A new Maori language app has been created following a University of Otago research project on how Dunedin families pass te reo to their children.
Researchers Dr Katharina Ruckstuhl, the late Dr Tamar Murachver and Associate Prof Poia Rewi noted how families in the 2010 study stopped seeing the provided visual vocabulary learning posters.
But using a different medium - an app - the families said their children enjoyed using the developed games.
New ways to learn Maori were needed to halt the decline in numbers of people who could speak the language.
''We know that younger generations are enthusiastic players of online games so it made sense to try to develop something that is aimed at this target group,'' Dr Ruckstuhl said.
The app is be free via the Apple Store, and work is under way to make it available for Android.
