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This paper discusses the significance of model-based teaching on the topic of ionic and metallic bonding in Year 12 Chemistry in a New Zealand secondary school. Based on the conceptualization of the sub-macro level understanding of the bonding structure and properties of ionic and metallic compounds, models and drawings were used as an effective visual aid tool to support students' learning. Based on performances during four sequential classes and the results obtained from a pre-test and post-test, a vast improvement was seen in students' understanding of the concepts of ionic and metallic bonding. The results in the post-test also show that the concept of ionic bonding was easier to grasp compared to metallic bonding. This is attributed to the misconceptions developed by the students while learning metallic bonding without the use of visual strategies. This paper argues that teaching Chemistry concepts, such as metallic and ionic bonding, without the use of visual strategies results in students' inability to clearly grasp the topic. The research demonstrates that models and drawings have many advantages while teaching such abstract concepts in Year 12 Chemistry. The students in this research were non-native speakers of English, therefore, this may have further impacted upon their inability to grasp the concepts when taught without concrete visual strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, literacy achievement among school-aged students has received growing attention in Aotearoa New Zealand. Particular focus has been paid to reports of declining literacy levels over the past decade. In both the academic literature and popular press, a myriad of reasons have been proffered for this decline; however, the evidence base on which some of these claims are based is not as robust as often is implied. Given the number of literacy-focused policy initiatives currently being developed in Aotearoa New Zealand and the critical importance of young people developing strong literacy skills, this paper explores what evidence exists to support (or challenge) some of the claims most commonly made about literacy achievement in New Zealand. It also offers two further claims that are not frequently mentioned in research or policy discussion of literacy but none-the-less have a strong evidence base behind them to suggest they are impacting current literacy levels in Aotearoa New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the debate about the phenomenon known in Aotearoa New Zealand as twenty-first Century Learning. In recent additions to the local literature Hirschman and Wood (2018) have noted a lack of critical engagement with this narrative which is fast becoming normalised in New Zealand, and Lourie (2020) has shown how and why twenty-first century skills and competencies have been increasingly emphasised over traditional forms of knowledge. In responding to this literature I identify a number of problems with the narrative but my key purpose is to engage with what I regard as the deeper and more fundamental problem—a lack of 'knowledge about knowledge'. I use Young and Muller's (2010) 3 Futures scenarios to create a context from which to critique this knowledge gap and its contagion effects in the use of 'big ideas' in the current review of the National Certificate of Education Achievement. I argue that epistemically structured knowledge is our main resource for deep learning and that equitable access to this form of knowledge is a social justice issue. A more epistemologically informed approach to the changes currently being promoted in New Zealand education is required to mitigate the effects of epistemologically weak curriculum making encouraged by the twenty-first learning narrative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pasifika learners comprise a significant number of students in the New Zealand education system. In terms of educational performance, Pasifika learners generally have lower success rates and academic achievements than other student groups at both secondary and tertiary levels. The aim of this paper was to review current governance, investigate student support and evaluate outcomes at a New Zealand tertiary institution. Data collection occurred in three phases. The first stage of the research saw 37 student questionnaires completed between May and June 2014, phase two consisted of semi-structured interviews with graduate students between September and October 2015. Phase three in March 2016 entailed the analysis of learner achievement records. The results of the research illustrated that Pasifika students' experience was improved through a variety of learning support systems being available to them. Participants identified that the most valuable student support systems were study skills support and study buddies. Pasifika students also recognised that having a supportive environment that respected Pasifika cultural values and building trust in relationships with staff enhanced their learning experience. In conclusion, a variety of appropriate support systems and a culturally sensitive environment are needed to enrich Pasifika students' tertiary learning experience and achieving positive graduate outcomes. The insights provided by this paper will help develop student support systems that improve graduate outcomes of Pasifika learners, forming a template that can be implemented at tertiary institutions in New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the vision and intent of New Zealand's Māori education policy, Ka Hikitia, and its implications on the daily lives of Māori students in New Zealand's education system. Extensive information on the secondary school experiences of rangatahi Māori (youth) have been gathered-originally in 2001 and at the end of 2015, through Kia Eke Panuku: Building on Success (Kia Eke Panuku: Building on Success is a secondary school reform