Barriers to Pasifika learners' engagement and strategies to support Pasifika learners in early childhood settings.

This article investigates barriers to Pasifika learners in a range of educational settings in Aotearoa New Zealand and offers strategies for kaiako to support Pasifika learners in overcoming these barriers in early childhood settings. This article will also explain and define the term 'Pasifika' according to the terminology used in the Pasifika Education Plan 2013-2017 (Ministry of Education, 2013). The growing population of young Pasifika learners in educational settings and the disparities between Pasifika learners' achievement and other ethnic groups is a concern. This article examines the ways that this disparity is being addressed by the New Zealand Government through Ministry of Education policies and documents, and how these initiatives can support kaiako in early childhood settings to support Pasifika students to fulfill their potential and achieve academically.