Listening Comprehension

Unit

Māori Voices: Whakarongo, Kōrero, Waihanga Lesson 1 of 8

Lesson Title

Listening Comprehension in Whakarongo

Duration

60 minutes

Class

Year 10, 11 students

WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Understand spoken Māori through active listening.

Curriculum Alignment

• Te Marautanga o Aotearoa: Te Reo Māori Level 1 and Te Reo Rangatira Kaupae 1
• Supports students to develop listening and comprehension skills aligned with the Kaupapa of strengthening te reo Māori as the life force of mana Māori, fostering identity, and understanding cultural knowledge through language.
• Emphasises competencies of listening (whakarongo), speaking (kōrero), and creating (waihanga), foundational to Māori-medium curriculum frameworks.
• Builds on the five key competencies from the NZ Curriculum: Thinking; Using language, symbols, and texts; Managing self; Relating to others; Participating and contributing.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Actively listen to a Māori language video segment ("Pōhiri ki Waitangi 2026").
• Demonstrate understanding by responding to guided questions in Māori.
• Develop skills in summarising spoken information and drawing conclusions.
• Identify key vocabulary and phrases in context.
• Engage respectfully in group reflection and discussion.

Success Criteria

• Students listen attentively without interruption during the video.
• Students answer at least 80% of guided questions accurately, demonstrating comprehension.
• Students can paraphrase or summarise key points orally or in writing.
• Students use appropriate te reo Māori vocabulary and sentence structures reflective of Level 1 Rangatira Kaupae.
• Students participate in group discussion respectfully.

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Lesson Outline

1. Introduction and Engagement (10 minutes)

• Begin with a karakia / mihi to set the wairua for learning.
• Briefly introduce the unit "Māori Voices" and today’s focus on whakawhānaungatanga through listening.
• Share the WALT and success criteria in simple Māori to activate student commitment.
• Review key vocabulary expected in the video segment with visual and verbal supports — use dyslexia-friendly fonts and spacing on handouts.
• Engage students in a warm-up listening activity: play a short familiar te reo Māori audio and ask one or two questions to tune listening skills.

2. Viewing Activity (20 minutes)

• Watch the selected segment from Pōhiri ki Waitangi 2026.
• Instructions before viewing: listen for main ideas and details, reminding students to use active listening skills (note-taking symbols, keywords, drawing visuals if needed).
• First viewing: uninterrupted, students watch and listen attentively.
• Second viewing: pause at strategic points for brief whole-class discussion or clarifications.

3. Comprehension and Discussion (20 minutes)

• Distribute guided questions in te reo Māori based on the video content (scaffold for different learner levels).
• Questions include literal, inferential, and evaluative types, e.g.:
• "He aha te kaupapa matua o te wāhanga?" (What is the main topic of the segment?)
• "Nā wai ngā kupu i kōrero?" (Who spoke in the video?)
• "He aha ngā whakaaro e pā ana ki te pōhiri?" (What are the ideas about the pōhiri?)
• Students work individually or in pairs to answer, with word banks and sentence starters provided for support.
• Group share: discuss answers, clarifying misunderstandings and extending ideas. Use explicit modeling of thought processes and summarising strategies.

4. Reflection and Link to Wider Learning (10 minutes)

• Whole-class reflection on the importance of listening in te ao Māori (world of Māori knowledge and culture).
• Explore how listening well supports identity and participation in whānau and hapū contexts, connecting to Te Marautanga goals.
• Set a learning journal reflection prompt for students to write or draw about what they learnt and found most interesting.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Provide auditory and visual supports such as transcripts and subtitles in dyslexia-friendly font and layout.
• Word banks with bilingual glossaries for key vocabulary to assist English language learners and students requiring language scaffolding.
• Allow listening to the segment multiple times with shorter focus sections for students needing repetition.
• Use pairs or small groups for peer support.
• Sentence starters and example answers for students needing writing support.
• For students with sensory processing differences, provide noise-cancelling headphones and a quiet space for focused listening.

Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Encourage deeper analysis by asking these students to:
• Identify metaphorical language or whakataukī used in the video segment.
• Relate content to historical or contemporary issues at Waitangi and discuss in small groups.
• Prepare a short oral response or presentation debating the importance of maintaining Māori language protocols in welcoming ceremonies.

Assessment and Feedback

• Formative assessment through observation during discussions and question responses.
• Collect guided question sheets or journal reflections for teacher feedback aligned to Te Reo Māori Level 1 and Te Reo Rangatira Kaupae 1 descriptors.
• Celebrate and acknowledge effort and progress in using te reo Māori communication strategies.

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Resources

• Video segment from Pōhiri ki Waitangi 2026 (teacher-prepared digital resource).
• Dyslexia-friendly vocabulary sheets and guided question handouts in te reo Māori.
• Writing/journaling materials.
• Audio-visual equipment for video playback.

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This lesson plan is designed to invite learners into hearing and understanding Māori language in rich cultural context, aligned with the holistic learning approach of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, supporting students' language, identity, and engagement with tikanga Māori through listening.

The scaffolded and inclusive strategies ensure accessibility for diverse learner needs while offering extension pathways to challenge advanced students, nurturing manaakitanga and ako in the learning environment.