Learning the language of education
Academic language is different from everyday language. Bilingual Pasifika students (and, indeed, all students) achieve better when there is a deliberate focus on ensuring they learn the academic language they need in education. This learning should include English academic vocabulary, academic sentence structures of increasing complexity, and the purposes, patterns, and structures of academic texts. Students’ Pasifika languages can be used to assist their concept development and, where possible, they should be encouraged to continue developing their L1 into increasingly academic areas.
