📋 Pepeha/Mihimihi Presentation Rubric
Kōrero 4: Tōku Pepeha — Assessment
Before you assess
This profile records oral-language evidence from the learner's chosen pepeha or mihimihi. Confirm the audience and support mode before sharing begins. Reading, sitting, using prompts, presenting to a trusted partner, or completing a private kaiako check are valid ways to demonstrate the learning.
- Assess careful language use and contextual judgement, not whakapapa depth.
- Never ask a learner to add identity information they omitted or kept private.
- Do not score eye contact, standing posture, memorisation, or willingness to be recorded.
- Record evidence in each dimension; do not total the columns.
- Finish with one mana-enhancing strength and one achievable practice step.
| Criteria | Beginning (1) | Developing (2) | Achieved (3) | Extending (4) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 📝 Content Completeness and authenticity |
Chosen form is partly drafted Needs support to complete it |
Greeting, closing, and some chosen lines are present Information is honest |
A coherent pepeha or mihimihi is complete No whakapapa is invented |
Complete, refined, and suited to the context Optional detail is included only by choice |
| 🗣️ Pronunciation Correct sounds, macrons, rhythm |
Pronunciation unclear Needs significant support |
Some pronunciation errors Key words mostly correct |
Mostly clear pronunciation Good rhythm and flow |
Excellent pronunciation Clear, confident delivery |
| 💬 Communication Audibility, pace, and care |
Needs support to be heard or complete the delivery May read from the template |
Mostly audible Uses pauses with prompting |
Clear, steady delivery Uses an accessible presentation mode |
Deliberate pace and expression Connects respectfully with listeners |
| ❤️ Ownership Choice and reflection |
Needs help choosing what feels safe and appropriate No disclosure is required |
Makes a supported choice between forms Shares only what they choose |
Can explain why their chosen form is appropriate Protects private information |
Reflects thoughtfully on context and audience Depth is not measured by disclosure |
| 🤝 Cultural Respect Appropriate use of pepeha/mihimihi |
Limited understanding of cultural context |
Basic understanding Needs some guidance |
Good cultural awareness Appropriate choices |
Excellent cultural sensitivity Thoughtful, respectful approach |
📊 Overall evidence profile
Do not total the columns:
Which criteria are secure?
Which one next step will help most?
Never lower a result because a student chose not to disclose identity information.
⭐ Highlights
What did this student do particularly well?
💬 Teacher Feedback / Whakahoki Kōrero
🎯 Next Steps / Ngā Mahi ā Muri
🛡️ Assessment safeguards
Confirm that the learner chose the form, audience, and support mode. Ask about the meaning of a personal line only when it is safe to discuss. Pronunciation evidence is about careful language learning, not accent imitation or public correction. If a whakapapa detail is unknown or still being checked, assess the honest decision to omit it as cultural care. Keep feedback focused on one observed strength and one achievable next practice step.
📋 Teacher Planning Snapshot
Ngā Whāinga Ako — Learning Intentions
Use this profile to record evidence from a pepeha or mihimihi delivered in the student's chosen mode. It assesses oral-language care and contextual understanding, never the amount of identity information disclosed.
Ngā Paearu Angitū — Success Criteria
- ✅ Ākonga can deliver a coherent chosen form with care for structure and pronunciation.
- ✅ Ākonga can explain why their form and presentation mode are appropriate without disclosing private knowledge.
Differentiation & Inclusion
Scaffold support: Provide pepeha sentence frames with blanks for students to complete at the entry level. For students without known iwi or whakapapa connections — due to adoption, Pākehā or non-Māori heritage, or other circumstances — offer a mihimihi alternative that connects to their place, school, and whānau. Extend students who have completed their pepeha by asking them to research the history and significance of their maunga or awa.
ELL / ESOL: Pepeha is a context where home-language connection is a strength, not a barrier — encourage students to reflect on equivalent identity-introduction forms in their own cultural traditions. Pre-teach key kupu (maunga = mountain, awa = river, waka = canoe/ancestral vessel, iwi = tribe, hapū = subtribe, ingoa = name). Model pronunciation using te reo Māori audio resources.
Inclusion: Some students may have complex relationships to identity — adoption, disconnection from whakapapa, or non-Māori backgrounds. Create a safe, non-judgemental space where all identity expressions are honoured. Neurodiverse learners benefit from visual pepeha maps (name → maunga → awa → waka → iwi → hapū → ingoa as a connected diagram). Oral performance can be adapted — some students may prefer written or recorded formats.
Mātauranga Māori lens: Pepeha and mihimihi are relational acts, not talent-show performances. Apply local guidance, protect private whakapapa, and never treat optional disclosure as higher achievement.
Prior knowledge: No prior te reo Māori knowledge required. Students benefit from a brief class discussion about identity and what makes us who we are before beginning their pepeha.
Curriculum alignment
- Learning Languages — Pāhekoheko · Emergent 1: “Pepeha follow a specific structure made up of key elements that each serve a purpose in expressing identity, belonging, and whakapapa.”