Māori Language Week: Whānau Ora launches live technology to support Real Time Reo
Innovative Māori organisation Whānau Ora has launched its out-of-home campaign - ‘Real-Time Reo’.
The platform is designed to bring the beauty and importance of te reo Māori into everyday life through heralding in a new era for the revitalisation and learning of Te Reo Māori via electronic billboards across Tāmaki Makaurau last Saturday and will stay up until Saturday, September 21.
A study in the Journal of Memory and Language showed when new language vocabulary is learned within meaningful contexts (like applicable phrases and timely sentences), learners had a 60% higher retention rate compared to those who learned the words in isolation.
The innovation behind Real Time Reo centres on a custom-built, real-time dashboard that is able to adapt te reo Māori phrases and translations with context instantly.
Leveraging live data, the platform responds to environmental and social factors - such as weather conditions, the time of day, major sporting events, and breaking news - transforming ordinary moments into accessible te reo Māori learning experiences.
The campaign aims to transform public spaces into vibrant, interactive classrooms, cultivating a deeper sense of connection to te reo Māori across Aotearoa.
From large-scale digital billboards to transit displays in busy urban centres, ‘Reo Time Reo’ offers an opportunity to engage with and appreciate the richness of the language in real-time.
The platform’s adaptability makes it accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds—whether fluent speakers or those just beginning their te reo journey.