Ministry of Education.
Professional Learning & Development
2025-08-06 16:37:47 | https://pld.education.govt.nz/structured-literacy-and-maths-pld/sla-pld-support-for-specialised-teaching-practices/
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Home Kāinga Structured Literacy & Maths PLD Structured Literacy & Maths PLD SLA PLD support for specialised teaching practices

Information on specialist schools PLD

The Ministry is funding professional learning and development (PLD) to support structured literacy approaches (SLA) for specialised teaching.

This PLD will help teachers develop deep expertise in elements of structured literacy approaches (SLA) and specialised teaching practices to enable students with high and complex learning needs to learn to communicate, read and write.

Additionally, this PLD will support participants in leading sustainable changes in teaching practices and building in-school capability.

This PLD opportunity will be available from Term 3, 2025 and will be delivered across three school terms.

This specialised PLD will be delivered and facilitated by the University of Canterbury and eligible schools will be contacted directly to inform them of this opportunity and how to enrol.

Eligibility criteria

This PLD opportunity is only available to educators in specialist schools. This includes teachers, leaders, therapists/specialists, and teacher aides. 

Structure of the PLD

There are two cohorts for this PLD, one in Term 3, 2025 and one in Term 1, 2026.

The PLD will involve face-to-face and/or virtual/remote learning.

PLD for each cohort will be delivered over three school terms and comprises the following as a minimum over two phases: 

Core delivery:

  • 1 two-day face-to-face facilitated workshop OR 1 two-day facilitated online workshop
  • 3 communities of practice (over one term)

Maintenance and support:

  • 6 communities of practice (over two terms)
  • In-school or across-school hui which will be negotiated with participating schools


    Cohort

    Begins

    Ends

    Cohort 1

    Term 3, 2025

    Term 1, 2026

    Cohort 2

    Term 1, 2026

    Term 3, 2026

Expectations of schools and teachers who engage in the PLD

Please note that to evaluate the effectiveness of this PLD, facilitators will be collecting information from teachers. All teachers completing this PLD will need to:

  • Collect impact assessment data with help from your PLD facilitator(s)
  • Complete pre-PLD, post-workshop, and post-PLD teacher surveys

Any information given will remain anonymous and be aggregated and used to assess the overall impact of this PLD.

Funding and how to access the PLD

The University of Canterbury will be contacting eligible schools directly with information about this opportunity and asking them to enrol in this PLD.

The costs of attending the face-to-face workshops will be funded by the Ministry (excluding travel and accommodation expenses).

PLD costs will be paid directly to the University of Canterbury by the Ministry of Education. 

No Teacher Release Days will be funded for this PLD.