Te Koekoe o te Tui: A Guiding Framework Towards Indigenizing Speech, Language, Communication Support for Tamariki-Mokopuna of Te Aitanga a Mahaki Iwi.
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 with and for 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.
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.
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.
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.
All wānanga participants are of Māori decent and whakapapa to, or have strong connections to Te Aitanga a Mahaki iwi.
