supporting tiriti-based curriculum delivery in mainstream early ...

One of my goals is to be able to hold a short communication in Māori
Language, also more than commands, colours and numbers (R. 213).
The publication branch of the Ministry of Education (Learning Media)
supply all early childhood centres with bicultural resources. One of these is the
game Kei a Wai? This game is similar to Bingo in which children cover individual
picture cards as the leader calls out te reo Māori terms which are on the back of the
individual picture cards with the English translation. Through this game, children
and teachers practise te reo Māori which means they have more language with
which to implement Tiriti-based programmes:
I have been playing the Kei a Wai games quite a bit and trying to test
myself with the grammar whilst playing! This would be an easier way to
transfer Māori into other areas if children are familiar with some of this
grammar. I think counting, colours, and our instruction phrases are well
established so maybe this is the next step (Jl: A, 2/9/04).
Survey data demonstrated that just over half (52%, n=34) of respondents
reported they were having conversations in te reo Māori on a daily basis and a
quarter indicated that they were having weekly te reo conversations (24%, n=16).
(The remainder (20%, n=13) reported that they never had conversations in te reo
Māori.) Moving language skills beyond single word utterances and commands
(which can be learnt by rote) to having a conversation requires not only
vocabulary, but also a level of grammar knowledge. In other words, in order to
have a conversation, learners need to have some understanding of the language
based on listening as well as speaking skills.
Although it could be tempting to consider waiata, greetings, and
commands to be superficial enactment of Tiriti-based pedagogy, Brodie explained
that for her this was a beginning step; it represented a way of making connections
and deepening relationships with whānau Māori:
I have now started to greet some of our children and their whānau using
te reo – well only Māori families. Every time I have greeted and
farewelled these families, the children and parents have responded back
to me in Māori. It makes you feel like you need to learn more te reo so
you can have a conversation and not just say a few words. I feel that if I
got to know and understand Māori language and culture better, it would
show families, whānau and children that I respect and am passionate
about extending my knowledge of Māori culture. And not just learning a
few words because curriculum documents and the education sector say
we have to. I believe it is important to gain an understanding about
Māori culture, way of life, especially since the people are relatives of
native Māori descendents who explored and worked there many years
ago (Jl: B, 5/8/04).
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