New te reo tech offers assistance for kindergarten teachers
A unique partnership has created an app to help kindergarten teachers in their knowledge of te reo Ma¯ ori.
Called Te Papahou, which is the Ma¯ori kupu (word) for an elaborately carved treasure box, the app is the result of a joint project involving Kindergarten Taranaki and Te Reo o Taranaki.
The app, which is currently only available to kindergarten staff, will assist them to develop their te reo Ma¯ ori skills, with the aim of sharing their knowledge with tamariki and wha¯ nau who attend the 24 centres around the region.
At yesterday’s launch, held at Waitara’s Owae Marae, Kindergarten Taranaki’s professional manager Mandy Coupe said the aim was to help strengthen staff knowledge and competency within te ao Ma¯ ori or the Ma¯ ori world.
She said the app grew out of an awareness of the lack of confidence staff had in speaking Ma¯ ori along with a fear they might cause offence if they got it wrong.
Now, at the touch of a fingertip, the 200 people employed by Kindergarten Taranaki can access karakia and waiata distinct to the region, kupu, a list of whakataukı¯ (proverbs) and kı¯waha (slang), along with a tool to hear the correct pronunciation of words.
Coupe said the app was also designed to be a stepping stone in terms of teachers’ te reo learning, something which could be transformative for them. ‘‘When you learn more it shapes the way you think and behave,’’ she told the 150-strong crowd.
In his address, Te Reo o Taranaki’s Mitchell Ritai said that cultural responsiveness, which was at the heart of the app idea, was linked with improved Ma¯ ori educational outcomes, along with an enhancement of learning for nonMa¯ ori students.
He described the app as a taonga, or treasure, and that it was up to the kindergarten staff to look after and use in the proper way. This included being thoughtful in how they shared its content with their students. ‘‘You give it life, you wear it, you use it and by doing that you give it mauri (life force),’’ Ritai said.