Deaf education in New Zealand is provided by dedicated schools and tertiary institutions. Compulsory education followed European standards in insisting on oral education for a century from 1880, and in recent times has begun to embrace NZSL and bilingualism in a meaningful way. Tertiary providers deliver a high calibre of NZSL research, Deaf Studies, as well as qualifications in NZSL tutoring and interpreting.
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Community Life and Places
Rūaumoko Marae
Rūaumoko Marae has been part of Deaf Māori community for 30 years and is a central part of Deaf Māori community. It's a place where Deaf Māori can just be; they can connect and learn about te ao Māori.
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Community Life and Places
van Asch Deaf Education Centre (Ko Taku Reo)
van Asch Deaf Education Centre (now Ko Taku Reo; formerly Sumner School for the Deaf then van Asch School for the Deaf). The school has a long and illustrious history, with its services covering a huge geographical spread. Established in 1880, van Asch was the oldest special school establishment in New Zealand and also believed to be the oldest fully government funded residential school in the world. van Asch celebrated its 125th Anniversary in 2005. It merged with Kelston Deaf Education Centre to become Ko Taku Reo in 2020.
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Community Life and Places
Kelston Deaf Education Centre (Ko Taku Reo)
Kelston Deaf Education Centre (now Ko Taku Reo; previously Kelston School for the Deaf). Kelston was established on a site in Archibald Road in 1958. The school had relocated firstly from Titirangi, then from Mt Wellington. KDEC used to provide education in a range of satellite classes throughout Auckland the upper North Island. Kelston, which also hosts Rūaumoko Marae, merged with van Asch Deaf Education Centre to become Ko Taku Reo in 2020.
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Community Life and Places
Aotearoa New Zealand Deaf History: Classroom lesson plans
SignDNA has created six lesson plans that can guide learners through some themes within the archive, such as language change, Deaf gatherings, and Deaf in the media.