The article draws on the elements of poststructural
theory to explore the mismatches and alignments
in language and literacy teaching discourses in urban Fijian
primary schools. More specifically, it compares the liberal
progressivism of whole language and literacy pedagogies
with the culturalism that informs a key reading resource in
the teaching of literacy and language. The constitution of
urban Fijian childhoods emerging from these two major
discourses is then compared with several cohorts of urban
Fijian children’s own accounts of their lives. Major discursive
mismatches and alignments between these discourses
and the children’s own expressed life ways are
noted. Where alignments exist between sets of discourses,
children’s language and literacy development are more
likely facilitated. However, where mismatches occur, there
are implications not only for children’s effective language
and literacy learning but also for more equitable access to
language and literacy pedagogies for all Fijian children.