An innovative digital platform for teaching Te Reo Māori developed by New Zealand academics has been presented at the United Nations in the hope that other indigenous peoples may benefit from its use.
Dr Tania Ka’ai and her colleague Dr John Moorfield from Te Ipukarea, the National Māori Language Institute at AUT University, this week presented the digital teaching platform at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York City.
Although the system was originally developed for teaching Te Reo Māori, AUT is now talking to indigenous communities in the USA about how they can implement the technology for teaching their own languages.
“I believe there’s an obligation to share our learning with other indigenous peoples – it is unique in that a range of quality and diverse language resources have been brought together,” said Professor Tania Ka’ai.
The online language learning system uses a range of technology including iPads and iPhones to deliver lessons allowing students to learn in a dynamic and interactive way. It also includes an encyclopaedic dictionary.
AUT Vice-Chancellor Derek McCormack, part of a delegation from AUT to attend the Forum, acknowledged the occasion as “a proud moment for AUT”.
“Presenting at the Forum is a first for a New Zealand university reflecting our commitment to being the university of choice for Māori,” he said.
The Forum coincided with the launch of the International Centre for Language Revitalisation, a centre developed in response to endangered indigenous languages around the world. The United Nations estimates 50 percent of the world’s 6500 spoken languages are in some sort of risk of disappearing.
The inaugural meeting of the professors and fellows of the ICLR met in Washington yesterday, with leading scholars from universities, including Harvard, City University of New York and the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institute.
Pacific Media Centre