initiative that is fully funded by the Ministry of Education, however, this paper represents the view of the authors and is not necessarily the view of the Ministry). Based on the messages from these two points in time, the paper concludes that the promises of Ka Hikitia are yet to be fully realised. If we, as educators, are to leave a legacy of more Māori students fashioning and leading our future, the need for the system to step up still remains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practice of grouping mathematics students by perceived levels of attainment, commonly referred to by teachers as ability grouping, is a contentious and long-standing topic of debate in education. Responses from a survey of 102 mathematics support teachers affirm the widespread use of ability grouping within New Zealand primary school mathematics classroom. This contrasts recent literature that suggest changes towards more flexible heterogeneous grouping practices aligned with collaborative problem-solving learning environments will better support equitable and productive learning opportunities. In this paper, we explore teachers' levels of satisfaction with current grouping practices, with a view to understanding the potential for changes. The mathematics support teachers indicate that postgraduate study, experimentation within their own classrooms, and success working with problem-solving group tasks with struggling students have all served to prompt their rethinking of grouping practices. However, responses also point to teachers' uncertainty around change, the desire for extended professional learning support and exemplars of alternative practices, and the importance of whole-school leadership within a change process. It is clear that multi-levels of influence will be needed to disrupt embedded practices of ability grouping that currently serve to exclude and marginalise groups of disadvantage groups of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two developments in teacher expectation research formed the basis for the current study. First, researchers have begun investigating the self-fulfilling prophecy effects of teacher expectations on a variety of psycho-social outcomes in addition to the effects on academic achievement. Second, researchers have started to realize that some groups of students appeared to be more vulnerable or susceptible to teacher expectations. The current study aimed to investigate whether students' gender and minority background were moderators of teacher expectation effects for both academic outcomes and self-concept and subjective task value in the mathematics domain. The study is based on a sample of 1663 students (Grades 6 and 7) in 42 classes from three intermediate schools in New Zealand. Multilevel modeling was applied using MLwiN software. First, after controlling for students' beginning-of-year mathematics achievement, teacher expectations were higher for Asian and lower for Māori, compared with New Zealand European students. Expectations within the domain of mathematics, however, were higher for girls than for boys. Second, teachers' beginning-year expectations were predictive of achievement and self-concept of students at end-of-year, after controlling for beginning-of-year achievement and self-concept. Teachers' expectations were, however, not predictive of end-of-year intrinsic and utility value. Third, we did not find evidence for moderation effects of students' gender and minority background. These findings imply that despite the roughly similar magnitude of teacher expectation effects for various student groups, teacher expectations may contribute to gaps in students' achievement and self-concept because of differential expectations at the beginning of the year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Zealand's standards system for primary school achievement ('National Standards') was introduced in 2009 and has a number of idiosyncratic features. These include using the broad levels of New Zealand's national curriculum to determine the standard of achievement that needs to be reached at the end of each year in reading, writing and mathematics and teachers making 'Overall Teacher Judgements' against these levels based on a range of assessment tools and their own observations rather than using any particular national test. It has been claimed this 'bold' approach will avoid the narrowed curriculum and mediocre outcomes of high-stakes assessment in other countries. This paper reports early findings from the Research, Analysis and Insight into National Standards (RAINS) project, a three-year study looking in depth at how six diverse New Zealand schools are enacting the National Standards policy. Focussing on reading and writing, the paper illustrates that schools' approaches to the National Standards are strongly influenced by local contexts, contributing to a situation that is far from allowing any 'apples to apples' comparison of achievement across schools. Overall, and with the National Standards data being publicly released from 2012, the New Zealand approach to standards seems set to create a particularly incoherent version of high-stakes assessment and one that is unlikely to escape the narrowed curriculum and manipulation of data found elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on findings related to the Nature of Technology from Stage Two of the Technological Knowledge and Nature of Technology: Implications for teaching and learning ( TKNoT: Imps) research project undertaken in 2009. A key focus in Stage Two was the trialing of different teaching strategies to determine how learning related to the components Characteristics of Technology (CoT) and Characteristics of Technological Outcomes (COTO) could be supported. These components fall within the Nature of Technology (NoT) strand of technology in the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) (Ministry of Education, ) and as