He Haerenga ki te Kura

Overview

Lesson 3 of 12 in Te Kura, Tōku Ao. Students combine listening, reading, speaking and interaction skills to follow and give directions around a school map. They apply this week’s vocabulary and sentence structures in a paired information-gap task, using te reo Māori respectfully and confidently.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• use location and direction vocabulary in a school context
• listen for key information and follow directions on a map
• ask for and give simple directions in te reo Māori
• use language that reflects manaakitanga and whanaungatanga during pair work

Success criteria

• I can identify important words in spoken and written directions.
• I can follow a route on a school map and arrive at the correct place.
• I can give clear directions using a sentence structure such as, “Haere ki…”, “Huri ki…”, and “Kei te taha o…”.
• I can listen respectfully, ask for clarification and support my partner.

Curriculum links

• Te Reo Māori introduction: using language to connect with identity, culture and the Māori worldview.
• Te Reo Māori introduction: noticing how values such as manaakitanga and whanaungatanga shape behaviour and relationships.
• Te Reo Māori introduction: using everyday language and kīwaha to enrich conversation and express social norms.
• Learning Languages: developing communication through listening, reading, speaking and interaction.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Whakatau and hook. Teacher welcomes students, establishes the expectation of manaakitanga, and opens the hook and learning intention slides with the question, “Me pēhea tātou e tae atu ai ki te whare pukapuka?” Students briefly discuss how they would explain a route to a visitor, then share one familiar direction word.

2. 5–12 min · Revisit vocabulary. Teacher uses the vocabulary and map-symbol slides to review: te kura (school), te akomanga (classroom), te whare pukapuka (library), te whare kai (canteen), te tari (office), te whare tapere (hall), te papa tākaro (sports field), haere ki (go to), huri ki mauī (turn left), huri ki katau (turn right), haere tōtika (go straight), and kei te taha o (beside). Students repeat the phrases, match them to gestures and identify symbols on the projected map.

3. 12–19 min · Model listening and reading. Teacher displays a short route on the teacher modelling slides and reads it twice: “Haere tōtika ki te tomokanga. Huri ki mauī. Haere ki te tari. Kei te taha o te tari te whare pukapuka.” The teacher traces the route, thinking aloud about key words. Students read the directions silently, then compare the final destination with a partner and explain which words helped them.

4. 19–23 min · Guided practice. Teacher gives the class two further routes from the school-map directions worksheet and reads each one aloud, pausing between phrases. Students trace the route, circle the destination and underline the direction words. Check answers together, asking students to justify their choices in English or te reo Māori.

5. 23–38 min · Paired information gap. Teacher distributes the two versions of the school-map directions worksheet: Partner A has several destinations marked, while Partner B has different destinations marked. Students must not show their maps. Partner A asks, “Kei hea te…?” or gives a starting point; Partner B gives directions using the target structures. The listener traces the route and names the destination. Students swap roles after each route and complete at least four routes, asking “Tēnā, kōrero anō” or “He aha te huarahi?” when clarification is needed. Teacher circulates, listens for pronunciation and sentence structure, and provides brief recasts rather than interrupting fluency.

6. 38–45 min · Whakapuāwai and exit check. Teacher uses the plenary and reflection slides to display one final route and asks pairs to prepare a clear spoken answer. Selected students give the directions to the class. Students then complete a quick oral or written exit response: “Mai i te akomanga ki te ______: ______.” They identify one direction phrase they used successfully and one phrase they need to practise.

Resources

• the direction-language slide deck
• the school-map directions worksheet
• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Pens, pencils and highlighters
• Two clearly labelled map versions for each pair
• Teacher checklist for listening and speaking evidence
• Timer

Assessment

• During vocabulary review, check students’ recognition and pronunciation of direction and location phrases.
• During the information gap, record whether students can follow a route, give at least two accurate directions and respond appropriately to clarification.
• Use the final response to identify students who need further support with vocabulary, word order or pronunciation in the next lesson.

Differentiation

• Provide a word bank, labelled map symbols and sentence frames: “Haere ki…”, “Huri ki…”, “Kei te taha o…”. Allow students to rehearse with a partner before speaking.
• For students requiring additional support, use fewer routes, highlight the starting point and permit pointing while producing the key phrase. Pair thoughtfully and provide an audio replay of the modelled directions if available.
• Support EAL learners with visual gestures, bilingual clarification and explicit modelling of pronunciation. Avoid requiring students to translate every phrase before communicating.
• Extend confident speakers by asking them to include two turns, a landmark and a clarification exchange, for example, “Huri ki katau i muri i te whare kai.”