Introduction to Fonofale

Curriculum Links

This lesson aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum Health and Physical Education learning area, level 5 (year 11 aged students). It addresses:

• Health and Physical Education Achievement Objectives:
• 1.2: Take action to enhance their own and others’ hauora (wellbeing).
• 1.3: Understand how cultural beliefs and perspectives influence hauora/wellbeing.
• Key Competencies:
• Thinking: Investigate and understand holistic health models.
• Relating to others: Respect diverse perspectives through group discussion.
• Using language, symbols and texts: Interpret health models using diagrams and visual aids.

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Lesson Overview

Unit: Exploring Hauora through Fonofale (Lesson 1 of 10) Duration: 60 minutes Class size: 11 students Learning focus: Introduction to the Fonofale model of health Lesson Description: Students will explore the Fonofale model to understand its holistic approach to health and wellbeing, recognising the influence of cultural values within hauora. Through visual aids and collaborative discussions, students will grasp how each pou (post) supports overall hauora.

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Learning Outcomes & Success Criteria

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Define the Fonofale model of health.
• Explain the significance of each pou in maintaining hauora.
• Appreciate the cultural context of health in New Zealand, particularly within Pasifika communities.

Success Criteria:

• I can describe what the Fonofale model is.
• I can explain how each pou contributes to wellbeing.
• I can discuss why understanding diverse cultural perspectives is important for hauora.

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Resources Needed

• Large printed diagram of the Fonofale model (simple, colourful, labelled).
• Whiteboard and markers / digital projector.
• Handout sheets with the Fonofale diagram and key terms.
• Small group discussion prompt cards.
• Visual storyboard or slide presentation highlighting each pou.

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction & Setting the Context (10 minutes)

• Engage: Begin with a short, interactive question: "What does health mean to you?"
• Briefly introduce hauora as a holistic concept of wellbeing involving mind, body, spirit, and environment rather than just absence of illness.
• Introduce the Fonofale model as a Pasifika health framework used in New Zealand to understand wellbeing visually and culturally.

Teacher prompts:

• "Have you heard of any health models before?"
• "Why do you think culture might influence health?"

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2. Presentation of the Fonofale Model (15 minutes)

• Use a large diagram to visually explain the components:
• Roof: Culture (foundational element holding hauora together).
• Pou / posts: Family, Spiritual, Physical, Mental, and Other (such as gender, sexuality, etc.).
• Foundation: Environment or context (time, place).
• Engage students by connecting each pou to real-life examples relevant to them.

Differentiation:

• Use clear, simplified language for EAL learners and provide translated key words if needed.
• Visual learners benefit from colourful diagrams and annotated images.

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3. Group Discussion: Exploring Each Pou (15 minutes)

• Divide the class into five small groups; assign each group one pou to discuss using prompt cards.
• Each group will identify how their pou supports overall health and examples of challenges that might affect that pou.
• Groups report back a brief summary to the class.

Teacher Support:

• Circulate and scaffold discussion for groups needing support with vocabulary or concepts.
• Encourage advanced learners to connect pou influence to societal or global perspectives.

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4. Class Reflection and Q&A (10 minutes)

• Facilitate a whole-class discussion reflecting on what they learned.
• Highlight interconnections between pou and culture.
• Address any questions or clarifications.

Extension:

• Encourage students to consider researching other cultural health models outside Pasifika, e.g., Māori, European, or Asian perspectives on health.

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5. Exit Task (5 minutes)

• Each student writes a quick reflection:
• "In your own words, what is the Fonofale model and why is it important to understand hauora this way?"
• Collect these for formative assessment of understanding.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Visual aids and diagrams support diverse learning styles.
• Group work enables peer support and multiple modes of engagement.
• Scaffolded questions and vocabulary support learners with English as an additional language.
• Extension activity for advanced learners provides deeper cultural understanding and independent research challenge.

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Assessment & Feedback

• Formative assessment through exit task reflections.
• Observation during group discussions assessing students’ ability to articulate understanding of pou.
• Teacher feedback tailored during presentation and discussions offers immediate learning support.

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This lesson provides a culturally meaningful foundation for the unit, offering students a holistic and inclusive view of health embedded in New Zealand’s diverse cultural context, in line with the Health and Physical Education Curriculum requirements.