Sharing Our Voices

Curriculum Links

Learning Area: Te Reo Māori
Curriculum Framework: Te Marautanga o Aotearoa
Level: Tau 5 (equivalent to Curriculum Level 3)
Strand: Te Reo Māori – Whakaatu i te whakaaro through tuhituhi (writing)
Focus: Tuhituhi / Writing – Recount writing based on personal experiences

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

• WALT: Use te reo Māori to express our personal experiences in kapa haka using sentence starters and descriptive words.

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Success Criteria

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Use at least 3 te reo Māori words or phrases related to kapa haka.
• Write 4–5 sentences describing their kapa haka experience using personal feelings and actions.
• Share their writing with a partner using a confident voice.

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Time: 5 Minutes

Number of Students: 19
Session Type: Writing provocation

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Materials Needed

• A3 laminated kapa haka photo prompt (showing children on stage performing kapa haka)
• Mini whiteboards and markers OR writing journals
• Sentence starters printed or on display for visual support
• Dyslexia-friendly activity card with visual and colour-coded text
• Kupu (vocabulary) mats on each table with te reo Māori words connected to haka, emotions, and performance

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Teaching Sequence

Minute 1 – Whakaoho/Engagement

Kaiako Prompt (Teacher says):

"Ngā mihi e te whānau! Close your eyes and remember the last time we performed kapa haka… the noise, the feelings in your puku, the way your feet moved on stage. Now open your eyes. Kei te mōhio ahau he wheako tino motuhake tērā – it was special. Today we’re going to capture that moment in writing – in te reo Māori!"

Launch with a visual prompt – show a powerful image of tamariki performing kapa haka, then hold a brief discussion:

• “He toi whakairo, he mana tangata. What do you see? How did it feel standing on that stage?”

Minute 2-3 – Whakataki / Writing Brainstorm

Students ‘chat and jot’ in pairs or small groups:

• List feelings: ngenge, whakahīhī, manawanui
• List actions: kanikani, waiata, haka, tū
• Use sentence starters:
  • I tū au i mua i te rōpū... (I stood in front of the group...)
  • I noho mātou ki te taha o... (We sat beside...)
  • I rongo au i te... (I felt/heard the...)
  • Ko taku tino wāhanga, ko... (My favourite part was...)

For dyslexic learners: offer colour-coded sentence starters with icons (e.g., heart for emotions, ear for sounds).

Minute 4-5 – Tuhituhi / Fast-write Recount

Students write 1-2 sentences minimum (depending on ability) capturing their kapa haka experience using the brainstormed words.

Extension Option: High-performing ākonga can write a full short paragraph with three full ideas: a feeling, an action, and a reflection.

Support options for ESOL/differentiated learners:

• Pair with tuakana-teina peer for co-writing
• Use voice-to-text on a tablet
• Use a picture board to identify their ideas before transcribing

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Wrap-Up / Reflection (if continued into next session)

• Students share their writing with a partner or small rōpū (group)
• Encourage manaakitanga and listening using sentence starters:
  • He pai ki ahau tō kōrero mō...
  • I rongo au i tō...

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Differentiation Strategies

For Diverse Learners:

• Kupu picture mats and real-life action photos for visual support
• Oral rehearsal with kaiako before independent writing
• Use of sentence scaffolds and speaking frames
• Provide printed or electronic sentence-building tiles

For Dyslexic Learners:

• Workspace with pastel-coloured acetate overlays
• Use of Open Dyslexic font materials
• Minimal instructions and clear layout with icon cues

For Extension:

• Challenge to use metaphor or simile in reo Māori (e.g., He rite ki te whetū e tiaho ana – Like a shining star)
• Add a second paragraph with next steps: He aha tō wawata mō te kapa haka ā muri ake? (What is your aspiration for kapa haka in the future?)

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Reflective Teacher Notes

"This micro-session is about sparking emotion and connection through kapa haka, and using it as the gateway for confident, culturally grounded expression in te reo Māori. Small bursts of high-quality thinking and speaking are often more powerful than long writing blocks. The energy should feel like a haka: brief, powerful, and purposeful."

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Next Steps

• In the next session, build on these mini-recounts to construct a wider narrative: “A Day in Our Kahurangi Performance.”
• Introduce peer-feedback in te reo Māori using a simple framework: He pai ki ahau… Tēnā pea ā muri ake…