2Findings from the New Zealand Numeracy Development Projects 2007 Research Findings in Pàngarau for Years 1-10 Te Ara Poutama: An Evaluation of Te Poutama Tau 2007

The Te Poutama Tau project has evolved signifi cantly over the last six years since the pilot in 2002. The project is seen as a means of supporting the overall development of Màori-medium mathematics education, with particular emphasis on raising student achievement. This paper reports on the analysis of the 2007 data from the project. In general, student performance improved throughout 2007, with improvements in a number of areas that were of concern in 2006. Analyses of patterns of performance and progress over time from 2004 to 2007 show that there have been positive longitudinal trends in most areas of the Number Framework. Background Te Poutama Tau (the Màori-medium numeracy project) evolved from a pilot that took place in 2002 (Christensen, 2003) and has evolved considerably over the last six years. The primary catalyst for the development of Te Poutama Tau was the opportunity to develop the teaching of mathematics in the medium of Màori generally. Màori-medium mathematics is a relatively new discipline, very small in comparison with English-medium mathematics, and relies heavily on the institutional support of the Ministry of Education. The Màori-medium mathematics community saw an opportunity in the Numeracy Development Projects (NDP) to address many of the challenges impacting on Màori