such, reflect a philosophical understanding of technology as a discipline. During this stage of the research further exploration was undertaken to determine how student understanding of these two components of technology education progressed from level 1 to level 8 of the NZC (Ministry of Education, ). Common misconceptions and partial understandings related to these components are identified and explained and four case studies are presented to illustrate strategies employed by teachers and their impact on student learning related to these two components. The Stage Two outcomes resulted in the revision of the Indicators of Progression for CoT and CoTO in order to clarify the progression expected of students in each component and provide increased teacher guidance to support such progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In New Zealand, Māori (indigenous New Zealanders) and Pacific students tend not to attain the same levels of educational success as Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent). Addressing this problem is a particular challenge in the sciences. The kaupapa (values-base) of Te Rōpū Āwhina (Āwhina) is to produce Māori and Pacific professionals to contribute to Māori and Pacific development and leadership through the creation of an inclusive off- and on-campus whānau (extended family) environment where high expectations, aspirations and achievement, collective success, and reciprocity are normalised. This paper reviews theories and practices of recruitment and retention relevant to Māori and Pacific students at tertiary level, presents the rationale for Āwhina in the Faculties of Science and Architecture and Design at Victoria University of Wellington, and assesses the impact of the whānau. Based on analyses of quantitative measures of student achievement, and biennial surveys of student responses from the first 6 years of Āwhina, it is suggested that the results are consistent with improving Māori and Pacific graduate and postgraduate achievement and retention. Potential implications for efforts to reduce disparities in tertiary education in New Zealand and elsewhere are summarised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a response to the recent NZJES article by Snook and O'Neill on social class and educational achievement. It is not a critique of their position but rather uses their analysis as a springboard to offer a way forward on some of the key issues they address. The discussion proceeds through three stages: first, the widely accepted dualism of internal school causes and external social causes is rejected in favour of a causal system of proximal and distal causes; second, a case is made for the search for a causal mechanism located in neural operations causally connected to anterior and posterior factors; third, antecedent causes are briefly considered, with a final comment on a way forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International assessment data paints a complex picture of the engagement and achievement of New Zealand students in science. New Zealand was second only to Finland in the top achievers group in PISA 2006, but it also has one of the widest spreads in student achievement, particularly in relation to Mori and Pasifika students. Thus, the challenges faced by New Zealand students, teachers, schools and policy makers resonate with those from elsewhere. New Zealand has a strong research and development tradition around student ideas in science education, but recently, there has been increased recognition at the policy and practice level of the importance of both engagement and participation linked to student identity. A sociocultural orientation to identity has the potential to generate new ways of thinking about and responding to the challenge of engaging students in science. This orientation involves considering classrooms as sites for students working through the development and performance of science-related identities, or not. In this paper, three suggestions from long-term research studies are made for ways forward in addressing the challenge of increasing student engagement and participation through an expansion of the possibilities for students to express and develop science-related identities. These are reconceptualising assessment, the inclusion of student funds of knowledge and strategies for breaching the classroom walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes how compositional effects are estimated from multilevel data, and discusses the way they may be interpreted. Using data from two separate longitudinal studies of New Zealand secondary schools, the paper analyses both school effects and compositional effects as estimated from the two samples. The paper then examines the (sometimes) substantial differences between level-2 estimates and shows how these can be related to: (a) differences in some aspects of methodology; and (b) to the different samples of schools used in each study. This analysis highlights the importance of adequate sampling at the level of the school, since it is the aggregate of all school level estimates within each study that sets the "benchmark" against which each school is individually evaluated. Differences in estimates reported by the two studies are mainly related to differences in their respective samples--their size and their representativeness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents findings of a study into patterns of literacy achievement and teaching in Year 12 biology, English and mathematics classes from 22 low socio-economic status (SES) secondary schools in New Zealand (NZ). We hypothesised that patterns of literacy teaching in specialised subject areas might contribute to well-documented inequities in education achievement for Māori (indigenous), Pacific Islands and low-SES students in NZ. We analysed participation and pass rates for sets of achievement standards that contribute to the standards based