April 15, 2019
Te Ahu o Te Reo confidence boost coming
One of the developers of a new programme to give teachers the confidence to use te reo Māori in the classroom says it is a big step towards normalising the language.
Te Ahu o Te Reo will offer wānanga and online learning support for teachers and school support staff from early learning right through to secondary level.
Language revitalisation expert Ruakere Hond says it’s a shift from previous efforts which were about language proficiency.
He says many teachers will have knowledge of te reo but not the confidence to use it.
"For the classroom setting it's talking about using it as a natural part of the culture of the school and it's something many principals aspire to and give great support to but there are few options to build that confidence in their staff. That's what this focuses on. It's about language use and having a way to measure that," Dr Hond says.
Approaches and models are still being tested, so there will be a staged roll out, with Te Ahu o Te Reo being available first in Waikato, Taranaki-Whanganui, Kāpiti-Horowhenua and Te Waipounamu.
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