
Session 1 · AUTHOR: Techniques
Logos: does it make sense?
- 10 minRead the logos paragraphs from the photograph and awa exemplars. Circle the connective that turns a fact into an argument.
- 10 minWarm-up: 'Studies show people remember stories better than plain facts.' Write one sentence explaining what that shows and why it matters.
- 25 minWrite your logos paragraph using PEEL: a fact, statistic or research finding, what it shows, and a link back to your angle. Use 'That means…', 'Because of this…', 'That's not opinion. That's…'.
- 5 minCheck: is your evidence from a source you can name?
Session 2 · AUTHOR: Hear Voices
Pepeha and mihi
- 10 minA guest (the school's te reo lead, a kaumātua or a whānau member) shares their pepeha or mihi and explains what it means to them.
- 15 minWhat's in a pepeha: maunga, awa or moana, waka, iwi, hapū, where you are from, your name. What's in a mihi. Why these connect people to land and to each other.
- 20 minPlace map: draw the places you belong to or stand in now (a mountain, a river or sea, your family's heritage). Plan your introduction with whānau guidance, or plan an introduction about where you live now.
- 5 minPractise pronunciation of the te reo Māori words with audio from Te Aka Māori Dictionary.
Session 3 · AUTHOR: Hear Voices
Podcasts and debates: talking together
- 10 minListen to two minutes of a New Zealand kids' podcast. What makes it sound like a conversation, not a reading?
- 15 minPodcast planning in threes: three segments, a signpost for each ('Coming up…', 'So that's the first thing…'), an analogy or example to help listeners.
- 20 minMini-debate on a fun motion (for example 'Holidays should be longer than school terms'): two teams of three, one point each, one rebuttal each, then swap sides.
- 5 minSummariser from each group reports where people agreed and differed.
Getting started
Use a podcast planning grid with segment boxes and signpost starters.
Stretch
Include a whakataukī or proverb in your speech that fits your angle, check its meaning and source, and say where it comes from.
Checkpoint
Logos paragraph drafted; each student has a plan for their introduction and a podcast segment.
Activities for this week
- Fact to argument: How do I stop a fact just sitting there?
- Place map for a pepeha or mihi: Where do I stand, and how do I say it with respect?
- Podcast in a pod: How do we make listening easy for someone who can't see us?
Useful this week
- Speech New Zealand ↗ Speech and communication awards and ideas for young speakers.
- NZ Schools' Debating resources ↗ Speaker roles, rebuttal tips and example debates.
- Pepeha ↗ What a pepeha is and how whānau can build one together.
- Te Aka Māori Dictionary ↗ Meanings and audio pronunciation for pepeha, mihi and other words.
- Whaikōrero ↗ Learn about Māori oratory and the language of formal speech.