Curriculum guidelines for teaching and learning te reo Māori
Schools can use Te Aho Arataki Marau mō te Ako i Te Reo Māori - Kura Auraki/Curriculum Guidelines for Teaching and Learning Te Reo Māori in English-medium Schools: Years 1-13 to design and shape school and classroom curriculums that prioritise te reo Māori. The guidelines provide teachers with a basis for planning programmes for students learning te reo Māori in kura auraki (English-medium schools).1 They describe, in broad terms, the knowledge and understandings that students need to acquire, and the levels of proficiency that they are expected to achieve, as they progress through the eight levels of the curriculum. They include proficiency target statements for levels 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, and 7–8. Other features at each curriculum level include:
- a small number of achievement objectives (between four and seven);
- possible socio-cultural themes, topics, and text types;
- descriptions of receptive skills (listening, reading, and viewing) and productive skills (speaking, writing, and presenting).
Te reo Māori is taught to a highly diverse group of students, in many different contexts, and by teachers with a wide range of language and teaching backgrounds. The guidelines reflect a commitment to the vision expressed in The New Zealand Curriculum that education must enable all students to develop the competencies that are essential to becoming active, lifelong learners. It is essential that teaching and learning is focused on supporting students to achieve worthwhile outcomes, and so the guidelines describes key outcomes for student learning at each level. However, the guidelines also provide for the flexibility teachers need to respond to and reflect the particular aspirations and needs of the students they teach. Teachers are encouraged to take an inquiry approach to planning and delivering te reo Māori programmes that will enable learning for all their students.
- “English-medium schools” are schools where English is the primary but not necessarily the only language of instruction.