Changing the conversation (Toe fetu’una’i manatunatuga): Exploring and utilising the attributes that are culturally embedded in Pacific students to improve their learning experiences in the classroom

Pacific students’ success has been under discussion by Pacific scholars for decades and, using traditional academic measures, their academic success does not compare well with other ethnic groups. Despite the identification of this problem, specific and practical actions to counter it appear not to be well understood by classroom teachers. This article explains an action-research pilot programme that was put in place to improve Pacific students’ learning experiences with the hope that it would also help improve their academic results. The intervention focused on changing the conversation that happens outside the classroom, and exploring and utilising the attributes that are culturally embedded in Pacific students. Talanoa was used as a method to elicit information and guide the conversation.