University of Auckland homepage
All experts
All experts

DrMelenaite Taumoefolau

Senior Lecturer

Maori and Pacific Studies

  • Senior Lecturer
    Maori and Pacific Studies
  • +6493737599 Ext.85167 (Work)
  • FALE - OFFICE BUILDING - Bldg 273, 20 WYNYARD ST, AUCKLAND, 1010, New Zealand

BIO

 

 

Professional Distinctions and Memberships

 

  • Language Consultant, Ministry of Education and Training, Tonga (Reviewing Tonga Language Policy) (2021 - current)
  • Language Consultant, reviewing Tongan Language curriculum for primary and secondary schools, Tonga (2021 - current)
  • Language Consultant, Ministry for Pacific Peoples (2021 - current)
  • Member of Community Advisors, Ministry for Pacific peoples (2021 - current)
  • Associate Investigator, Marsden Fund project Ancient Futures (Principal Investigator: Professor Phyllis Herda), with Associate Investigators Melenaite Taumoefolau and Billie Lythberg. (2017 - 2019)
  • Dictionary Editor and Trainer, National Monolingual Tongan Dictionary, Tonga Ministry of Education (2005 - 2009)
  • Associate Investigator, Marsden Fund project The Languages of Manukau (Principal Investigators: Allan Bell and Donna Starks; Associate Investigators: Melenaite Taumoefolau and Karen Davis). (2009 - 2010)
  • Principal Investigator, HRC Seeding Grant (Pasifika) 'Adapting the Boston Naming Test for Tongan and Samoan populations in New Zealand' (2009 - 2010)
  • Sir Paul Reeves Award, University of Auckland (1989) 

UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND APPOINTMENTS

  • Senior Lecturer
    Faculty of Arts and Education, Maori and Pacific Studies, New Zealand

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Lecturer in Tongan Language
    University of Auckland, Māori and Pacific Studies, Auckland, New Zealand1996 - present
  • Senior Lecturer
    University of Auckland, Māori and Pacific Studies, Auckland, New Zealand2003 - present
  • Director of Pacific Languages
    University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand2006 - 2009

NON-ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Senior Education Officer
    Tonga Ministry of Education, Curriculum Development Unit, Tonga1985 - 1987
  • Principal
    Tonga Ministry of Education, Tonga College, Tonga1988 - present
  • Council Member
    Council of the Polynesian Society, Auckland, New Zealand1995 - 2000
  • Acting Director
    University of Auckland, Centre for Pacific Studies, Auckland, New Zealand1997 - 2002
  • Director of Pacific Language Studies
    University of Auckland, Faculty of Arts, Auckland, New Zealand2003 - 2005
  • President
    Aotearoa Tongan Teachers Association, New Zealand2008 - present
  • Chair - Education Committee
    Tongan Methodist Congregation, New Zealand2011 - present
  • Council Member
    Methodist Church of New Zealand, Trinity College, New Zealand2011 - 2012
  • Secretary Property Committee
    Methodist Church of New Zealand, Tongan Methodist Congregation, New Zealand2011 - present

DEGREES

  • Bachelor of Arts, Concurrent Certificate of Education, English and History
    University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji1976 - present
  • Master of Arts, English as a Second/Foreign Language
    University of Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom1985 - present
  • PhD, Linguistics
    University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand1998 - present
  • MProfStudies (First Class Hons), Translation
    University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand2005 - present

LANGUAGES

  • English
    Can read, write, speak, understand and peer review
  • Tonga (Tonga Islands)
    Can read, write, speak, understand and peer review

FACULTY / INSTITUTE

  • Arts and Education

GRADUATE SUPERVISION

  • PhD/Doctoral Accredited Supervisor