Story: Te reo Māori – the Māori language

The rākau method

The rākau method

Billie Tait-Jones of Ngāi Tūhoe teaches te reo Māori to mothers and their children in 1981 using the rākau method, at Crossways community centre in Wellington. From left to right are Maria Brocherie and Shane (2), Sue Mihaere and Petera (2), Lorraine Hoff and Rachel (3), and Billie Tait-Jones. The rākau method uses coloured plastic Cuisenaire rods to teach language. Based on the 'Silent Way' teaching methodology, it was adapted for teaching Māori by Kāterina Mataira.

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Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP/1981/2608/11
Photograph by Ross Giblin

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Rawinia Higgins and Basil Keane, 'Te reo Māori – the Māori language - Revitalising te reo, 1970s and 1980s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/41083/the-rakau-method (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Rawinia Higgins and Basil Keane, published 5 Sep 2013, updated 1 Sep 2015