Learning te reo overseas??

[pua_nani]

Kia ora,
I'm just thinking that with more and more internet based resources - do you think that you will ever be able to have complete distance learning of te reo from overseas? I have whanau (excuse the lack of macron) overseas and I know that they would love a quality comprehensive language program that they could enroll in though distance learning - will this ever be possible do you think (emphasis on comprehensive)?

[Maori-Avatar]

Like you said, web-based technology is great at the moment, I mean nearly everyone has/or has access to a webcam or headphones with mic, and with stuff like messenger and AOL it takes only one click to establish a face to face talk over the internet and the best thing about it is that there are no international toll charges a telephone has!!! I think what Im trying to say is that I think it is essential to learning any language really to have some sort of interaction between either teacher and student or leaners and native speakers.

[HeRBz]

If there is anything downloadable id be majorly interested, paypal is all good to pay for stuff these days, only have to wait for downloadable times.

[ngati-ehoa]

Tēnā Koutou Katoa,

Te mea tuatahi.

There are books available. 'Te Whanake' range enable you to learn Maori from a beginners perspective or even for that someone who has never spoken a word of Maori. Titiro mai Te Whanake

They're available and are definitely worth their weight in gold.

The other books are Naianei Course 1 And Naianei Course 2

Both available for purchase if you wish to do so.

Ka korero au nā tākū āhua e panui ana ēnei pukapuka 'Naianei', nā te mea, kua mutu ahau te pukupuka tuatahi.
(Now, I can speak on behalf of my experience from reading the book Naianei because I've finished the first book.) - Well, just about.

My reo has gone from zero to reasonably competent even though I still get my words mixed up sometimes. The exercises are gradual and repetitive which enables you to learn well and they do come with CD's which I didn't bother with, I didn't require them because I've heard my kaumatua korero huri mai noa.

Now,

My brother who lives not so far away from me has used Te Whanake range of books, mainly Kokano and I can also comment on his progress, because between the two of us with two different yet likely resources, we both korero e ngā wa katoa when we are together and I mean ALL the time. We don't speak a word of English.

He pakaru korero etahi wa, engari, e pai maua mahi mo tēnēi wa, te mea nui mō maua.. e korero mai, korero mai, korero mai.

There are small differences with the Kokano range of books that are for sale as compared to Naianei Books, but the end result is pretty much the same. His korero is just as competent as mine and he's been using his resources and I have been using mine. The differences are so little that we make those notes so that I can learn from him and he can learn from me. You do however need the CD's to go with the Kokano stuff, I believe from his korero.

We both come from a family where both our parents were very competent Maori speakers, my mother being Ngati Porou and my father being Ngapuhi. Both parents ended up living in the beautiful Tai Raiwhiti rohe of which we call home and my Dad's Korero ended up changing over the years to suit that Rohe. We are part of the Generation who were not taught our Reo, our parents had migrated to the Big City and were dazzled by the city lights that they did not continue tikanga practices or allow the reo to flow onto us, what tikanga we did learn was very little, so it is now our responsibility to grasp our reo and pass it on to our children and their children and so fourth.

My son who has not spoken a word of Maori until he had to learn his mihi inanahi mō tōnā kura, he too is in the same boat as far as Generations go, not by his own means of course. This year he will be starting school at Hato Petera, so we're hoping that his time there will allow him to grow in his Reo, his tikanga (we've incorporated tikanga into his upbringing as a firm basis) and his education in general.

By then I'm hoping I will be competent enough in my reo to assist with him or if he out does me, then I can learn from him. Currently, I am looking for a full immersion course to get involved with, because i feel this is very important for our family, for our people in it's entirety.

As for online resources, I've been searching far and wide and haven't been able to find anything that has enough basis or enough exercises to help you learn Te Reo Maori competently enough and believe me I've looked just about everywhere. The only one that comes close and still isn't enough are the Whanake resources, characters and animations with the accessible exercises. If you can order these books online and have them delivered then it is just as good as downloading something if not better, because you'll have a resource for life.

I hope this helps, engari, Kaua e wareware. Learning your language is not a five minute process, it is long and it can be hard, the best advice I can give you is to KEEP AT IT!. If you truly want to learn your Reo like I do, it will be one of the greatest journey's you could ever undertake.

Nga mihi ki a koutou katoa. Kei te tumanako au, kua awhi taku korero ki a koutou katoa.

Kia kaha, kia manawa kei roto i tō haerenga.

Tēnā koutou, Tēnā koutou, Tēnā tatou katoa.


Nā Bevan.

[ngati-ehoa]

Like you said, web-based technology is great at the moment, I mean nearly everyone has/or has access to a webcam or headphones with mic, and with stuff like messenger and AOL it takes only one click to establish a face to face talk over the internet and the best thing about it is that there are no international toll charges a telephone has!!! I think what Im trying to say is that I think it is essential to learning any language really to have some sort of interaction between either teacher and student or leaners and native speakers.

I totally agree, the interaction is most important, having a tutor would eleviate a lot of troubles that both my brother and I consistently stumble across. We do manage through those issues, but there's nothing like having someone to either correct your korero or awhi you on a face to face basis, this the reason why I'm looking for a full immersion if one is available close by.

Maybe if we could develop a group here, we might be able to create a scenario like that. Who knows?

[Maori-Avatar]

Like you said, web-based technology is great at the moment, I mean nearly everyone has/or has access to a webcam or headphones with mic, and with stuff like messenger and AOL it takes only one click to establish a face to face talk over the internet and the best thing about it is that there are no international toll charges a telephone has!!! I think what Im trying to say is that I think it is essential to learning any language really to have some sort of interaction between either teacher and student or leaners and native speakers.

I totally agree, the interaction is most important, having a tutor would eleviate a lot of troubles that both my brother and I consistently stumble across. We do manage through those issues, but there's nothing like having someone to either correct your korero or awhi you on a face to face basis, this the reason why I'm looking for a full immersion if one is available close by.

Maybe if we could develop a group here, we might be able to create a scenario like that. Who knows?

Ae, tika hoki taau ngati-ehoa! Maybe we can start a Maori only thread here I might start one in another kaupapa more suitable, and it can be a place to just talk about anything, kei a tatou te whakaaro!

[ngati-ehoa]

ah, ka pai tera whakaaro.. mauria mai koe, mauria mai lol

[Maori-Avatar]

Kia ora tätou!

Just letting everyone know the next episode is up on my podcast so subscribe through iTunes or check it out here:
http://www.maoriavatar.podomatic.com

[cherylcolan]

Kia ora tätou!

Just letting everyone know the next episode is up on my podcast so subscribe through iTunes or check it out here:
http://www.maoriavatar.podomatic.com

I'm in the USA and just learned that Maori TV is online now. This is the first show I clicked, and I am starting at Episode 1, it will take me forever to catch up but I don't care, I'm going to try. Maybe next time I return to Aotearoa I will be able to say a few words of respect in Te Reo Maori.

I just wanted to thank Maori-Avatar for your podcast, I've just subscribed and I will be carrying it around with me on my iPod for sure.