Teachers' Maori Course

Te Ao Hou, 1972, Page 30

Maori Language students wearing earphones as they work to an individual programme in the language laboratory Teachers' Maori Course In February 1970, the second three-week ‘pre-enrolment’ course for students intending to study Maori I at Victoria University was run by Mr Koro Dewes, Lecturer in Maori Language. These courses are designed to give prospective students a ‘taste’ of Maori, and to familiarise them with the sound of the language, using the language laboratory for oral instruction. Some school teachers were disappointed that the classes were held in February, so this year an extra two-week course was held at the end of January, with the same object—to familiarise students with oral Maori, and to make them use it, with the repetition required in the language laboratory technique. George Parekowhai at the console, where he can tune in to any student Tutors Koro Dewes, Bob Simon and George Parekowhai used ‘Rangitahi I’ (1962) in their tuition, separating the students into beginners, intermediates and advanced classes. Besides the work on language, the tutors held discussions covering a great deal of ‘Maori Background’ and arranged short lunch-time seminars, inviting prominent people to talk on topics affecting Maoris. The tutors were joined by George Bartlett of Hastings who assisted with the teaching, Keri Kaa and Ka Mill, who taught action songs and pois. As part of their course, the students all learnt Te Rauparaha's haka ‘Ka mate, Ka mate’. For those who weren't too tired after the very full programme, short homework essays designed to consolidate the day's work were set, and these were read to the class next day, particular attention and criticism being given to pronunciation, as well as sentence construction. As a new venture it was regarded as highly successful, and in their evaluation session the students, who ranged in age from teens to 50s, expressed their wish to get together during the year to consolidate what they had learnt. Similar courses are likely to be held in future years.