Kia ora, Malo e lelei, Talofa lava, Hola!

Ko taku reo taku ohooho, ko taku reo taku mapihi mauria

My language is my awakening, my language is the window to my soul

This is a proverb closely associated with language revitalization, a struggle which is very important in maintaining culture.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of language study is an expanded understanding of diverse, culturally-rooted attitudes and behaviours. Language preserves the history and traditions of a culture and learning a second language assists in developing and improving communication skills, and enhancing socio-cultural understanding.

Proficiency in a second language improves career prospects and helps foster social and economic benefits in, for example, the fields of tourism, education, international law, commerce, science and sport. With the internationalisation of the job market, students with a qualification in a foreign language are likely to have greater employment opportunities both in New Zealand and overseas.

Cross cultural understanding and the ability to work creatively are key attributes required by students in the future. The study of languages fosters a tolerance of others and the chance to see the world through different eyes. Languages also encourage students to have a flexibility of mind which among other things gives them a better appreciation of their own culture.