Merle Braithwaite was born in South Africa, and immigrated to New Zealand in 1995, where she joined the Tauranga Writers for Children. The support of this group was one of the factors that helped Merle to settle in New Zealand so happily. This year she also joined Bookrapt.

Merle is a registered teacher and published writer. In 2000, she established The Speech and Learning Centre, which offers a variety of communication and literacy courses. The Centre caters for students of various age groups, ability levels and cultural backgrounds and publishes educational resources. Merle is a member of TESOLANZ and the Speech Communication Association (NZ) and an accredited examiner of the Speech New Zealand OCESOL exams.

Merle has developed and presented professional development courses for teachers at various centres in New Zealand. Her most recent presentations include:

Improving Intelligibility: University of Auckland 2006, 2007
Scaffolding for the ESOL Learner: CLESOL Conference; Napier 2006
Supporting the ESOL Learner:
- Mana Education Centre, Wellington 2006, 2007, 2008
- Kohia Centre, Papakura Techers Centre, University of Auckland 2006, 2007
- School Support Services, University of Waikato 2006, 2007, 2008
Strategies for Speaking: College of Education; Christchurch 2006; Kohia Centre; University of Auckland 2006, 2007.
Teaching students with limited English in mainstream classes:
- Mana Education Centre, Wellington 2006, 2007, 2008
- Kohia Centre, University of Auckland 2006, 2007, 2008
- School Support Services: University of Waikato 2006, 2007, 2008

Merle also publishes SLC Resources, a range of publications for ESOL teachers. These include:
English Sounds ISBN 0-473-08162-8
Speaking English ISBN 0-473-08163-6

The Setting the Standard Series (eighteen assessment guides for providers of ESOL Unit Standards).

Her new series, Sounds Right! published by Curriculum Concepts, was launched at the CLESOL conference in October 2008.

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Publications by Merle Braithwaite:

Fiction:
1999 - 2008	Several stories in Stories for Kiwi Kids published by the Tauranga Writers for Children
1999	What a Commotion: (The Four A’s) Wildcat Series; Shortland (NZ)
1996	Thandi Goes to Town; Heinemann (UK)
1995	City Kids; novel for teenagers; Via Africa (RSA)
1994	Three Against the Big Boys; novel for teenagers, Via Africa(RSA)
1991	The Little Clay Elephant; short story for children, published in an anthology, Storyland , Tafelberg (RSA)

Educational Resources:
2008	Sounds Right! A pronunciation programme for speakers of Han languages, learning English: Curriculum Concepts, New Zealand Sounds Right! A pronunciation programme for speakers of Korean, learning English: Curriculum Concepts, New Zealand Sounds Right! A pronunciation programme for speakers of Japanese, learning English: Curriculum Concepts, New Zealand
2005 - 2008	Setting the Standard (A series of ESOL Unit Standard assessment guides), SLC Resources
2001	Speaking English, ESOL Resource, SLC Resources English Sounds, ESOL Resource, SLC Resources
1994	Revision of, and contribution to Windows, an English Language and Reading Course published by Shuter and Shooter (RSA) Materials used in Word Power, a reading programme for students learning to speak English; Shuter and Shooter (RSA).