A new online teacher’s tool kit, the first of its kind, is to be launched in New Zealand today as part of World Asthma Day.
The tool kit was designed by the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand to help teachers learn about the condition.
At least 4 children in a class of 30 are likely to have asthma and it’s estimated that 586,000 school days are lost each year due to asthma-related symptoms in children.
Chief executive of the foundation, Letitia O’Dwyer says the tool kit aims to raise the profile around asthma and education.
“There just hasn’t been the right tools to help and assist the teaching profession with the increasing numbers of pupils with asthma,” she says.
The toolkit includes video clips, animations and classroom resources.
It can be used across the board in pre-schools, primary and secondary schools, although the main focus has been on children aged 11 years and under where asthma levels are the highest.
The toolkit can be found at http://www.learnaboutlungs.org.nz