First Steps

Overview

This is Lesson 1 of 6 in the "Exploring Te Reo Māori" unit for Year 7 & 8 students. In this 30-minute session, students will explore the importance of Te Reo Māori in New Zealand culture, focusing on language as identity and connection. Students will practise basic greetings in Te Reo Māori and reflect on why language matters in their lives and communities.

The lesson aligns closely with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh under the Learning Languages learning area and supports school values like Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, and Excellence. It provides a rich learning environment with explicit differentiation and dyslexia-friendly strategies to cater to all learners, including Māori and Pasifika tamariki.

Curriculum Links

Learning Languages (Year 7-8)

Communicate in an additional language
Develop knowledge and skills to further language learning
Understand different worldviews in relation to their own

Key Competencies

Relating to others: Respectful interaction using cultural language
Participating and contributing: Sharing ideas and experiences
Using language, symbols and texts: Learning greetings and phrases

Values Supported

Respect: Acknowledge the importance of Te Reo Māori and identity
Responsibility: Engage in sharing and learning respectfully
Honesty: Express own feelings on language identity
Excellence: Achieve confident use of basic phrases

WALT (We Are Learning To)

Understand why Te Reo Māori is important to Aotearoa/New Zealand culture.
Participate in a class discussion about language and identity.
Use basic Te Reo Māori greetings with respect and confidence.

Success Criteria

I can greet my classmates in Te Reo Māori.
I can explain, in my own words, why language is important to identity and culture.
I can listen and show respect when others share their thoughts.

Equipment & Resources

Visual aids with simple Te Reo Māori greetings (e.g., Kia ora, Tēnā koe, Haere rā)
Cards with phrases for paired practice
A short video or audio clip of native speakers greeting each other (dyslexia-friendly, audio-visual)
Whiteboard or chart paper for brainstorming
Name tags to practice greetings using each other's names

Lesson Structure

1. Te Reo Māori – Language and Identity Discussion (10 minutes)

Starter (5 minutes):
Begin with a gentle mihi (teacher greeting). Display the whakataukī:

Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori.
("Language is the life force of Māori.")
Discuss what this means. Why is language important? Prompt students to think about their own language or family language and identity.
Activity (5 minutes):
Use a talking stick or prop to have a short circle time where each student shares a word or phrase in their home language or what language means to them. Teacher notes key ideas on chart paper under headings: Language, Identity, Culture.

2. Introduction to Basic Greetings (10 minutes)

Teach & Model (5 minutes):
Introduce simple greetings and farewells in Te Reo Māori:
- Kia ora (Hello/Thank you)
- Tēnā koe (Hello to one person)
- Tēnā kōrua (Hello to two people)
- Haere rā (Goodbye to someone leaving)
  Write the phrases clearly on the board and pronounce slowly. Show video/audio clip of native speakers.
Paired Practice (5 minutes):
Students practise greetings in pairs using name tags. Circulate and prompt corrections gently. Use a dyslexia-friendly handout with vocabulary and pictures for support.

3. Reflection and Sharing (8 minutes)

Whole-class sharing (5 minutes):
Ask students to share how they felt greeting in Te Reo Māori and what they learned about language today. Highlight the idea that language connects us to our identity and culture.
Success check (3 minutes):
Have students state one reason language is important or say a greeting in Te Reo Māori out loud.

4. Wrap-up and Home Connection (2 minutes)

Provide students with a simple card of today's greetings and encourage them to practise with their whanau or friends.
Reinforce the school's values connection (Respect & Responsibility) by encouraging students to use greetings respectfully.

Differentiation Strategies

For Dyslexic Students:
- Provide printed greeting cards with large, clear font and visuals
- Use audio support (spoken examples, chants) to aid pronunciation and memory
- Pair with a supportive buddy for practice
For Advanced Learners:
- Challenge with additional greetings (Tēnā koutou for three or more)
- Encourage to teach a greeting to the class or create their own short greeting dialogue
For English Language Learners:
- Integrate home language sharing to build confidence and identity
- Use simple English instructions alongside Te Reo vocabulary

Assessment

Formative:
Teacher observes paired greetings and notes pronunciation and confidence.
Oral Check:
Students explain, in a brief sentence, why language is important (can be supported via sentence starters).
Self-Assessment:
Students tick or show thumbs up if they can greet someone in Te Reo Māori and feel they understand why language matters.

Reflection for Teacher

Were all students able to participate and feel safe sharing?
Did dyslexic students receive enough support to access the greetings?
How engaged were students with the concept of identity and language?
What could be done to build on today’s lesson for future classes?

This lesson plan embraces a hands-on, respectful, and culturally responsive approach to learning Te Reo Māori and reflects the New Zealand Curriculum’s focus on identity, language, and the integration of values and competency development.

References

New Zealand Curriculum Refresh: Learning Languages, Principles, Values, and Key Competencies (2024)
Te Mataiaho English (2024) – supporting language learning and literacy strategies including culturally responsive teaching and dyslexia-friendly resources
Emphasis on Te Reo Māori as a taonga and its cultural significance
Differentiation and language teaching strategies reflecting diverse learners and dyslexia considerations

Teaching Instructions