The Health of the Maori Language in 2006 - Te Puni Kokiri

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Mäori Language Proficiencies
Types of Language Proficiencies
The HML surveys provide information on all of the language proficiencies. In language learning,
the passive language proficiencies of reading and listening typically develop faster than the
active proficiencies of speaking and writing. This is reflected in the HML 2006 Survey which finds
that there are more people able to listen and read in Mäori than able to speak or write in it.
The HML surveys also bring together these individual proficiencies to assess overall proficiency.
Overall proficiency is a more accurate indicator of language competencies than just speaking
or conversational abilities because the four language skills operate in unison in an individual. 24
Figure 4 below provides a summary picture of Mäori language proficiencies from the HML 2006
Survey.
FIGURE 4: MÄORI LANGUAGE PROFICIENCIES
Speaking proficiency
Listening proficiency
Reading proficiency
Writing proficiency
Overall proficiency
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Source: HML 2006 Survey.
Very well / well
Fairly well
Not very well
None
24. Overall proficiency is a derived value. It is the average value of speaking proficiency level * 2, listening proficiency level * 2, written
proficiency level * 1, and reading proficiency level * 1.