National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), the main national school qualification (http://www.nzqa. govt.nz/qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/). These analyses showed that the rates at which students in the low-SES schools in the study participated in, and attained, key high literacy achievement standards were markedly lower than for schools nationally. Literacy instruction data were derived from observations of 104 teachers working with Year 12 (approximately 17 years old) students comprising 28 biology, 39 English and 37 mathematics teachers. Results from the classroom observations indicated that students had comparatively few opportunities to read longer, more complex subject-area texts and that instructional approaches commonly cited in the literature as effective in raising students’ subject area literacy, strategy instruction and extended discussion, were infrequently observed in this study. Infrequent too were teaching about language features (such as nominalisation) in mathematics or biology lessons and teaching to develop students’ critical literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 30 years since the advent of the fundamentally system-altering 'Tomorrow's schools' reforms in the 1990s, the education system of New Zealand has undergone many reviews and changes. The recent Taskforce Inquiry into the suitability of the current system to deliver equitably for learners as we approach the third decade of the 21st Century has seen a detailed report produced that proposes more significant change for the system. The Ministry of Education has used this to develop its National Education and Learning Priorities that will drive the next stage of development of the education system in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This analysis examines the report, the subsequent National Priorities and their philosophical underpinnings through the lens of Michael Fielding's typology of Person-centred education frameworks and suggests that despite a significant shift towards Person-centeredness, the underlying neo-liberal building blocks of our current schools remain, and that it is likely the system will remain focused on competition, high-stakes assessment results and a narrow interpretation of educational success and equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents data on the progress of Pakeha, Māori, and Pasifika students in English and mathematics in 82 New Zealand secondary schools (Years 9 to 11). To assess progress, a baseline assessment was administered to 13,000+ Year 9 students in 2002. These data were later compared to the students' 2004 National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) results. In English, Pakeha girls in the middle and upper achievement quartiles are making the greatest progress: Māori boys the least. In the lowest quartile, Pasifika girls are making the greatest progress. In mathematics, the picture is more complex, with Pakeha boys and girls slightly in front in the top three achievement quartiles. In the bottom quartile, all ethnic groups make similar degrees of progress. The research data suggests that Māori and Pasifika boys make slower progress in New Zealand secondary schools than their female counterparts (in all except the lowest ability category), however further research is needed to account for contextual factors not included in this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes a study of the progress of English as an Additional Language (EAL) students who have passed through the Certificate in Health Studies at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) in New Zealand. The contextual issues affecting the tertiary education experiences of EAL students are discussed. The research found that successful paper completion rates of students form the certificate programme surpassed those of the general student populace in the first semester of the health degrees. Also noted are the success rates of the students.

Fluent recall of basic facts is essential to the development of more complex math skills. Therefore, failure to develop fluency with basic facts may impede the development of these skills. The present study used a between-group experimental design to investigate whether a basic facts fluency program, implemented within a self-regulated learner (SRL) framework, could lead to increased fluency with multiplication facts for Year 5 and Year 6 New Zealand students (9–10 years old). This study also investigated the extent to which the SRL program altered students' basic facts practice behavior outside of school hours. The study found that the SRL program resulted in rapid fluency development that was maintained over time. Nomothetic and idiographic analysis confirmed that the program was suitable for use within Tier 1 of the response to intervention framework. In addition, the study also found that students who received the program altered their practice behavior outside school hours. The results from this study show how elements of self-regulated learning and precision teaching can be successfully combined to enhance students' mathematics achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The university experience of students with ASD was explored through a qualitative study of 11 former university students and six significant others from Australia and New Zealand. A range of key issues were identified including difficulties encountered when studying, reasons for completion and non-completion, supports used, and coping strategies used by the participants. Many switched to part-time to manage their poor mental health and/or executive function and most had slow rates of progress. Also, some felt they had made poor discipline choices. The participants offered suggestions for future students and for making universities more autism friendly, and the possible need for transition and more structured study supports was identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An on-line survey of 102 (51 females; undergraduate and graduate) university students with ASD across Australia and New Zealand examined student characteristics and satisfaction with academic and non-academic supports. A broad range of disciplines were studied, and the participants' reported strengths included a passion for learning, strong technology skills, and creative thoughts. The participants' greatest concerns were academic requirements and mental health, including high rates of self-harm and suicidal ideation. Despite support satisfaction ratings being high, support usage was low, possibly indicating a mismatch of supports and needs, lack of awareness of available supports, and/or poor advocacy skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature about education in New Zealand and internationally over the past 30 years has increasingly focused on the need for effective school leadership. In New Zealand a major Best Evidence Synthesis study (BES 2009) led to an emphasis on instructional leadership aimed at raising achievement. This emphasis has tended to undervalue management, linked to the status quo rather than change and improvement. However, extended interviews with rural primary principals revealed they saw management as crucial to responding to parental concerns, handling disruption, and keeping the school 'on track'. Making use of local knowledge and taking advice, they held the core responsibility for an observable response. These principals believed that managing issues helped them build and sustain the trust of the school community, which was of value 'next time'. Thus, aspects of management combine the relational and context-dependent work of school principals. Drawing on Mintzberg (1990) we argue that the recognition and valuing of management aspect of school leadership is crucial for principal effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vision of New Zealand's Ministry of Education is to "lift aspiration, raise educational achievement for every New Zealander". However, our national statistics show us that this goal remains elusive for many students, particularly those who identify as Māori. In order to both raise the educational achievement of all students, and to reduce the disparity between our Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, we need a comprehensive system of school reform. Over 20 years of research and developments have led to the development of a model of educational reform: ako: critical contexts for reform. Ako is a term in te reo Māori (Māori language) that describes a reciprocal teaching and learning relationship, where educators and students learn from each other. The reform is grounded in a commitment to equity, excellence and belonging for all, and to working towards the twin success trajectories of learning and achieving for the future, and ensuring students' identity is strong and secure. The three contexts for reform are: cultural relationships for responsive pedagogy; home, school and community collaborations and adaptive expertise driving deliberate professional acts. When school leaders focus coherently on all three contexts, reform and student progress is accelerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines practicing primary school teacher's perceptions of the teaching of physical education in their schools. There has been some criticism of primary school physical education but until now this criticism has been largely based on a number of small studies involving limited numbers of teachers and schools. This study involved surveys of 487 teachers and in-depth individual interviews with 33 teachers located across six major regions of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The findings are presented in four themes: what does physical education look like; who teaches physical education; planning, assessment and reflection; and influences on the teaching of physical education. The study identified that what occurs in the physical education space in primary schools is often inconsistent and variable. The findings are discussed in relation to the requirements of the New Zealand Curriculum, the 2014 National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement report and previous research on primary school physical education. The article concludes by discussing future directions for the teaching physical education in light of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to explore the mechanisms involved for engaging Māori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) families in their child's education. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five Māori parents of year nine and ten students (aged between 12 and 14 years) from two suburban high schools in New Zealand. The research was framed within an indigenous qualitative methodology and employed interpretative phenomenological analysis from which four superordinate themes emerged. These themes closely align with concepts that underpin a Māori worldview (Ritchie in Becoming bicultural. Huia Publications, Wellington, NZ, 1992) and Macfarlane's educultural wheel (Kia hiwa ra! Listen to culture-Māori students' plea to educators. NZCER, Wellington, NZ, 2004). They have the potential to inform school policy, facilitate engagement with indigenous families, and foster Māori student achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predictive modelling is used to identify students at risk of failing their first-year courses and not returning to university in the second year. Our aim is twofold. Firstly, we want to understand the factors that lead to poor first-year experiences at university. Secondly, we want to develop simple, low-cost tools that would allow universities to identify and intervene on vulnerable students when they first arrive on campus. This is why we base our analysis on administrative data routinely collected as part of