New Zealand Tertiary College launches resource

New Zealand Tertiary College launches resource to support te reo Māori learning

As the nation seeks to revitalise the Māori language, New Zealand Tertiary College has launched Te Reo Māori: He taonga mō ā tātou mokopuna - a learning resource to support the early childhood sector and beyond.

With a vision to support the college’s early childhood education students engaging with te reo Māori, NZTC began to create this resource a number of years ago with a commitment to seeing the Māori language woven throughout teaching and learning in more natural ways.

NZTC Chief Executive Selena Fox explained, “Our students were nervous to try teaching and learning te reo so we have established a resource to support them in the beginning steps to using the language in everyday, practical, real ways.”

Spurred by Roimata Rokx, NZTC lecturer (Kaiarahi – Teaching and Learning Support), the initial drafts were a compilation of Rokx’s Māori language learning resources created for the college. The extensive student need for a supportive resource resulted in Ms. Fox pulling together the wider NZTC team to create a resource with the intention of substantially contributing to te reo learning in New Zealand.

NZTC’s design, communication, teaching and administrative specialists worked collaboratively on the 118 page colour resource that features basic learning like numbers and colours, as well as additional ideas and practices that can be used to promote and assist te reo Māori learning.

Editor Rokx commented, “My vision for the book is to see it used by early childhood centres on a daily basis in a very natural way, emerging te reo Māori words and phrases into everyday life. I didn’t want it to read like a dictionary so I’m ecstatic that the combined effort of the NZTC team has resulted in a bright, colourful, engaging resource that draws the reader in.”

The creation of the resource was a comprehensive process spanning several years in which the book was written, designed and printed in New Zealand making it 100% Kiwi! It was proofread by an external reviewer accredited by the Māori LanguageCommission and endorsed by Dr Te Tuhi Robust (Associate Professor and Director of Operations (Northland) for Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi) to ensure it aligned with not only the Māori language, but also Māori cultural beliefs and values.

“It is timely that our launch coincides with the passing of the Māori Language Bill as we are committed to supporting and encouraging the learning and fluency of te reo Māori during children's foundational years,” said Fox.

As part of NZTC’s commitment to biculturalism and bilingualism it plans to gift a copy of the resource to every early childhood centre in the country with a researched support plan for ECE teachers on how to best utilise the resource within their centres. The resource will also be available for purchase through the college by emailing books@nztertiarycollege.ac.nz

ENDS

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