Te Reo For Absolute Beginners – On Maori TV

Monday February 16 2009
Publicity Release

Te Reo For Absolute Beginners – On Maori Television

A teaching resource that has already taught te reo Maori to tens of thousands of absolute beginners is set to get a new life as a free-to-air show on Maori Television.

TOKU REO will premiere on the national indigenous channel on Tuesday March 31 at 8.00 PM, and will screen Tuesdays through to Saturdays in this regular time slot.

“When the opportunity came up to make a show that teaches te reo Maori, it felt like the right time to do something,” says executive producer Quentin Hita, of Kura Productions.

“A pre-requisite for me was that the learning be absolutely robust, but to buy in that expertise, or to buy a learning framework was cost-prohibitive. I was literally trying to solve the problem in my office when I turned to a bookshelf, and saw Te Kakano by John Moorfield. I thought, why re-invent the wheel?”

Te Kakano is part of a series of books, study guides, tapes and other teaching resources known collectively as Te Whanake, widely used in tertiary institutions around Aotearoa.

The series’ creator, a professor at Auckland University of Technology, was approached, and he gave the project his support. A free-to-air television show was born, based on the tried and tested framework.

TOKU REO is a studio-based show that uses presenters as teachers, with field footage and graphics to support them.

Each episode has been developed and honed by PhD students at AUT. The format used is in three parts – grammar, vocabulary and activities.

Part one - grammar - begins with the presenters explaining a sentence construction, reinforced by graphics and role-play.

The vocabulary taught each week is based on a specific theme.

The third part –activities – is where the viewer gets to put into practise what they’ve learned, and ranges from multi-choice to freeze-frame exercises.

The final building block of the learning module is a website, which has been built especially to fit around the content of the show. Interaction is regarded as key, to foster and reinforce what has been taught in a lesson. With this show, even after a viewer leaves their television, the learning continues online, complete with forums, podcasts and exercises.

The hosts are Raimona Peni – a teacher by trade – and Raukura Huata, who has worked extensively in behind the scenes roles in Maori media.

“Raimona is one of the most positive, inspiring and exuberant Maori personalities on TV. But he also understands the language, and knows how to bring that gravitas needed when teaching,” says Hita.

“Raukura personifies mana wahine. It’s a case of ‘a little bit of sugar makes the medicine go down’.”

Hita says the show is state of the art, robust, and based on a resource that is tried and tested.

“It is effective because of John’s expertise in the area of second language learning, specifically te reo Maori. It is also effective because of how comprehensive it is. I think TOKU REO will appeal to a cross-section, both Maori and Pakeha.”

TOKU REO premieres on Maori Television on Tuesday March 31 at 8.00 PM. The series will screen Tuesdays to Saturdays in this regular time slot.

ENDS