Students' names top priority Principal

Learning how to pronounce a student's name correctly should be top priority for all teachers, a Rotorua principal says.

Rotorua Principals' Association president and Mokoia Intermediate School principal Deborah Epp said it was usually the first thing teachers addressed at the beginning of each school year.

"I say at the very first assembly 'Your teachers will ask you how to say your name and if we're not sure we will ask you again'."

Mrs Epp's comments follow an address from Education Minister Hekia Parata regarding the poor pronunciation of Maori and Pasifika names in schools.

More than 100 educators attended the Post Primary Teachers Association conference in Wellington this week, many of whom were unimpressed by the minister's address.

"It starts with pronouncing names correctly," she told teachers. "It's one of the most common things I hear [from] focus groups with Maori and Pasifika kids."

Mrs Epp said Rotorua residents probably had a better appreciation of te reo than other New Zealanders.

"In Rotorua, we're fortunate in a way because a substantial number of our students are Maori students.

"So most of us have had a long experience and have made efforts to learn the language."

But she pointed out that many other types of names proved challenging for teachers, not just Maori or Pasifika.

"For instance, Indian students' names - in my experience you have to make a conscious effort to pronounce them correctly."

Speaking from the conference, PPTA president Robin Duff said many in the crowd were stunned at Ms Parata's reference to names, which occurred about halfway through her speech.

"It wasn't too bad up until then.

"Those who reacted ... were actually more alarmed by what they considered to be ... increasing evidence of the inability of the minister to be in touch with reality."

Mr Duff said mentors co-ordinated with student teachers in their first year of work to help with the pronunciation of pupils' names.

"Most commonly schools today [also] have an elder or kaumatua ... who is able to specialise in that area.

"It's pretty basic teaching that if you're going to work with a student and you want the best from them [that] an inability to pronounce their name ... repeatedly is hardly conducive to a good learning environment."

The Maori Language Commission says the mispronunciation of names often has a long-lasting impact on people.

"We've had many comments and stories from people of all ages about the impact of mispronunciation of their names in schools and in a wider context," said chief executive Glenis Philip-Barbara.

"So, I was very pleased to hear Minister Parata raising this."

And while efforts around pronunciation had improved over the years, a lot more work was needed, Ms Philip-Barbara said.

"For every one teacher who will take the time to try and make the effort, there are many more teachers - who for a whole complicated measure of reasons - don't make that level of effort.

"And, [it's not just] people's names but also place names and the importance of pronouncing those correctly."APNZ