Our language and culture are taonga. Our
children are taonga. The teachers of te reo Māori
are also taonga because they are helping to secure
the future of te reo Māori as a living, dynamic, and
rich language. (NZC)
Te reo Māori is included in learning languages, which is one of the eight learning areas in The New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2007). This learning area “provides the framework for the teaching and learning of languages that are additional to the language of instruction” (The New Zealand Curriculum, page 24). It emphasises the inseparable links between language, culture, and identity. As students learn te reo Māori, they also deepen their knowledge and understanding of tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori and develop their own personal, group, and national identities.
Ngā hua o te ako i te reo Māori
The benefits of learning te reo Māori
Research shows that the opportunity to learn an additional language has many cultural, social, cognitive, linguistic, economic, and personal benefits for students. While these benefits apply to all language learning, there are some specific advantages for New Zealand students in learning te reo Māori. (TKI)
This is a simple example of some of the techniques we are using to learn Te Reo across the school.
What is Te Reo Maori about?
Te Reo Maori is an official language of New Zealand. It sits within the Te Reo Māori area of the Learning Languages learning area of the New Zealand Curriculum. Te Reo Maori is indigenous to Aotearoa New Zealand. It is a taonga recognised under the Treaty of Waitangi, a primary source of our nation’s self-knowledge and identity.
Why do we study Te Reo Maori?
As our students learn Te Reo, they deepen their knowledge and understanding of tikanga Maori (customs and traditional values) and develop their own personal, group and national identities. All who learn Te reo Māori help to secure its future as a living, dynamic, and rich language. It stretches learners cognitively, enabling them to think in different ways and preparing them for leadership. As they learn, they come to appreciate that diversity is a key to unity.
How is Te Reo Maori taught at Albany Primary School?
Teachers identify the knowledge and understanding already evident within their classroom. The teacher builds on this knowledge throughout their classroom programme. Te Reo is used regularly throughout the day by both the teacher and learners. At Albany Primary we actively encourage a bilingual approach to teaching and learning, recognising that Te Reo is often the third language for many of our learners to begin to understand and use.