We are descendants of explorers, discoverers and innovators who used their knowledge to traverse distant horizons.
Our learning will be inclusive, equitable and connected so we progress and achieve advances for our people and their future journeys and encounters.

– Ministry of Education, 2020

This vision statement for PLD in Aotearoa New Zealand underpins the national priorities.

Reciprocal Teaching - RT3T™ is an evidence-based pedagogy that interleaves the priorities, providing schools with the practical knowledge and expertise to progress towards this vision.

RT3T™ has over six years of implementation data which shows close alignment with, and support of, the new national PLD priorities.

While we elaborate on each of these, it is important to keep the cohesive and interleaved vision of RT3T™ PLD at the forefront.



Cultural capability

Reciprocal Teaching, on which RT3T™ is based, is internationally acknowledged as a highly effective evidence-based, culturally responsive, relational, equitable and inclusive teaching method.

RT3T™ honours the principles of Te Tiriti and is proven to work for all our ākonga - having been developed and extended in the unique bicultural context of Aotearoa.

Our whole school approach, RT3T™, provides culturally sustaining and inclusive strategies and tools that enhance mana, perspective-taking and critical awareness.

Why it matters: Cultural capability outcomes

More information on cultural capability is available on request.



Local curriculum

RT3T™ provides a dynamic framework to ensure your local curriculum works towards achieving the NZC vision for young people becoming confident, connected, actively involved, and lifelong learners.

Why it matters: Local curriculum outcomes

More information on local curriculum is available on request.

What RT3T™ schools are focussing on:

  • Cross-curricular and integrated learning including: literacy, maths, English, science, social science, place-based curriculum
  • Key competencies and resilience
  • Cultural and global sustainability focus including languages and heritage languages, such as Te Reo Māori, Samoan, Cook Island Māori, Tongan, Mandarin
  • Transitioning partnerships between and within schools to align empowered collaborative learning cultures
  • Home-school partnerships with resiliency-focused family meetings



Assessment for learning

RT3T™ recognises the agency of learners, integrating assessment for learning partnerships and systems that develop this. The RT3T™ approach to assessment embeds evaluative and reflective practice within and across the layers of learning. This approach improves the wellbeing and achievement outcomes of ākonga and strengthens relationships with whānau and the wider community.

Why it matters: Assessment for learning outcomes

  • Teachers learn to ‘notice’ each ākonga’s learning, thinking and collaborative behaviours, ‘recognise’ what this means, and ‘respond’ by scaffolding the learning forward
  • Teachers recognise the differentiated needs of each ākonga and respond by developing inclusive settings that accelerate the learning of priority ākonga, for example, those on the roll of the Learning Support Coordinator
  • Teachers and schools work in partnership with RT3T™ facilitators to analyse formative and standardised assessment and progress data to inform future planning, including:
    • ‘multiple valued outcomes’ for ākonga eg. oral language, reading comprehension, ākonga agency, collaboration and leadership, well-being, belonging, countering bullying and racism
    • assessment information which supports the learning of; ākonga, groups, classes, teachers, departments/syndicates, whanau, communities
  • For examples of results and their implications, see RT3T™ Results in Schools

More information on assessment for learning is available on request.