Kaiako Reo (Language Teacher/ Tutor)

Kia ora and Hello!

My name is Ziebon-Rii,
I am a 27-year-old female tutor, teacher, educator and translator for the beautiful language called Te Reo Māori.

I am passionate about teaching Te Reo Māori in a way that is warm, supportive, and easy to understand. I enjoy helping tauira (students) build confidence through kōrero, waiata, and everyday language learning. My teaching style is patient, encouraging, and focused on creating a positive learning space where everyone feels comfortable to learn and grow. I believe Te Reo Māori is a beautiful way to strengthen culture, connection, and identity while bringing people together through learning.

Here is what my wānanga (lessons) offer:

1. Beginner (Tīmatanga)

• Basic greetings, pronunciation, introductions, numbers, colours, simple sentences, and everyday kōrero.
• Focus on building confidence and understanding foundational vocabulary.

2. Intermediate (Waenga)

• Longer conversations, sentence structures, grammar, asking and answering questions, and more detailed understanding of tikanga and culture.
• Learners begin using Te Reo more naturally in daily situations.

3. Advanced (Matatau)

• Fluent and confident communication, deeper vocabulary, formal speech, storytelling, waiata, whakapapa, and higher-level understanding of tikanga and cultural contexts.
• Often includes academic, professional, or leadership use of Te Reo Māori.