This set of digital resources is intended for classroom use in the teaching of Te Reo Māori in the primary school years.
The Importance of Learning Te Reo Māori in Schools
Language is a means of communicating with people in society. Learning a new language, such as Te Reo Māori, enables students to not only communicate with that culture, but it also builds understanding and appreciation for another culture’s values, practices, history and beliefs (Ministry of Education, 2007). Learning a language aligns well with the Ministry of Education’s (2007) vision for young people to be confident, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners.
It is important for New Zealand students to have rich opportunities to learn Te Reo Māori due to the bicultural nature of our country (Ministry of Education, 2009). Through this, Māori students are able to build their cultural identity and non-Māori students are able to gain shared knowledge and understanding of the diversity of cultures (Ministry of Education, 2007).
Using Digital Resources to Aid the Learning of Te Reo Māori
ICT (information and communications technology) has many uses in classrooms in New Zealand, with a few of them being communicating, learning and motivating students (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016; Earl & Forbes, 2016). Digital devices and games have become a massive part of children’s daily lives so implementing digital resources into the classroom can potentially make the learning more enjoyable and relevant for students (O'Mara, Beavis, & Dezuanni, 2017).
Being able to motivate and create student interest through the use of digital technologies, allows for increased participation and engagement (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016; Kirkman, 2017; Mills, 2014; O'Mara et al., 2017). Therefore in theory, by using digital technologies in the learning of Te Reo Māori students should be more motivated, interested and engaged in the learning, and be able to retain relatively more knowledge than a traditional worksheet (O'Mara et al., 2017).