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Don Long

Don Long, Publisher
MA (Hons), BA, Advanced Dip Tchg, Dip Tchg

 

With forty years of achievement in the publishing industry, Don Long is one of New Zealand’s most experienced publishers of educational resources. 

As a project manager, editor, and team leader, Don’s areas of publishing expertise include te reo Māori, Pacific languages, mathematics and science, second language teaching and learning, and reading and writing.  His experience as a scriptwriter and researcher includes working for Radio New Zealand and South Pacific Television.  He is an award-winning writer.  His publishing services can be contracted through Lift Education, the contract publishing division of South Pacific Press.

 

SELECTED PROJECT CASE STUDIES

Edge

Edge published New Zealand writers such as James K. Baxter, Sam Hunt, Bill Manhire, and Ian Wedde alongside overseas writers such as Margaret Atwood, Jorge Luis Borges, and Gary Snyder.  The Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Ford was published for the first time in this journal.  Don was one of the editors.

Sunday’s Child

For South Pacific Television, Don was part of the team that researched, developed the concept for, and scripted this groundbreaking educational television series.   

Into the World of Light and Te Ao Mārama

With Witi Ihimaera, Don edited Into the World of Light for Heinemann and the five volumes of Te Ao Mārama for Reed.  Together, these six anthologies of contemporary Māori writing changed the face of modern New Zealand literature.  Te Ao Mārama was short-listed for a book of the year award.

Matariki and Te Ata Hāpara

Published between 1990 and 1994 by Learning Media for the New Zealand Ministry of Education, the Matariki resources provided teachers of year 1­–8 students with a material for teaching te reo Māori in English-medium schools.  Te Ata Hāpara supported the material, providing teachers themselves with a course in the language.  Don was the lead editor and project manager of these linked multi-media projects, leading a bilingual team of course writers, language experts, and designers. 

The Tupu Series and Fōlauga

Published from 1989 by Learning Media for the New Zealand Ministry of Education, Don was the senior editor and project manager for the Tupu Series and the Samoan-language school journal, Fōlauga.  Don lead a team that included Cook Islands Māori, Niuean, Sāmoan, Tokelauan, and Tongan editors, language experts, and designers.

Nonu

Don edited the first book published for the Ministry of Education to be short-listed for a children’s book of the year award.  

Pacific Science and Pacific Literacy

For Learning Media and the Institute of Education at the University of the South Pacific, Don led the team of early literacy and science experts, editors, and designers that developed the Pacific Science Series and the Pacific Literacy Series.

The Participation Series

This series in Cook Islands Māori, English, Fijian, New Zealand Maori, Niuean, Sāmoan, Tokelauan, and Tongan encourages families to participate in early childhood education.  Don led the team of editors and designers at Learning Media that produced this series for the New Zealand Ministry of Education.

Speak Out Reader’s Theatre

Published by South Pacific Press with Pacific Learning, this innovative reading programme builds literacy skills through the process of reading, writing, and presenting reader’s theatre scripts.  Don project managed and edited the original edition for the United States market.

Exploring Number

Don led the team of numeracy consultants, specialist writers, editors, and designers that developed and published the Correspondence School’s Exploring Number resources.  Don was the project manager and lead editor.

Inside Science

For Creative Teaching Press, Don edited and project managed this twenty-four book science series for elementary schools in the United States.  He also assembled the team of American and New Zealand writers who wrote the series.

Our Pacific Heritage

For the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, Don edited Our Pacific Heritage: The Future in Young Hands.  In 2011, he edited follow-up Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu units of work for the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Pacific States.

Te Kete Ipurangi Style Guide

In 2010, CWA New Media commissioned Don to review and update the style guide for content being developed in English for Te Kete Ipurangi.

The Learning Languages Series

The Learning Languages Series supports the teaching and learning of second languages in years 7–8 in New Zealand schools.  Don was the editor and print development manager of the multi-media resources for Niuean and Tongan – and the online editor for Thumbs Up, the online resource for New Zealand Sign Language.  All three were published by CWA New Media for the New Zealand Ministry of Education.  Working with CWA New Media, Don is currently the print development manager and editor for the resources for teaching and learning Tokelauan.

He Reo Tupu, He Reo Ora

In 2011, the New Zealand Ministry of Education replaced Matariki and Te Ata Hāpara with He Reo Tupu, He Reo Ora.  Working with a team from CWA New Media and Huia, Don edited the content in English.  This material can be found at http://hereoora.tki.org.nz/

 
PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

Publisher, South Pacific Press 2009–on-going

Undertaking selected publishing projects for South Pacific Press and its clients, which have included CWA New Media, the New Zealand Book Council, the New Zealand Ministry of Education, the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Pacific States, the New Zealand Transport Agency, and the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU).

Publishing manager, South Pacific Press 2006–2009

Managed the publishing team at South Pacific Press.  Project director for major publishing projects within the company, including projects for Pacific Learning, the Correspondence School, the New Zealand Ministry of Education, Creative Teaching Press, CWA New Media, and the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs.

Senior editor/project manager, team leader Pacific publishing group, Learning Media 1986–2006

Lead the Pacific publishing group.  Published resources for teaching Polynesian languages and cultures, including te reo Māori, for the New Zealand Ministry of Education.

With the Institute of Education at the University of the South Pacific, published the Pacific Science Series and the Pacific Literacy Series.

Undertook projects for agencies such as NZAID and UNESCO, including on-site training in publishing skills in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, and Tokelau, as well as consultancy work in France, Hawaii, Japan, and the Solomon Islands.

Teacher of the deaf, Wellington Education Board 1979–1986

Managed a case load of hearing impaired children in Porirua and then the Hutt Valley.

Researcher, South Pacific Television and Radio New Zealand 1975–1978

Researcher and scriptwriter for current affairs and educational television, including the ground-breaking educational television programme Sunday’s Child.

Editor, Edge Press 1971–1975

As a member of the Edge Press editorial team, Don was one of the editors of the literary journal Edge.


ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES

Wellington chairperson and national executive committee member, New Zealand Society of Authors

Oceania committee member, International Reading Association

Course writer and director, multicultural literature paper, National Diploma in Children’s Literature, Christchurch College of Education

Deputy chairperson, education sub-commission, New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO

Judge, New Zealand Book Awards and Noma Concours Award for Picture Book Illustration

Editorial committee, Asia-Pacific co-publication programme, Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO

Literature co-organiser, Christchurch Arts Festival

Participating writer, Creative Coaching Writer Residency Programme, Writers in Schools Programme, and BookTalks


PROFESSIONAL LINKS

New Zealand Society of Authors

Wellington Children’s Book Association

Kiwi Write4Kidz

New Zealand Book Council’s Writers in Schools Programme (see http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/writers/longdon.html)

New Zealand Book Council’s Creative Coaching Writer Residency Programme

CORE Education’s BookTalks (see http://www.booktalks.org.nz/don-long-ds)

Christchurch City Libraries New Zealand Children’s Book Authors (see http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Kids/ChildrensAuthors/DonLong.asp)

Local Publishers Forum

Approved contractor, NZAID

 

 

For information about Don Long as an author, see http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/writers/longdon.html.