Te reo Māori alphabet magnets igniting curiosity and supporting language development

NZTC’s te reo Māori alphabet magnets have been developed to support the teaching and learning of te reo Māori among young children, fostering a strong foundation for language and literacy development. 

Recently gifted to early childhood centres throughout the country, this educational resource has already received an overwhelmingly positive response from kaiako. 

Ilse Veenis, a teacher at He Kākano early learning centre in Whangarei, praises the magnets for their impact on tamariki and shares how the resource has sparked curiosity. 

“These have been introduced into our TeRito space (under 2s) and were an instant hit. Our tamariki enjoy taking the magnets off the board, looking at the picture and placing it back on. They will sit and actively point to each item for the kaiako to provide them with the appropriate kupu for each image. 

“It’s a wonderful language rich resource that will support our pēpi and kaiako in developing Mana Reo. As a team of kaiako we have also learnt new words, adding to our individual language kete.” 

Ramandeep Kaur, a kaiako at BestStart Coast Boulevard in Tauranga, says the new resource is enabling children at her centre to expand their vocabulary and develop a deeper understanding of te reo Māori.  

“I’ve recently started using the magnets during mat times in my classroom, and I can say they are a fantastic way for the children to engage with te reo Māori in an authentic and interactive way.” 

Kaur says the colourful magnets encourage child-led learning, facilitate the sharing of new words, and foster language development through play. 

“I can really see children’s interest in learning with the magnets. I observed one of our tamariki, Kaia, standing up at the whiteboard and teaching the other tamariki te reo Māori with the help of the magnet letters. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, it was really amazing to witness!” 

To support our teachers and students in maximising the potential of these alphabet magnets, NZTC has created a range of resources which offer ideas on how to incorporate the magnets into teaching practice. 

Learn more about our magnets and view the accompanying resources here.