Scholarship Te Reo Māori

Te Reo Māori Scholarship is an exciting opportunity to use their knowledge of Māori to respond in speech and writing to complex written and spoken stimulus material in Māori. By doing Te Reo Māori Scholarship they are engaging in critical thinking, detailed analysis, and synthesis of complex material that allows them to make informed judgments within the context of ‘Te Ao Māori’. These skills are transferable in all facets of further education and the workforce.  By taking Te Reo Māori Scholarship, they are not only learning about the language, but they are also connecting to their Māoritanga.  

The scholarship course would take place outside of normal class time to be determined by the staff and students involved. Students need to attend regularly in order to reap the benefits of the preparation programme as well as making sure they are doing the extended learning for the theme provided.

The Te Reo Māori Scholarship exam for 2023 is on Friday 24 November at 9.30am.

Format of the assessment

Candidates will be required to answer two parts, held over a three-hour slot.

First part, a two-hour Reading and Writing section with two tasks, a reading comprehension and a written passage.

Task one: Reading comprehension

Candidates must analyse one passage of written te reo Māori.

Candidates can answer in te reo Māori, English, or a combination of both.

Task two: Writing 

Candidates will select one topic to write about.

The written response must be in te reo Māori.

Second part, a Listening and Speaking section, scheduled within a one-hour time slot, with one task, to prepare and give a speech in te reo Māori, based on a recorded spoken passage.

Task three: Listening and speaking.

A recorded passage will be played three times, while it is playing candidates can make notes in the question-and-answer booklet. When the recorded passage is complete, paper will be provided for candidates to use to plan their speech. Candidates will have 15 minutes to plan their speech. After 15 minutes all exam material, except the paper candidates used to plan their speech, will be collected. In the recording room, candidates will have 5 minutes to record their speech. Candidates may refer to their planning notes when giving their speech.

Topics for 2023

Legends – tribal stories of the past.

Reo Māori revitalisation – strategies to enliven tribal language.

The world of politics – at community, tribal, and national levels.

The Prophets – impact on health and well-being, and the spirituality of their people.

Colloquial sayings and their meaning.