Using dual language picturebooks to teach language contact phenomena in a tertiary context

Increasingly, New Zealand English and Te Reo Maori are being woven together in Aotearoa New Zealand. This weaving is evident in the text of many dual language picturebooks. While the combination of text and image in picturebooks creates a powerful pedagogical tool, there is little research exploring their use with tertiary Arts students. In this article, we explore how dual language picturebooks were used in a tertiary Arts class to introduce language contact concepts. The responses of a tertiary educator and students to this pedagogy are analysed and discussed, confirming the value of this pedagogical approach.