Ngā Mihi Together

Overview

Across 10 short lessons, tamariki learn, practise and use simple greetings and introductions in Te reo Māori. The sequence uses repetition, movement, puppets, pictures and partner interaction to build confidence, whanaungatanga, aroha and manaakitanga in formal and everyday classroom situations.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• learn and respond to common greetings.
• use greetings for one person and a group.
• introduce themselves using “Ko ___ ahau”.
• acknowledge people, places and the classroom space respectfully.
• take part in a short mihi with a partner or group.

Success criteria

• I can say “Kia ora” and “Tēnā koutou”.
• I can greet one person and a group.
• I can say my name using “Ko ___ ahau”.
• I can listen, respond and show manaakitanga.

Curriculum links

• Mihi — using greetings and introductions to acknowledge relationships in formal situations.
• Cultural and sociolinguistic knowledge — mihi acknowledges places, people and spaces in formal and informal contexts.
• Introductions and greetings — building whanaungatanga through whānau, aroha and manaakitanga.
• Greetings using terms of address — using expressions such as “Kia ora koutou katoa e hoa mā” and “Tēnā koutou katoa e te whānau”.

Lesson structure (10 × 30 minutes)

Lesson 1: Kia ora

1. 0–5 min · Welcome. Show a picture of two children greeting and open the greeting hook slide. Students wave, smile and share what people say when they meet.
2. 5–12 min · Model. Say “Kia ora” clearly, using friendly eye contact and a wave. Students echo the phrase several times with different voices: quiet, loud, happy and slow.
3. 12–22 min · Hands-on practice. Give each child a greeting picture from the greeting picture mat. Students walk, find a partner and say “Kia ora” when their pictures match.
4. 22–30 min · Closing circle. Return to the response and closing slide. Each child greets the person beside them before saying “Ka kite”.

Lesson 2: Tēnā koe

1. 0–5 min · Recall. Revisit the greeting review slides. Students respond to “Kia ora” with “Kia ora”.
2. 5–12 min · Teach. Introduce “Tēnā koe” for greeting one person. Students copy the teacher’s gesture and repeat the phrase in three short rounds.
3. 12–22 min · Puppet kōrero. Use a puppet to greet individual students. Students answer “Tēnā koe” or “Kia ora”.
4. 22–30 min · Check-out. Students choose a picture on the one-person greeting mat and greet the pictured person.

Lesson 3: Tēnā kōrua

1. 0–5 min · Movement warm-up. Students practise one wave for “Kia ora”, then two waves for “Tēnā kōrua”.
2. 5–12 min · Model. Teach “Tēnā kōrua” for greeting two people. Use two puppets and repeat the phrase slowly.
3. 12–22 min · Pair activity. In pairs, students hold two people cards from the people greeting mat and greet another pair using “Tēnā kōrua”.
4. 22–30 min · Reflection. Ask, “E hia ngā tāngata?” Students show one or two fingers and say the matching greeting.

Lesson 4: Tēnā koutou

1. 0–5 min · Review game. Display one, two or many people on the people-counting slides. Students select the matching greeting.
2. 5–12 min · Teach. Introduce “Tēnā koutou” for three or more people. Practise with actions: point gently to the group, then greet.
3. 12–22 min · Group circle. Groups of four take turns standing in the centre while classmates say “Tēnā koutou”.
4. 22–30 min · Exit greeting. Each child greets the group beside them and receives a group response.

Lesson 5: Ko wai au?

1. 0–5 min · Recall. Sing or chant “Kia ora” and “Tēnā koutou” using the chant slide.
2. 5–12 min · Introduce self. Model “Ko [name] ahau”. Students repeat with their own name, supported by a name card.
3. 12–22 min · Name-circle game. Students pass a soft toy. The holder says “Ko ___ ahau”; the class responds “Kia ora, ___”.
4. 22–30 min · Practice. Students draw themselves on the mihi name card and practise with a partner.

Lesson 6: Greeting and introducing

1. 0–5 min · Modelled kōrero. Watch the teacher demonstrate “Kia ora. Ko ___ ahau.” using the model conversation slide.
2. 5–12 min · Echo practice. Students repeat the two-line exchange with actions and then whisper it to a puppet.
3. 12–22 min · Partner turns. Partners use their name cards to greet and introduce themselves twice, changing roles.
4. 22–30 min · Share. Invite volunteers to perform for the class; classmates respond with “Kia ora”.

Lesson 7: Acknowledging our place

1. 0–5 min · Notice the space. Use the classroom and whenua image slide. Students name places they see in the classroom or school.
2. 5–12 min · Teach respectful acknowledgement. Model “Tēnā koutou” to the people and “Tēnā koe, e te whenua” as a simple acknowledgement of the land, explaining that we greet people and places respectfully.
3. 12–22 min · Picture walk. Students place people and place pictures on the people-and-place mat and practise a greeting for each.
4. 22–30 min · Calm close. Students point to one place and say “Tēnā koe” together.

Lesson 8: Whānau greetings

1. 0–5 min · Picture talk. Discuss the whānau shown on the whānau greeting slide. Students identify a group and a person.
2. 5–12 min · Teach terms of address. Practise “Tēnā koutou katoa e te whānau” and “Kia ora koutou katoa e hoa mā” as group greetings.
3. 12–22 min · Role-play. Groups use simple whānau and friend picture cards to create a greeting circle.
4. 22–30 min · Response practice. Groups greet the class; the class responds together, showing manaakitanga.

Lesson 9: Build a mihi

1. 0–5 min · Sequence review. Arrange the picture sequence on the mihi sequence mat: greeting, name, group response and farewell.
2. 5–12 min · Teacher model. Model: “Kia ora. Ko ___ ahau. Tēnā koutou. Ka kite.”
3. 12–23 min · Rehearse. In groups of four, students use picture prompts and practise the sequence, with adults supporting pronunciation.
4. 23–30 min · Celebrate. Groups perform one part of the mihi while the class responds.

Lesson 10: Mihi celebration

1. 0–5 min · Warm-up. Revisit all phrases with the sequence review slides and practise the matching gestures.
2. 5–12 min · Final rehearsal. Students practise a two- or four-line mihi with a partner or small group.
3. 12–24 min · Celebration circle. Each child greets and introduces themselves, or joins their group’s mihi. Students listen respectfully.
4. 24–30 min · Reflection. Students complete the “I can mihi” reflection card by drawing or circling what they can say. Finish with “Ka kite”.

Resources

• Ngā mihi teaching and review deck
• Ngā mihi picture mats and reflection cards
• Two puppets or soft toys
• Name cards
• People, whānau and place picture cards
• Soft ball or classroom taonga
• Open floor space
• Pencils, crayons and blu-tack

Assessment

• Listen for accurate, increasingly confident use of “Kia ora”, “Tēnā koe”, “Tēnā kōrua”, “Tēnā koutou” and “Ko ___ ahau”.
• Observe whether students select a greeting appropriate to the number of people and respond respectfully.
• Use the final reflection card and a brief individual or group mihi as evidence of progress.

Differentiation

• Provide picture prompts, gestures, name cards and choral repetition before expecting individual speaking.
• Accept pointing, signing, echoing or speaking with a partner as valid early participation.
• Use a confident peer or kaiako as a speaking model; avoid correcting publicly and recast phrases positively.
• Extend ready learners by adding “Tēnā koutou katoa e te whānau” or leading the class response.