Continuing your studies is always important, learning is lifelong and does not stop once you leave the school gates for the last time. Often students of other languages forget what they have learned at school because they are not able to easily access it. It is the first language of Aotearoa, and what a better place to learn it than here.
Often other languages are considered better to learn because more people speak them. But there is a flaw to that way of thinking, if it is better to learn a language that more people speak, we would all be learning one language. But what would that language be? Mandarin? As it has the most native speakers. English? Because it is the most learnt second language. This way of thinking is tied to outdated and racist colonial ideas about what is and isn’t a valuable language.
Te reo Māori is considered an endangered language due to colonisation and policies of assimilation. By continuing with your learning you are enabling yourself to connect with more people as well as strengthen the native language of Aotearoa. It is one of the three official languages of Aotearoa and as such, is important for people to learn.
Continuing your studies onto Level 3 will greatly improve your language skills. At the end of your NCEA Level 3 te reo Maori external exams, you will be intermediate speakers and have the skills to continue your education either at university, through certificates, and/or in your community. That is no small feat! So remember to give yourself a pat on the back for the mahi you have put into your studies.
For those who are thinking of carrying on te reo Māori into Level 3, there are many advantages. All achievement standards in this course are literacy standards, which is important for meeting your obligations for literacy and numeracy. If you have chosen not to continue with NCEA Level 3 English, it enables you to easily meet your literacy requirements. Unfortunately, they don’t provide numeracy but maths and science do.
Moving away from credits, this course is about giving you the skills to be independent speakers. This means you are able to take part in conversations with other speakers. You speak te reo. This is because you will be able to contribute and understand a majority of what is being said. You can add in your opinions and ideas and start to get creative with your reo. While you have a bit more work to do with fluency, languages evolve, change, grow, and you will always be learning. It is just a bit easier to add more in when you are already bi or multilingual.
Learning Our Native language
Māori values in a cultural sense and as a sense of identity are often downplayed. When we think of Aotearoa, we think of the connection to nature and Māori culture. It is what makes New Zealand unique. For international events, it is the haka that is most iconic. When people arrive in Aotearoa New Zealand, the first thing the majority of people see is Toi, Māori art.
Continuing in this course helps you continue your journey in te reo Māori. Within a school setting, there are plenty of opportunities to practice your reo and participate in activities that help build your understanding of te ao Māori. Te ao Māori is looking at the world with a Māori lens. A majority of New Zealand students are familiar with some of the values such as whanaungatanga (belonging), manaakitanga (respect), kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and whakapapa (genealogy) but there are many more.
Being able to speak te reo Māori whether you are tāngata whenua or tāngata Tiriti comes with many advantages including a stronger connection to Aotearoa New Zealand. The New Zealand curriculum is designed to support students to achieve B1 or an intermediate level of the language. Fluency by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is considered when you have achieved C1. By leaving school with NCEA Level 3 in te reo Māori you have an advantage compared to those who undertake this journey later in life. This is because you can think in two languages.
Being able to think in two languages generally becomes harder as we age. The order of syntax, pronunciation, and comprehension, all become harder as build what is called the sound barrier. We become so accustomed to one set of sounds that it becomes difficult for us to hear the difference in words, such as the difference between é and è in french.
NCEA Level 3 Te Reo Māori Communication Skills
For those who decide to learn another language, it creates a new way to communicate with others and with yourself. Consider enrolling in a Maori course to further enhance your language skills. Sometimes the word or feeling you want to express cannot be found in one language but can be found in other. It also helps to build a sense of cultural identity and what it means to be from Aotearoa New Zealand. French comes from France, English comes from England, and te reo Māori comes from Aotearoa New Zealand.
By learning Te reo Māori, you can strengthen your understanding of the connection between Polynesian people. This is because there are many similarities that highlight the connection of language through Polynesia. For example, the word moana (ocean) and the word manu (bird) are used across many Polynesian languages.
Learning te reo Māori won’t give you the ability to speak all Polynesian languages but it creates pathways for you to learn another. The vowels in te reo Māori are essentially the same as the vowels in Japanese. Your brain can use use the neural pathways already created to build on an additional language without having to start back at the very beginning.
Future Possibilities with NCEA Level 3 Te Reo Māori
As NCEA Level 3 students, the focus on personal learning and growth can get a bit sidetracked by the thoughts of credits. Te reo Māori is a University Entrance approved course so the credits you gain while studying will go towards achieving NCEA Level 3 and gaining the University Entrance certificate.
Learning another language opens doorways to not only communicating with others but also how to view the world in a different way. For example, the Russian language has a much more vast range of describing colours than English, imagine being able to see the world in a wider sense of colour. The Chinese language has a different sense of time compared to English. In English, we talk about the future being a separate set of time, while in Chinese it is considered connected. Behavioural economist Keith Chen talks about how these differences in language may affect how we view time itself and that in turn can affect our behaviour. Interesting stuff.
This shift in awareness of the value of te reo Māori is also a skill that is being recruited in a wide range of sectors, from tourism to government. As our country moves towards fulfilling its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi, there are positions actively recruiting te reo Māori speakers. With te reo Mori being used in films, animations, video games and TV series, there is a growing range of opportunities within Aotearoa and beyond.
Support and where to find it.
Learning a language is not the easiest of things to do, and being supported in your learning will help you continue to progress. There are a range of classes, get-togethers, toi classes, and Kapa Haka groups to help you improve. For those who are looking for more one-on-one time or limited in time or access, Superprof has a range of tutors available to help you reach your goals. With a range of prices and availability, online or even in person, find the right tutor for you.
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