What does it take to survive in a physically challenging environment? What amazing tales of survival are told in literature and movies? What is it like to be out in the NZ bush overnight? What should we do first if we get lost? Build a shelter? Light a fire? What are glow worms like up close? How do I cross a river? These are the sort of questions we sought to answer in Level 1 “Survival English” 2023.

Tanya Laybourn ventured off into the Kaimai Ranges three times in Term 3 with three different groups of keen adventurers - bringing the learning alive around the theme of “survival”. The aim of teaching English through this theme was to give the reading, writing and viewing a purpose, and to provide a stimulating context for the skills such as analyzing movies, reading texts, and creative writing.

Watching Tom Hanks try to light a fire in Castaway takes on new meaning when you have tried to light a fire yourself on the side of the Waitawheta River. Writing a story about being lost in the forest is more realistic when you have trudged through the bush in the cold for several hours. Practicing skills such as cooking on a camp cooker, crossing rivers, and deciding where it is best to build a shelter means you can write authentically and with a new level of realism.

The added bonus of having such beautiful wilderness on our doorstep in Tauranga is that we have a rich local history to learn about. Tangata whenua traveled through the Kaimai Ranges in search of food supplies, and the gold miners needed wood to build houses, so they built a tramway to carry the milled kauri trees. There are a few endangered species that call this area home, and several introduced species are making pests of themselves. All this was new learning for our students, and gathering such knowledge where it happens adds layers of value and meaning.

The students came away from these trips with a new understanding of the NZ bush and some real survival skills (that we hope they never actually have to use). Thanks to other Pāpāmoa College staff for helping make these adventures happen: Ken Kilkenny, Ute Poleman, Andrew Tilby, Luke McFarlane, Nicole Needham and Marc Lambert.