the enrollment process from a New Zealand university. We assess the 'target effectiveness' of our model from a number of perspectives. This approach is found to be substantially more predictive than a previously developed risk tool at this university. For example, observations from validation samples in the top decile of risk scores account for nearly 28 % of first-year course non-completions and 22 % of second-year student non-retentions at this university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the connections between religious affiliation, quality of life (QOL) and measures of academic performance. Participants ( n = 275) were recruited from the School of Medicine within a New Zealand university. Religious affiliation was classified according to three subcategories: Christian ( n = 104), Eastern religion ( n = 34) and non-religious ( n = 117). The participants completed the World Health Organisation quality of life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) and the World Health Organisation Spiritual, Religiousness, and Personal Beliefs questionnaire immediately before their lecture time. The main findings of the study indicated that participants from different religious affiliations expressed different spiritual QOL perceptions. However, these different expressions did not translate into their perceptions related to hours of study and academic achievement. In addition, the QOL measures did not relate to academic achievement estimation but did predict hours of study. Greater hours of study were related to greater physical health but lower psychological health and poorer engagement in developing social relationships. Data from a small focus group ( n = 4) revealed that these students believed that having a belief system assisted them when coping with the academic learning environment, although little difference could be found between external religious orientations and internal belief systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on the up-date and development of an on-line resource to support of teachers' conceptual understandings and pedagogical practice in New Zealand. Techlink is a website dedicated to supporting technology teachers, students and those with an interest in technology education. This research documents part of a Ministry of Education initiative to develop materials to support teaching and learning in technology education. The research was conducted by educational researchers contracted through Technology Education New Zealand the professional subject association. This research was a component of a larger contract with an overall aim of improving student achievement particularly at Years 12 and 13, the final 2 years of schooling in New Zealand. The aims of the initiative reported in this article were to provide ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of the materials developed by the writing team, to support teacher shifts in understanding and pedagogical practice. This article gives an overview of the 3 year research study, focussing on teachers and teacher educators perceptions of Techlink as a professional development resource. An iterative process was used to critique and give feedback on existing and developed materials. The article also discusses enhancements made to ensure that the resource reflected the needs of technology teachers and The New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent official policy discourses on student achievement have stressed the importance of teachers and the impact that effective teaching can have on student life chances and on national economic performance. There is also a body of research on the way teaching and learning are affected by school context. This article discusses research designed to investigate how and to what extent the contextual features of schools impacted on the beliefs New Zealand secondary teachers and principals held about teaching and learning, the extent to which they believed their agency could influence outcomes for their students, and the aspirations and goals they pursued. We interviewed principals and teachers in six secondary schools, two each in high, mid and low socio-economic areas. The findings show considerable commonality in teachers' pedagogical discourses and that the rhetoric of formal policy discourses is pervasive and normalized in schools. All the teachers believed they could make a difference to student achievement and life chances, tried to address diversity among their student bodies, and saw success as much wider than academic achievement. Concurrently we found that the institutional habitus of each school largely determined how discourses were enacted and that relationships, confidence, student-centredness and success were interpreted differently between schools. We argue that these differences must be taken into account if school policies and interventions are to be successful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how curriculum subject may influence perceived washback (i.e., the impact of assessment on teaching and learning) of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), and teacher and student beliefs about the assessment. Four subjects were chosen .for the purpose of comparison: Japanese, French, History and Mathematics. Questionnaires were used to tap into washback effects of NCEA on teachers and students and their beliefs about NCEA. The study uncovered a more universal nature of washback effects of NCEA across the four subjects. Where variability was identified, it lay between the verbal subjects (i.e., Japanese, French and History) and the predominantly numeric subject (i.e., Mathematics). Subject also influenced beliefs about NCEA held by teachers and students. Given the link between beliefs and washback discussed in the literature, the study argues that washback can be influenced by subject both directly and indirectly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]