{"id":8378,"date":"2025-04-24T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2025-04-23T16:06:20","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T23:06:20","slug":"4-resources-to-enrich-aapi-heritage-month-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new-cm-edgedigital.pages.dev\/en-us\/education\/blog\/2025\/04\/4-resources-to-enrich-aapi-heritage-month-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"4 resources to enrich AAPI Heritage Month learning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the US, we dedicate the month of May to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month\u2014a time to honor and celebrate the deep histories, rich cultures, and significant contributions of these communities. Explore our list of AAPI Heritage Month classroom activities, designed to make learning impactful and engaging. Our focus remains on fostering a workplace that reflects the global communities we engage with, driving innovation and delivering meaningful outcomes for our partners and customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discover four ways to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month 2025 and foster a broad perspective on the contributions and achievements of AAPI communities. These resources help inspire curiosity, support critical thinking, and connect students to the powerful stories of AAPI individuals who have shaped our world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Immerse your classroom in the culture of Ng\u0101 Motu<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Use Minecraft Education<\/a> to explore vast worlds outside of your classroom. In Ng\u0101 Motu (The Islands), students learn about the indigenous culture of the M\u0101ori people, from language to architecture, arts, and economics. Take an immersive visit from the maunga (mountain) to the \u0101kau (shore) and everything in between to learn about the M\u0101ori language and culture. Embark on an unforgettable adventure to Ng\u0101 Motu and discover the wonders of M\u0101ori culture! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Explore Ng\u0101 Motu<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Classroom connection:<\/strong> Before getting started, review the supporting resources on the Ng\u0101 Motu lesson page. You\u2019ll find a lesson plan, an introductory video, and a resource pack that includes traditional p\u0101 (settlement) and ride waka hourua (boats) to enhance the experience for students.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Explore AAPI topics through targeted reading practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Reading Coach is a free, standalone Learning Accelerator that helps students develop reading fluency skills through personalized, AI-powered reading practice. When students read aloud, Reading Coach provides real-time feedback on pronunciation, syllabification accuracy, and reading progress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use Reading Coach to seamlessly blend AAPI topics into reading practice while supporting each student\u2019s literacy growth. Students can use the \u201cAdd your own passage\u201d mode to upload texts, like assigned articles, textbook excerpts, or their own writing. You can tailor practice to individual learning needs and objectives with Reading Coach, while enhancing engagement with AAPI heritage and history. Help learners discover the joy of reading with Reading Coach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Get started with Reading Coach<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Classroom connection:<\/strong> Browse this collection of AAPI books<\/a> for inspiration and ideas on finding relevant passages for your students. Reading Coach also has built-in passages for each reading level that students can read to learn more about AAPI cultures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Develop communication skills while learning AAPI heritage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Communication skills are essential for success. As students explore AAPI figures, culture, and history, they can develop multimedia presentations to showcase their findings. Use <\/a>Speaker Progress and Speaker Coach, two Learning Accelerators, to help develop your students\u2019 public speaking skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n Use Speaker Progress to create presentation assignments and track your students\u2019 growth at the individual, class, grade, and school levels. Then have your students use Speaker Coach to complete the assignment, while receiving real-time, AI-powered feedback on pacing, pitch, clarity and more. Discover how Speaker Progress and Speaker Coach can help build communication confidence in your classroom.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Explore Speaker Progress and Speaker Coach<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Classroom connection<\/strong>: Have students present on influential AAPI figures like Suni Lee, Senator Tammy Duckworth, or Shohei Ohtani. They can develop their communication skills and build their confidence by independently practicing their presentation with Speaker Coach before presenting to their class or community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Enhance lesson planning with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Copilot Chat can help you create customized materials<\/a>, activities, and lessons. Use it to design engaging content that connects students with the history and contributions of AAPI communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Try Copilot Chat<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n Streamline and innovate your lesson planning process by starting with one of these ready-to-use prompts in Copilot Chat and customizing it for your needs:\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n