February 13, 2019
Masterton goes deeper on reo lessons
Tauira in Wairarapa will be able to step up their learning of te reo Māori with a level four programme now on offer at Masterton's UCOL campus.
Te Pōkaitahi Reo (Reo Rua) has been developed in consultation with local iwi so it is culturally specific to the Wairarapa region.
Lecturer Mike Kawana says from his own experience learning the language, total immersion is the best way to gain fluency, so the 34-week course includes evening classes as well as six noho marae.
He says there is increasing interest in learning the language from people whose children or grandchildren come home speaking te reo to them.
"And of course all of the other things that are happening outside of the language, things like the treaty, people becoming aware of the history around New Zealand, people becoming aware of the history of places they live in, all those things come together to have people thinking 'I need to learn a bit more myself," Mr Kawana says.
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