Our Voices Belong

Overview

In this first lesson of Every Voice Matters, students explore the question, “Does my voice matter?” They identify different ways people communicate ideas and connect voice, identity, whānau, whakapapa, and belonging to the groups they are part of.

Learning intentions

• WALT explore what “voice” can mean.
• WALT identify different ways people communicate ideas.
• WALT describe groups we belong to, including whānau and class.
• WALT listen respectfully to other people’s ideas.

Success criteria

• I can show or explain one way I communicate.
• I can name a group I belong to.
• I can explain one way a group helps me feel that I belong.
• I can listen while someone else shares their idea.

Curriculum links

• Civics and Society — Belonging and community: people belong to groups such as family, school class, team, and culture.
• Civics and Society — Belonging and community: simple expressions of belonging include greetings, symbols, uniforms, and group activities.
• Civics and Society — Belonging and community: being part of a group shapes personal experiences and belonging.
• Te Mātaiaho practices and competencies: manaakitanga, respectful participation, expressing ideas, listening, and making connections with others.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Welcome and hook. Open with the opening question and visual and ask, “Does my voice matter?” Show a striking image of many different speech bubbles forming a heart or a whānau circle. Students silently show thumbs to indicate “yes”, “not sure”, or “I’m thinking”, then briefly share with a partner.

2. 4–9 min · What is a voice? Use the different ways people communicate to introduce voice as the ways we share thoughts, feelings, ideas, and identity. Model speaking, listening, drawing, movement, facial expression, symbols, and a familiar greeting such as “Kia ora”. Students copy or demonstrate one communication method when invited, noticing that people may communicate in different ways.

3. 9–15 min · Belonging connections. Display the belonging examples and talk about groups children may belong to: whānau, class, sports or cultural groups, neighbourhood, and wider communities. Explain that whakapapa can connect people to their ancestors, whānau, places, and stories; students may share only what feels safe and comfortable. Students turn and talk using the sentence frame, “I belong to ___ because ___.” They may draw, gesture, or ask an adult to record their words instead of speaking.

4. 15–24 min · My voice shows belonging. Distribute the My Voice and Belonging page. Students choose one group they belong to and complete the prompt, “My voice can be…” by drawing or writing one way they communicate. They add a symbol, colour, greeting, movement, or activity that represents the group. Circulate and ask, “What does this show about you?” and “How does this group help you feel that you belong?” Students may work independently or with a supportive partner.

5. 24–28 min · Voice share circle. Use the sharing prompts to establish respectful sharing: eyes or bodies ready, listening ears, kind responses, and the right to pass. Invite four or five students to share their page or demonstrate their communication method. After each share, classmates respond with “Thank you for sharing” or identify what helped them understand the idea.

6. 28–30 min · Plenary and exit response. Return to the big question and closing prompt. Ask, “How do we know every person has a voice?” Students complete the oral or drawn exit response on their worksheet: “My voice matters because…” Collect responses to revisit in Lesson 2.

Resources

• the Our Voices and Belonging slide deck
• the My Voice and Belonging page
• Pencils, crayons, and felt-tip pens
• Whiteboard and marker
• Visual cards or photographs showing speaking, listening, drawing, movement, symbols, and greetings
• Optional communication supports, including pointing choices and alphabet or symbol cards
• A quiet space or headphones for students who need reduced sensory input

Assessment

• Listen during partner talk for students who can name a group they belong to and give a reason.
• Confer during worksheet work, recording whether students identify a communication method and connect it with belonging.
• Use the final response to check whether students understand that their ideas and ways of communicating are valued. Note students who need further support expressing an idea or participating in a group.

Differentiation

• Offer sentence starters: “I belong to…”, “I communicate by…”, and “This helps me belong because…”. Accept drawing, movement, pointing, home-language responses, AAC, or dictation as valid ways to communicate.
• Avoid assuming that all students live with or identify with the same family structure. Use “whānau or the people who care for you” and allow students to choose a trusted group, place, or activity.
• For EAL learners, pre-teach and gesture key words such as voice, belong, group, whānau, listen, and share. Pair students with a supportive peer and invite home-language contributions.
• Provide a scribe, enlarged worksheet, reduced-choice version, or sensory break for students with learning, communication, or sensory needs. Extend confident students by asking them to show the same idea in two different ways and explain whether the audience understood both.