Building My Pepeha

Overview

In this third lesson of the five-lesson unit Ko Wai Au? Pepeha, students complete and personalise a pepeha using their name, meaningful connections, and school. They rehearse in pairs, giving and receiving supportive feedback on pronunciation, fluency, confidence, and respectful listening.

Learning intentions

• WALT complete a pepeha that shares who we are and where we belong.
• WALT use simple sentence patterns to introduce ourselves in te reo Māori.
• WALT pronounce key words and names clearly.
• WALT listen respectfully and give useful, encouraging feedback.

Success criteria

• I can say my name using Ko wai tō ingoa? / Ko... tōku ingoa.
• I can share at least two meaningful connections, such as a maunga, awa, whenua, whānau, or community.
• I can say the name of my school using Ko... tōku kura.
• I can rehearse my pepeha clearly and respond respectfully to my partner.

Curriculum links

• Te Reo Māori introduction — using pepeha and/or mihi to express identity and share whakapapa and connections to whenua.
• Cultural and sociolinguistic knowledge — saying who you are through connections to people, places, and whakapapa.
• Linguistic knowledge — names question and the use of tōku when responding to Ko wai tō ingoa?
• Emergent 1 teaching sequence — understanding that possessive forms such as tāna and tōna depend on context.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Reconnect and hook. Teacher welcomes students in te reo Māori, displays the opening pepeha image and question, and asks, “He aha ngā mea e whakaatu ana ko wai tātou?” Students turn and talk, recalling sentence patterns and respectful listening behaviours from the previous lessons.

2. 5–12 min · Model and notice. Teacher models a short pepeha, for example: “Ko [name] tōku ingoa. Ko [maunga] tōku maunga. Ko [awa] tōku awa. Ko [school] tōku kura,” then replays the model pepeha and sentence-pattern slides. Students identify the repeated structures, listen for pronunciation, and practise each line chorally before trying it quietly to themselves.

3. 12–22 min · Complete and personalise. Teacher distributes the My Pepeha planning and drafting worksheet and explains that students may choose connections that are safe, genuine, and meaningful to them; no student is required to disclose sensitive whakapapa or family information. Students complete their pepeha, selecting appropriate words or names and checking spelling, macrons, sentence order, and the use of tōku.

4. 22–27 min · Pronunciation rehearsal. Teacher uses the pronunciation reminders and rehearsal instructions to model difficult sounds, including wh, ng, and long vowels, and reminds students that names and place names should be spoken carefully. Students rehearse their pepeha individually, marking pauses with a slash and underlining any words they need help to pronounce.

5. 27–38 min · Pair rehearsal and feedback. Teacher places students in pairs and displays the pair-practice steps and feedback prompts. Partner A shares their pepeha while Partner B listens without interrupting, then gives one specific positive comment and one next step about pronunciation, fluency, or respectful listening; partners then swap and repeat, aiming to improve on a second attempt.

6. 38–43 min · Sharing circle. Teacher invites volunteers, or uses pairs to nominate one speaker, and returns to the sharing and audience reminder slide. Students share one selected line or their full pepeha, while listeners show respect through attentive posture, silence during speaking, and a warm acknowledgement such as “Tēnā koe.”

7. 43–45 min · Exit reflection. Teacher finishes with the plenary reflection prompts and asks students to complete the final section of the self-check and next-step box. Students record one part they can say confidently and one part they will practise before the next lesson.

Resources

• the complete Building My Pepeha slide deck
• the My Pepeha planning and drafting worksheet
• Whiteboard and pens
• Optional pronunciation recording device or tablet
• Timer
• Seating plan or pairing list
• Class pepeha sentence-pattern display

Assessment

• During modelling and choral practice, listen for accurate use of tōku, sentence order, and pronunciation of names and place names; provide immediate recasts rather than interrupting fluency unnecessarily.
• During pair rehearsal, circulate with a simple checklist: complete content, understandable pronunciation, steady fluency, and respectful listening. Confer briefly with students who need another model.
• Use the worksheet self-check and exit reflection to identify who is ready to present and who needs targeted pronunciation or sentence-structure practice in lesson 4.

Differentiation

• Provide a worked example, colour-coded sentence frames, a word bank of familiar place and school vocabulary, and teacher-recorded pronunciation models for students who need support.
• Allow students to read from their completed worksheet during rehearsal and presentation; accept a shorter pepeha with two connections before building towards the full version.
• Offer an extension through added detail, such as Nō hea koe? and a simple response, or by presenting with fewer prompts while maintaining accuracy and respectful delivery.
• For EAL learners and students with speech, hearing, literacy, or processing needs, provide visual cues, extra rehearsal time, a quiet practice space, partner choice, and the option to submit an audio recording or share with the teacher instead of speaking to the whole class.