Model solution for teaching Te Reo in our schools gains momentum
Support is rapidly growing for the compulsory teaching of Te Reo Maori in New Zealand schools, and a group of
enthusiasts from Auckland’s North Shore, Te Reo Tuatahi believe they have the answer: an existing model of language
teaching that is already supported by the Ministry of Education.
The model being referred to is the mandarin language assistant model which is already running in a significant number of
our urban schools with some schools entering their third year. The mandarin language assistants are fluent in both
English and Mandarin. They rotate around all the classrooms in each school so that every child or as many as possible
get 30 minutes of mandarin taught to them every week.
Appearing on Campbell Live on Tuesday, Raewyn Harrison, a spokesperson for Te Reo Tuatahi says “The defining point of
this model is that the language assistant does not have to be a qualified teacher however their lessons are supervised
by the classroom teacher”. Historically not having qualified teachers who could teach Maori has been one of the major
obstacles for getting Te Reo taught in our schools. If this model can be done for mandarin then I see no valid reason
why it cannot be done for Te Reo. In our small Maori community on the North Shore we have native speakers, fluent
speakers, ex-kohanga kaiako (Maori pre-school teachers) as well as Te Ataarangi graduates who would be excellent
candidates for te reo language assistants in our local schools “.
The mandarin language assistant model is set up and run by the Confucius Institute from China who resource and finance
the language assistants in New Zealand. “From information we have obtained though we know that nearly 30 mandarin
language assistants appear to be supported financially by our own Ministry of Education. We are not out to discredit the
mandarin model but if the Ministry of Education can give financial support for other languages to go into our schools
then why not Te Reo? This is happening on their watch and the fact that they have never considered or sought to adopt a
similar model for Te Reo is extremely disappointing”.
Brenda McPherson, Principal of Windy Ridge School has participated in the Glenfield cluster programme which has been
running for at least 2 years and believes it is a model that would translate very well to Te Reo. “With 90 per cent of
Maori children still attending mainstream schools and many of them not having access to Te Reo in the home or anywhere
else for that matter we need to seriously consider introducing this model. Money is already allocated towards the
promotion of Maori language in New Zealand perhaps it could be simply a process of reallocating this money to fund the
te reo language assistant model in as many schools as possible”.
A significant number of principals from Auckland’s North Shore support the introduction of Te Reo in schools under the
same model as the mandarin language assistant model and this number is expected to grow rapidly across the country as
this proposal is promoted.
Raewyn Harrison believes that there needs to be a critical mass learning Te Reo. “We need to start turning this around
and we need to start now. Not make it yet another 5 or 10 year strategy. The mandarin language model demonstrates how
easy it is to do. I don’t think there is any other model out there that comes close to this that would allow Te Reo to
be so easily accessible and available to all New Zealand kids. This of course would include the large percentage of
Maori kids who are missing out on learning the basics of their own language”.
Te Reo Tuatahi said they were prompted to form after watching Minister of Trade, Tim Groser, being interviewed on The
Nation in April this year. During the interview he commented that he supported the view that every child in New Zealand
from the age of five should be learning Te Reo in school.
Te Reo advocate and wife of the legendary Buck Shelford Jo Shelford makes the comment, “Having lived and travelled
extensively with my family overseas, speaking Te Reo as much as possible while learning our host language and culture
made us uniquely Kiwi and I felt accepted into international communities that much easier”.
“There’s been a lot of talk over many years about introducing te reo into New Zealand schools, and during Maori Language
week Minister of Maori Affairs, Dr Pita Sharples, has acknowledged that ‘an overall strategy is needed to save Te Reo’,
” said Mrs Harrison. “With the solution in the form of an existing, proven model of language teaching, the time is right
for action rather than words.”
ENDS