3.0 out of 5 based on 2 reviews. – Customer review on 17/07/2008

I wrote the other review, too, and actually I have just realised that this is for the Study Guide, not Te Kakano proper.

This Study Guide is a useful accompaniment to Te Kakano but not very useful by itself; also, I think it is a bit overpriced for what you actually get in it. Mainly it supplements the exercises but it is quite small, and costs basically as much as the actual book.

4.0 out of 5 based on 2 reviews. – Customer review on 16/07/2008

This series is probably the best resource I've come across for learning Maori. It explains all the key concepts clearly with sympathy for varying dialects. Most sections are very clearly explained with lots of illuminating examples and exercises that really make it clear how Maori idiom works. It is also well-organised, with subsequent sections building easily onto previous ones. The mini-dictionary at the end is also well-selected and very useful.

One main drawback to Te Kakano is that it is designed to be used as part of a course in a classroom setting, making some of the exercises etc much less useful for an individual teaching oneself. In fact, some of the exercises can't be performed without the separate tapes and specialised University recording equipment.

The other problem, to my mind, is that while it acknowledges a variety of dialects the actual form of language taught is very generic and non-specific, probably to the point that it is not properly accurate in any part of the country. While this is an understandable approach when teaching students from a variety of regional backgrounds, I would like more emphasis and explanation about the actual differences.

However, as an introduction to Maori this is an excellent place to start.