Te Koekoe o te Tui: A Guiding Framework Towards Indigenizing Speech, Language, Communication Support for Tamariki-Mokopuna of Te Aitanga a Mahaki Iwi.

<p dir="ltr">Many tamariki-mokopuna have speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN), but the speech-language therapy (SLT) services that they receive are not always culturally appropriate. Over the past two years, Te Aitanga a Mahaki (TAAM) researchers conducted research <i>with</i> and <i>for</i> their people to understand what we know about SLT, what needs to change and how we can transform this space to nurture the wellbeing of our tamariki-mokopuna.</p><p dir="ltr">The aim of the research is to develop a guiding framework for the profession of SLT working with whānau and kaiako Māori who support tamariki with complex SLCN in Te Aitanga a Mahaki rohe.</p><p dir="ltr">This is a qualitative Kaupapa Māori Research (KMR) project, underpinned by Kaupapa Māori theory (IRI 2000) to describe Te Aitanga a Mahaki lived realities and experiences of SLCN and SLT. Through KMR we can describe the process and practice that relates to research by Māori, with Māori, for Māori.</p><p dir="ltr">Whakawhiti-kōrero (discussion), nohopuku (time in reflection), and Smith's (2019) Thought Space Wānanga were employed as the preferred methods of ako for TAAM iwi.</p><p dir="ltr">All wānanga participants are of Māori decent and whakapapa to, or have strong connections to Te Aitanga a Mahaki iwi.</p>