Te Ipu Kōrero in action

Te Ipu Kōrero is a 10-week reo ā-waha teaching and learning programme for teachers and ākonga (learners) in Years 1–10 Māori-medium classrooms.  

It is part of the Ministry of Education’s Mauri Tū Mauri Ora initiative aimed at lifting achievement in ākonga who are not attaining expected curriculum levels. However, it is designed to be an inclusive programme – it is effective with all ākonga. 

Te Ipu Kōrero has been developed by Haemata Ltd, working in conjunction with kaiako (teachers). The lessons were trialled and adapted before the full programme was available for implementation from 2017.  

Since then, several rounds of kaiako have implemented the programme with very positive results. 

Feedback on Te Ipu Kōrero 

In your opinion, what works about Te Ipu Kōrero? 

“It’s a structured oral language programme that is easy to follow. It has a wide range of lessons and is suitable for all age groups and enhances not only oral language but techniques needed for ākonga to be successful learners.  

Te Ipu Kōrero has helped me to identify areas to be able to effectively teach and assess oral language.” Kaiako 

What is the biggest learning that will be taken away from Te Ipu Kōrero? 

“Ko te whāinga matua mō tēnei o ngā kaupapa whakahirahira ko te whanake i te taha Te Reo Matatini mō ngā ākonga. Kia akiaki i te ākonga ki te kōrero ahakoa te momo reo, kia māia ake ia ki te kōrero mā reira ka whai wāhi ko te whakatika i te momo reo ka rangona e te kaiwhakarongo, te momo reo ka whakamahia e ia. E pēwhea ana ahau e whakahaere i aku akoranga reo a waha ki roto i te akomanga. He pēwhea hoki e whakauru i ngā akoranga, i ngā kēmu. Ka pēwhea ahau e whakarite i taku akomanga kia mōhio te ākonga he akomanga whāngai i tana taha reo-ā-waha, otirā tana reo Māori.” Kaiako 

What has your experience been of Te Ipu Kōrero? 

“Kua kaha kōrero ahau, kua rangona whānuitia, ko te Reo ā-waha te tūāpapa o ngā kaupapa ako katoa. E kore e taea te ako ki te tuhituhi, ki te pānui rānei e kore aro ana ki te reo ā-waha. Kua mārama hoki mātau te take o te whakaako i te reo pāngarau. Heoi anō, kāore pea i te tino mārama pēhea te whakaako me te aromatawai i tēnei o ngā tino kaupapa, ko te Kōrero. Kei roto te reo ā-waha i ngā mea katoa. Nā te whai i te hōtaka o Te Ipu Kōrero, kua mārama ake tētahi huarahi whakaako, kia puāwai te reo Māori, me ngā pūkenga reo. Ki a au nei, kua tika ake hoki ngā aronga whakatau. 

Ahakoa te taumata reo o te tamaiti i te tīmatanga o te hōtaka, kua kitea ngā hua, pēnei ki te māia o te tamaiti ki te tuku pātai māmā, me te kore noho ngū noa; pēnei ki te tamaiti e mihi ana ki te kaikōrero o mua, “Tēnā koe mō ōu whakaaro. Anei kē ōku.” Nā te tautoko i ngā kaiako, nā te whakawhānui i te mātauranga kaupapa, mātauranga whakaako hoki o te kaiako, kua puāwai te mātauranga o ngā tamariki. 

Te Ipu Kōrero may well have been designed to support those tamariki who needed extra support to reach expected outcomes. It has indeed helped me consider and acknowledge what I was and wasn’t doing as a classroom teacher to support the oral language and te reo Māori development of all tamariki. It has helped me to establish a new normal in my akomanga, so that I can now dig deeper and refine what I do for those who need more. This is something we are tackling schoolwide to ensure the best reo outcomes for all.”

Maia Wilcox, kaiako at Te Kura Reorua o Maraenui, Ahuriri Napier