The national monitoring reading and speaking surveys sought information from students about their curriculum preferences and their perceptions of their achievement. Students were also asked about their enjoyment of and involvement in reading and speaking activities, within school and beyond. The surveys were administered in a session which included group and independent tasks, with a teacher reading the survey to year 4 students and available to help with writing. There were four questions that invited students to select up to three choices from lists of 8 to 10 options, two questions that asked for very brief written responses, and 21 questions in a 4 or 5 option rating format, with students circling the option they preferred.

Reading at school
The students were presented with a list of eight reading activities and asked which they liked doing most at school. They were invited to tick up to three activities. The responses are shown below. Students in Mäori immersion programmes were more positive about reading with a buddy or partner, and less positive about looking at or browsing through books.

Student’s preferred activities in their own time
The students were presented with a list of nine activities that they might do in their spare time, and asked to tick up to three activities that they most liked to do. The responses are shown below, in order of popularity for year 4 students.

Compared to Mäori students in general education, students in Mäori immersion programmes were a little more inclined to choose to play video or computer games, and substantially less inclined to choose music as an activity. Reading was the sixth most popular activity for both groups, ahead of just two other options.