Reflecting on Kawa

Curriculum Links

Learning Area: Te Reo Māori Level: Year 10 (Level 5) Duration: 80 minutes Class Size: 35 students

Relevant NZ Curriculum References:

• Ngā Reo Māori:
• Understand and use everyday Te Reo Māori in social and classroom contexts.
• Engage in oral interactions with increasing confidence and fluency (Level 5).
• Key Competencies: Thinking, Relating to others, Using language, symbols and texts
• Achievement Objectives:
• Use Māori language to reflect on everyday contexts and cultural practices (AC: Ngā Reo Māori Level 5).
• Develop questions and engage with oral and written texts.
• Values: Respect (Whakaute), Integrity (Ngākau Pono), Community and participation (Ngā hononga)

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Learning Objectives

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

• Reflect critically on the concept of kawa (rules/customs) they have learnt regarding themselves, their class, and their school.
• Construct meaningful questions using the question prompts: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? Which? in te reo Māori and English.
• Use their prior knowledge and classroom content to confidently answer their own questions in te reo Māori.
• Demonstrate respect for the cultural importance of kawa within school and personal contexts.

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Success Criteria

Students can:

• Identify and articulate kawa appropriate for individuals, class, and school contexts.
• Formulate relevant questions using correct question words in te reo Māori.
• Respond accurately to their own and peers’ questions using language learned.
• Show understanding of the importance of kawa and reflect on why these rules are necessary.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Provide explicit examples and sentence starters for question formation.
• Pair stronger Māori speakers with learners needing more support.
• Offer vocabulary scaffolds and bilingual prompt sheets (te reo Māori and English).
• Use visuals and mind maps to support comprehension and question development.
• Advanced learners are encouraged to create complex questions combining multiple question prompts or to write short reflective answers.
• Use dyslexia-friendly fonts and clear layouts in all print and digital materials (slides and worksheet).

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Resources

• the introduction and activity instruction slides
• question formation and reflection worksheet
• Google Classroom for digital submission and reference
• Maori language prompt cards for question words (digital and printed)

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Lesson Outline

1. Introduction and Recap (15 minutes)

• Hook: Present a provocative question on the slide — “Why do we need kawa in our lives?”
• Review previous lessons on kawa at self, class, and school levels. Display key vocabulary in te reo Māori and English on the slides.
• Engage students in a brief interactive discussion (orally or via chat in Google Classroom) on what kawa they remember setting for themselves, the class, and the school.
• Reference: Co-construct or display the success criteria for the lesson on the slide.
• Outline the learning goals for the lesson.

Teaching strategy: Use formative questioning (e.g., “Kīwaha (say) ‘Who sets the school’s kawa?’”) to promote oral use and activate prior knowledge.

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2. Teaching and Modelling Question Formation (15 minutes)

• Using slides-1, introduce the seven question prompts in te reo Māori: Ko wai? He aha? Āhea? Kei hea? He aha ai? Me pēhea? Ko tēhea?
• Model how to build questions about kawa in three contexts: self, class, and school. For example:
• Ko wai te tangata e whai i te kawa? (Who is the person who follows the kawa?)
• Āhea te wā e whakaritengia ai ngā kawa o te karaehe? (When are the classroom rules set?)
• Highlight how students can use these question stems to frame their reflections.
• Prompt a few students orally or in chat to try building a question on the spot using a chosen question word.

Teaching strategy: Use sentence frames and display bilingual examples prominently for scaffolding and dyslexia-friendly viewing.

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3. Guided Question Creation Activity (25 minutes)

• Distribute question formation and reflection worksheet.
• Students work individually or in pairs to create at least one question for each kawa context (self, class, school) using each question prompt.
• Circulate to guide language use and clarify meanings where needed. Encourage students to write their questions in te reo Māori with an English translation.
• Offer extension: Students who finish early can write a brief answer to some of their own questions using their prior learning or information from classroom posters/notes.

Differentiation: Pairs may include a bilingual learner partnering with an advanced learner. Use Google Classroom for students away sick to access materials and contribute their questions asynchronously.

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4. Question Sharing and Answering (20 minutes)

• Use slides-1 slides to instruct students to share some questions they have created aloud or via Google Classroom chat.
• Facilitate a whole-class or breakout room discussion where peers answer each other's questions. Encourage use of te reo Māori to respond to maximise speaking practice.
• Teacher and peers provide supportive feedback on question accuracy and answers.
• Encourage students to justify their answers briefly, reinforcing meta-cognitive awareness about kawa importance.

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5. Plenary and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Recap key learning points displayed on slides — the importance of kawa for individuals, classrooms, and schools; how question words help deepen understanding.
• Students complete a quick exit slip reflection (or use Question Stems Exit Ticket Slips if desired) answering: “What is one new thing you learned today about kawa?” or “Why are kawa important?” in te reo Māori or English.
• Teacher reminds students of resources on Google Classroom for follow-up revision.

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Extension Activities

• Advanced students can research a traditional Māori protocol (other kawa) and prepare oral or written explanations using the question stems.
• Students can create digital posters illustrating different kawa and their rationale for display in the classroom or virtual learning environment.

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Final notes

This lesson balances personal reflection, collaborative learning, and development of questioning skills aligned to Level 5 te reo Māori expectations. It integrates digital tools to support self-directed learning and inclusivity for diverse learners, including those absent due to illness. With explicit scaffolding and engaging activities, it will build comprehension and speaking confidence about important cultural practices in engaging ways.

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