Language Revitalization — Te Reo Māori Renaissance · Years 7–10
Language is more than just words — it carries culture, identity, worldview, and knowledge. When a language dies, centuries of wisdom and ways of seeing the world are lost forever.
Te reo Māori almost became one of those lost languages. This is the story of how it is being saved.
of Māori spoke te reo in 1900
could speak te reo fluently by 1970s
can hold a conversation today (2023)
of Māori can speak some te reo
Te reo Māori is the main language spoken throughout Aotearoa.
Native Schools Act makes English the only language allowed in schools. Children are punished for speaking te reo.
Crisis point: fewer than 5% of Māori are fluent. Most speakers are elderly. Language is close to extinction.
First Kōhanga Reo (language nest) opens — immersion preschools where children learn te reo.
First Kura Kaupapa Māori (Māori-medium primary school) opens.
Māori Language Act makes te reo an official language of New Zealand.
Māori Television launches — broadcasting in te reo to millions.
New Māori Language Act — stronger commitment to revitalization.
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week), apps, online learning, growing use in mainstream society.
Many young Māori are learning te reo as adults — even if their parents didn't speak it. Social media, music, and pop culture are making te reo "cool" for younger generations.
Globally, around 7,000 languages are spoken today. UNESCO estimates that half will disappear by 2100 unless action is taken.
Other successful revitalization stories include:
Find out about one endangered language in the world:
Interview a family member about languages in your family:
My reflections on language:
Level 3–4: Investigate social, cultural, environmental, and economic questions; gather and evaluate evidence from diverse sources; communicate findings and reasoning clearly for different audiences and purposes.
Level 3–4: Read, interpret, and evaluate information texts; write clearly and purposefully for specific audiences; apply critical thinking skills to evaluate sources and construct well-reasoned responses.
Reflect on your learning. What was the most important idea? What question do you still have?
This resource sits within a kaupapa that recognises mātauranga Māori as a living knowledge system with its own frameworks, values, and ways of understanding the world. The New Zealand Curriculum calls for learning that reflects the bicultural partnership of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which means every subject area has an obligation to engage authentically with Māori perspectives — not as cultural decoration but as substantive contributions to how we understand our topics. The concepts of manaakitanga (care for others), kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whanaungatanga (relationship and belonging), and tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) provide a values framework applicable across all learning areas, and all are relevant to the work in this handout.
This handout is designed to be used alongside other resources in the same unit. Related materials are linked in the unit planner. All content is provided — no additional preparation is required to use this handout in your classroom.
Materials: This resource can be printed or used digitally. No additional materials required unless specified above.
Differentiation: Provide sentence starters or word banks for students needing scaffold support. Extend capable learners by asking them to research a real NZ example connected to this theme. Support ELL students with vocabulary pre-teaching. Offer entry-level and extension tasks to address a range of readiness levels.
Prior knowledge: Best used after the relevant lesson. Students with prior knowledge of systems and governance will access this more readily; no specialist prior knowledge is required for entry-level engagement.