Categories: News

Maori language app for beginners released

&NewLine;<p><img class&equals;" alignright size-full wp-image-1271" src&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;schoolnewsnz&period;fastrackdev&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2015&sol;02&sol;SND12-wk3-Lamguage&lowbar;App&lowbar;300x225&period;jpg" alt&equals;"SND12-wk3-Lamguage App 300x225" style&equals;"margin&colon; 5px&semi; float&colon; right&semi;" width&equals;"300" height&equals;"225" &sol;>Victoria University of Wellington&&num;8217&semi;s Faculty of Education has released its second te reo M&amacr;ori learning app&comma; Puna&comma; which is available for free on the App Store and Google Play&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p> <&excl;--more--> <&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The app&comma; developed by staff from Te Kura M&amacr;ori&comma; which carries out teaching and research related to M&amacr;ori education&comma; policy&comma; and practice&comma; is 
a tool for children or those beginning to learn M&amacr;ori&period; The first app&comma; Kura&comma; was developed for people with some level of proficiency in the language&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Dr Tabitha McKenzie&comma; a lecturer from Te Kura M&amacr;ori&comma; says what sets Puna apart from other M&amacr;ori learning apps on the market is that it can be tailored by the user&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;There are five modules of study and the learner can tailor each one with the choice of words&comma; flash cards and voice&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The words can be grouped into categories of food&comma; living things&comma; body&comma; home&comma; school&comma; places&comma; things that move&comma; marae&comma; clothes&comma; actions and time&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Puna is currently all in te reo&semi; however&comma; there are plans for an English translation&period;
Words can be written out on screen using a finger&comma; with a choice of colour and font&period;
 A game can be selected with a number of options for scoring and playing – either one or two players&comma; or competing against the smartphone software&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>There are also notes for teachers and parents with audio samples of sentences in which the vocabulary can be used&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;Puna is an educational&comma; fun and challenging way to learn te reo M&amacr;ori&period; Users say it makes them want to learn&comma;&&num;8221&semi; Dr McKenzie says&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;

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