Aho Kōrero

Woohoo! Well done for completing the activities in the PwC Schools journal. If you created some artwork or writing based on any of the activities in the book we would love for you to share them with us! Check out the SUBMIT tab to find out how. 

To see how you did with the word find and cross word simply click the cover of the journal that you have been working in, below. Good luck!

Dive into exciting stories with these engaging reading activities! You can enjoy the story by reading the text or following along with the video. Afterwards, test your understanding with quick questions and earn certificates for each story you complete.

We’re so glad you’re here! This must mean you’re ready to submit your work for the next issue of Aho Kōrero. We’re so proud of your courage and bravery and can’t wait to read/look at your wonderful work.

Submit your work now

If you are having issues submitting your work using the form above, simply email the PwC Foundation with the following details and attach your work to the email.

Include:

1. Authors first name, last name and age
2. Illustrators first name, last name and age
3. Your School
4. Your teacher
5. A PDF/Word document with your writing
6. A high quality scan of your artwork as an image or PDF 

Terms - for submitting your artwork or written work

Please note that by submitting your artwork or written work you agree to the following terms:

• Your artwork or written work could be chosen to be displayed in an upcoming PwC Schools Journal published by the PwC Foundation. 
• If selected, you consent to your artwork or written work being displayed in the PwC Schools Journal togetherwith your name, age and school.
•  PwC will collect your personal information on name, age, school and handle this information in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020 and our Privacy Policy. 
• You consent to PwC and the PwC Foundation using your personal information for the purpose of contacting you, or your school and for display in the PwC Schools Journal and for use in the PwC Schools Journal reading programme and potentially for promotion of the PwC Schools Journal and reading programme. 
• All artwork and written work submitted to PwC Foundation becomes the property of PwC Foundation and may be used for any purpose related to the operation of the PwC Schools reading programme.

AI guidelines

All submissions must be the student’s own original and authentic work. Submissions made using artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including AI-generated text or images, are not permitted.

Reading with your tamariki at home is an incredibly effective way to support their language and cognitive development as well as their emotional development through bonding, all of which serve to improve overall academic success. But where do you start? Good question! We’ve got you covered.

Show interest in what they’re reading, ask them questions. Here are a couple curriculum aligned questions you could use, but any questions will demonstrate your genuine interest and get their brains ticking.

• What’s this story about? [Summarising and retelling information]

• What does this character look like? Can you see a picture in your head? Can you draw them? [Recognise and understand the use of specific language features]

• Are there any characters in the book that remind you of anyone you know? What’s similar about them? [Making connections between text and real life]

• Are there any situations in the book that you’ve experienced before? In real life or a movie or another book? [Making connections between text and prior knowledge]

• Do you know what this word means? Can you guess by reading it in the sentence? [Decoding strategies, developing vocabulary]

• Why do you think… (eg this character did that)? [Making inferences] 

• What do you think happens next? [Make justified predictions]

The aim is to develop a love for storytelling, so find out what they love and get them thinking of ideas and prompts to be creative and write or draw their own stories, dreams or aspirations. You could encourage them to look up, read about or research topics they’re interested in, for example:

• If you could visit any country, what would you like to learn about it?

• What place would make the perfect setting for your next story?

• Can you find a book about something you're fascinated by?

• What story is your favourite song trying to tell?

• What can you discover about someone you admire that could inspire your own story?

Perhaps the most powerful way to improve your child’s storytelling skills is to read with them as often as you can. Show interest in their stories and ideas and model an enjoyment of getting creative. Once tamariki develop a love for reading, their literacy skills and imagination will improve exponentially, positively impacting all areas of learning and building possibility for the future.

• Pause and ask questions like, "What do you think happens next?" or "What would you do if you were this character?"

• Talk about the story together. Ask why characters made certain choices, how they were feeling, or how the story could have ended differently.

• Use the story as inspiration to create your own. Imagine a new ending, invent a new character, or continue the adventure together.

Let’s keep up that interest in storytelling! You could try some of these methods:

• Follow their interests. If they love a character, author, topic, or place, encourage them to explore more books, stories, or information that could inspire their own ideas. 

• Find inspiration together. Visit the library, browse books, or explore interesting topics together. A single picture, fact, or question can become the beginning of a brand-new story. 

• Make storytelling part of everyday life. Talk about "what if..." ideas, invent new endings to favourite stories, create characters together, or use games, movies, and everyday adventures as inspiration for writing and drawing.

• Be curious together. Share stories, ask questions, research things you're wondering about, and show that imagination and creativity are for everyone.