Te Kura Raunui
Reo for Teachers. Reo for Tamariki.
Te Kura Raunui
Te Kura Raunui is an online reo Māori programme designed specifically for teachers and education staff working in compulsory education settings, from primary through to secondary.
This programme focuses on practical, everyday reo Māori use within the school environment, supporting confident language use in real classroom contexts.
What Will You Learn?
Te Kura Raunui centres on language that supports:
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Classroom management
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Daily interactions between teachers and students
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Beginning and ending the school day
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Transitioning between learning activities
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Organising kai, outings and class gatherings
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Common idiomatic phrases, greetings and farewells
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Karakia and waiata for everyday classroom use
Each lesson includes practical exemplars so you can immediately apply what you are learning in your own classroom.
Who is Te Kura Raunui for?
Te Kura Raunui is designed for:
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Teachers (Primary & Secondary)
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Teacher aides
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School leaders
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Support staff working directly with students
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Anyone in the education workforce wanting to confidently use reo Māori in their daily practice
You do not need prior reo Māori knowledge to begin at Level 1.
How the programme works?
Te Kura Raunui is delivered online via Zoom - but it is much more than a standard online class.
Small Group Learning
Even though there may be hundreds enrolled, you will remain in the same small breakout group (10–15 learners) each week with your dedicated Taiwhirinaki (tutor).
This consistency builds trust, confidence, and a strong sense of community.
Structured Full Immersion
From the very first lesson, learning happens through full immersion.
There is:
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No writing during class
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A strong focus on listening
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Emphasis on speaking and oral confidence
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Encouragement to welcome mistakes as part of learning
Writing notes is intentionally set aside during lessons to fast-track your ability to think and respond naturally in reo Māori.
Rākau-Based Learning
We use rākau (Cuisenaire rods), images and visual prompts to build mental frameworks that connect language with context - strengthening subconscious language acquisition.
Extensive Speaking Practice
In breakout rooms, you practice speaking repeatedly , often receiving 20–30 times more oral practice than a traditional in-person class.
LMS Access
Each lesson is recorded and linked to the Ministry’s online Learning Management System (LMS), where you can:
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Preview vocabulary before class
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Access lesson notes
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Complete follow-up activities
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Test your understanding
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The Levels (Ngā Rau)
Each level (Rau) runs for 10 weeks, aligned with the school term.
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Rau 4 – Developing Conversational Proficiency
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Strengthen your ability to listen to and follow spoken reo Māori in real time
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Develop greater confidence in responding naturally within familiar contexts
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Use extended mihi to begin and end class, alongside simple mihi for everyday use with colleagues
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Practise basic interactions with whānau and community
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Begin identifying opportunities to integrate reo Māori into your daily routines
Rau 1 – Foundations for Reo Immersion
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No prior knowledge required
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Develop confidence in learning through listening
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Build foundational classroom sentence patterns
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Focus on oral confidence over written accuracy
Rau 2 – Building Confidence Through Listening
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Extend and scaffold sentence patterns
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Strengthen repetition and spontaneous recall
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Increase flexibility in daily classroom contexts
Rau 3 – Expanding Everyday Interaction
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Broaden classroom language use
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Introduce short mihi
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Increase complexity of instructions
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Develop conversational confidence in familiar settings
Choosing your Level
One of the biggest questions we get is which level to choose.
As the goal is to build your confidence to kōrero in the classroom we recommend you start lower than what you might have studied in the past. It may be easy initially but it will give you the confidence to switch into your subconscious mind and kōrero Māori.
Here are the videos to the ‘Taster’ sessions for Rautahi (Level 1) and Rautoru (Level 3) to help you decide. The ‘Tasters’ for Levels 2 and 4 are still going and will be shared once they are done.
There are useful explanations of how Te Kura Raunui will work, sample classes as well as other videos to watch.
Rautahi (Level 1) - Session 1
Rautahi (Level 1) - Session 2
Rautoru (Level 3) - Session 1
Rautoru (Level 3) - Session 2
The Ataarangi Approach
Te Kura Raunui uses the Te Ataarangi methodology, which maximises subconscious learning.
Language capability is largely subconscious - fast, intuitive and long-term.
By prioritising listening, repetition and oral expression, learners shift language from conscious recall into natural use.
We encourage you to:
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Speak freely
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Welcome mistakes
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Prioritise confidence
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Build fluency before perfection
Confidence comes first. Accuracy follows.
Benefits of Te Kura Raunui
✔ Use practical classroom reo confidently
✔ Begin thinking in reo Māori rather than translating
✔ Develop natural pronunciation patterns
✔ Strengthen spontaneous recall
✔ Build community with other education professionals
✔ Have tools you can immediately implement in your school
Secure your spot
Registration - Term 2 (Rautahi | Level 1)
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Registrations open at 3:30pm on 30th March 2026.
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Registration is completed via the Ministry of Education portal (you will need your ESL login credentials to register).
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Each intake is limited to 1,000 spaces - we encourage early registration to avoid missing out.
Programme Commitment
Te Kura Raunui is a 10-week programme delivered across the school term.
Participants should expect a commitment of approximately five hours per week, comprising:
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Two-hour live online class
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Approximately three hours of practice
Practice can take place in your classroom with students, alongside a colleague, or with your designated “reo bestie”.
Schedule Options
Participants must select one stream and remain in that group for the full 10 weeks to ensure continuity within breakout rooms.
Option 1 – Tuesdays
Starting 21 April
3.30pm – 5.30pm
Option 2 – Thursdays
Starting 23 April
3.30pm – 5.30pm
You will remain in the same breakout group (up to 15 participants) with a dedicated Ataarangi kaiako throughout the term.
A Note on Learning Together
We strongly encourage schools and teaching teams to register together.
Learning alongside colleagues strengthens confidence, accountability and long-term reo use within your school environment.