, (of Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Wehiwehi, Ngati Awa and Ngai Te Rangi), has been given the Tohu Pae Tawhiti Award from the New Zealand Associate of Research in Education Council.

The title recognises significant contributions to Maori education.

Dr Bevan-Brown's career, which spans more than 30-years, includes research in to helping to improve education for Maori special needs children.

She says educators need to lift their expectation of tamariki.

Dr Bevan-Brown suggests that's because a teacher may assume a child's ability.

As an example, Dr Bevan-Brown says if you take someone who can see - they may assume a person who's visually impaired can't do certain tasks because they feel they couldn't do it if they were blind.