Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People will stop administering the Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI) service and close the booking website on 30 June 2025. The SLPI service will continue to be used.
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Video transcript
Kia ora koutou,
This is an update on the Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI) service that was hosted by Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People.
Whaikaha will stop administering the SLPI service and close the booking website on 30 June 2025. The SLPI service will continue to be used. The Ministry of Education (MoE) has agreed that SignTree Limited will operate the SLPI assessment as part of their investment into the professional and learning development of the teaching workforce. They will use the SLPI to assess and give feedback on NZSL skills of teachers working with Deaf and hard of hearing children. This aligns with one of the Minister of Education’s priorities, improving access to provision of NZSL (in education).
Background
The MoE imported and adapted the SLPI in 2015 as a tool to assess NZSL fluency. The assessment is a guided conversation based on work and social topics that can be completed via Zoom. The SLPI was compulsory for people doing Teacher of the Deaf (ToD) and Advisors on Deaf Children (AoDC) training.
The SLPI was hosted and administered by Victoria University until 2020. The NZSL Board then agreed to fund the development and delivery of the SLPI from April 2021, with secured funding for three years.
At the NZSL Board meeting in August 2024, the Board confirmed it would not continue funding the assessments. This will release resources for the Board and Whaikaha to focus on NZSL work programme priorities.
The NZSL team at Whaikaha is small and the administration of the SLPI service took people away from a busy NZSL work programme.
Thank you to coordinators and assessors
The NZSL Board and Whaikaha would like to thank the coordinators and assessors who have been involved in this mahi, including those who developed the assessments.
SignTree Limited will be in contact with assessors for future assessments. We look forward to seeing the outcome of this Ministry of Education initiative.
The Ministry of Education has agreed that SignTree Limited will operate the SLPI assessment as part of their investment into the professional and learning development of the teaching workforce. They will use the SLPI to assess and give feedback on NZSL skills of teachers working with Deaf and hard of hearing children. This aligns with one of the Minister of Education’s priorities, improving access to provision of NZSL (in education).
The Ministry of Education imported and adapted the SLPI in 2015 as a tool to assess NZSL fluency. The assessment is a guided conversation based on work and social topics that can be completed via Zoom. The SLPI was compulsory for people doing Teacher of the Deaf (ToD) and Advisors on Deaf Children (AoDC) training.
The SLPI was hosted and administered by Victoria University until 2020. The NZSL Board then agreed to fund the development and delivery of the SLPI from April 2021, with secured funding for three years. At the NZSL Board meeting in August 2024, the Board confirmed it would not continue funding the assessments. This will release resources for the Board and Whaikaha to focus on NZSL work programme priorities. The NZSL team at Whaikaha is small and the administration of the SLPI service took people away from a busy NZSL work programme.
The NZSL Board and Whaikaha would like to thank the coordinators and assessors who have been involved in this mahi, including those who developed the assessments. SignTree Limited will be in contact with assessors for future assessments. We look forward to seeing the outcome of this Ministry of Education initiative.