New Zealand's education ministry has decided to remove Maori words from a selection of books teaching five-year-olds, prompting criticism from academics and teachers who view this as an attack on Maori identity. In 2024, a structured literacy approach was announced, emphasizing phonics for reading, which led to the exclusion of Maori vocabulary in new educational materials, specifically the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series. The decision not to reprint the book At the Marae in its smaller format centered on concerns regarding children’s ability to decode Maori words effectively.
The changes have sparked widespread criticism from academics, teachers and authors, who have called it an assault on Maori identity and the latest in the coalition government's efforts to prioritize English over the Indigenous language.
The education ministry announced a structured literacy approach in 2024, focusing on phonics and sounds to help children read, leading to the decision to cut Maori words from new educational books.
Concerns were raised that incorporating Maori words into English texts could confuse young readers, impacting their mastery of the English language effectively.
The ministry's new educational series, Ready to Read Phonics Plus, will only include Maori words in character names, while existing titles may still contain Maori vocabulary.
Collection
[
|
...
]