5 apps for learning te reo Māori
Try these te teo Māori learning apps
As a Ministry of Education Professional Learning and Development provider, we often get asked for app recommendations. As part of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori I came across a couple of great apps. To help me with my te reo learning, I have always relied on the Māori Dictionary to learn new Māori words. The use of how to use macrons in te reo Māori is also a common issue we come across.
This list of apps and sites for learning te reo Māori we update as we come across new, innovative ways to support learning. If you know of others please suggest them in the comments.
Kupu is a new app designed by Spark which uses augmented reality. Kupu, which translates to mean “word” – works via machine learning provided by Google. Users simply take a picture, and Kupu uses image recognition to identify what is in the picture and provide te reo Māori translations for what is seen.
Kupu is an example of Augmented Reality (AR) which is a form of technology that layers the digital world over the physical world. There are a lot of different apps which perform various tasks using AR, such as finding a local cafe, mapping apps, or even a new one I use called Snoww which enables users to locate friends they follow (I use this to know where my daughter is on the mountain!).
Kupu is the next step from Te Aka Māori Dictionary which is a fabulous resource for all. It is the result of the life’s work of Professor John C. Moorfield (1943 – 2018). Prof. Moorfield was highly respected in the Māori community and was affectionately known as Te Murumāra.
Other apps and sites for learning te reo Māori
He aha tēnei ntroduces simple, useful, every day Te Reo Māori words. “He aha tēnei?” (What is this?) is an interactive Te Reo Māori drag and drop game for kids and their caregivers.
Match each part of the word to hear it pronounced. Complete the word to hear it in full. Included are everyday words such as pōtae (hat), tāheke (slide), whare (house) and more.
Aki is a Māori language vocabulary and phrase learning app. Paddle your waka and escape the taniwha by learning and identifying words and phrases. Finish one level with six dots, then start the next level with a whole new set of words.
Once you’ve completed all four levels, play them again and challenge yourself to complete the levels in the quickest time possible with the fewest mistakes. You can even challenge your friends and family to play and compare their progress and achievements through Game Center.
Tipu will help you to learn Te Reo Māori quickly by personalising the words and phrases you know! Tēnā koe, nau mai, haere mai ki Tipu, te tino rauemi, kia whakateretere i tōu ako Reo Māori.
With Tipu, Koi is your teacher and she has a Personalised Progression Memory which allows her to remember what words and phrases you know and which ones you need a little extra testing on. This ensures that you are learning as quickly as possible – it’s very clever!
Kupu o te Rā word of the day is a free service that allows you to subscribe and get a new word each day.
Great for vocab development! Kupu o te Rā is a Māori language word of the day service to help you with your vocabulary and grammar, every day!
You can register for a daily email or connect with them via Facebook or Twitter.
How to use macrons in te reo Māori
There are a few sites that provide good guidance for various computer systems for writing using macrons for te reo Māori – the best one we have come across is Kupu o te Rā – the Māori language word of the day service. Kupu o te Rā is a Māori language word of the day service to help you with your vocabulary and grammar, every day!
What others do you use? Feel free to comment them below so I can include them in this list.
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