The Māori Language Commission recognises that teachers have an absolutely critical role in the growth and development of our children. We believe that you can help our children to develop positive attitudes to the Māori language and its place as a normal part of New Zealand life. You can do this by providing them with accurate and up-to-date information about the language, and by providing an environment where open discussion and awareness are fostered.
We have listed some simple and practical activities below that you can undertake with our children to provide a platform for thinking about the place of the Māori language in our society. The key point to remember is that studying Māori in this way should be FUN.
It is important to remember that it is not necessary for us all to become fluent in the Māori language to support and promote it. There are many small-scale things that we can do to increase our own knowledge of Māori, to promote it and to normalise its status in our society.
1. Labelling Objects
You may want to begin by labelling some of the items around the classroom with their Māori names, and by using these Māori words from time to time. This will serve to teach our children that one object can have two names; an English one and a Māori one. You may find a Māori-English picture dictionary useful in this regard.
2. Māori Vocabulary in the Classroom
In addition to using Māori labels, you may also wish to use some other Māori vocabulary in the classroom from time to time, for classroom management and activities. A short list of appropriate vocabulary has been included in appendix one.
3. Encouraging the correct pronunciation of Māori names and words
Encourage your students to always use the correct Māori pronunciation when they are using Māori names and words in the classroom and elsewhere. In this regard, you are of course the most important role model!
The correct use of our names is an important part of our self-esteem, and by encouraging our students to use correct Māori pronunciation we can help them to become more aware of, and sensitive towards, the issues involved and to respect other students and their cultures.
4. Māori posters
There are a number of contemporary and attractive posters promoting the Māori language that are readily available from the Māori Language Commission that will brighten your classroom and provide positive information and encouragement. In addition, you may wish to incorporate a Māori alphabet and number frieze into your classroom structure.
5. Adopting a Māori name
You may wish to adopt a Māori name for your organisation, based on the traditional Māori place-name of the area where you live. This will serve a similar purpose to the first suggestion, and may help children to develop a sense of "place". Check out some of the local history books at your library for information about the original Māori place-names.
6. Māori role models
You may wish to invite some Māori role models into the classroom to (a) talk to the children about what the Māori language means to them, and (b) show the children that "real people" use the Māori language and value it as part of their social make-up. These role models may be members of the local community, or more well-known personalities (DJs from the local Iwi radio station, for example).
7. Māori festivals and galas
You may be able to take your children to Māori language concerts, galas and festivals that are held from time to time in your area.
Participation in these events will expose the children to the use of the Māori language as an ordinary medium of communication. It will also help them to appreciate that some people use Māori regularly, about a wide range of topics, and that speaking Māori is fun.
8. Māori radio and television
You can incorporate some Māori language radio and television (or video) programmes into your classroom activities from time to time. Your local iwi station should have programming details for radio programmes with appropriate content for your needs, and television listings should give some idea of what programmes might contain appropriate content.
9. Fostering a relation with Kōhanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori
You may wish to initiate working relationships with local Kōhanga Reo or Kura Kaupapa Māori. The relation-ships may involve exchanges and shared activities between pupils, and/or shared ideas and professional development among teachers.
10. Waiata and mihi
Children enjoy singing and dancing in any language, and using waiata may be one way of introducing some Māori language into the classroom environment. You may also wish to introduce the children to mihi, or ritual and formulaic greetings. A number of books and tapes containing children's songs in Māori have been produced and are generally available from bookshops and libraries.
11. Māori language games
It may be possible to incorporate some Māori language games into classroom activities, including simple crosswords and word-finds, a Māori trivial pursuits type game, Simon Says (using the simple directional language included in appendix 1), Bottles and Caps and other language oriented games. See our resources pages for more information.
12. Reading to your children
You may wish to read to your pupils, as a classroom activity, some New Zealand children's literature that contains Māori vocabulary and phrases.
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