News & Events

Rinat

My name is Rinat and I am from Russia (me on the left, my classmate Jane on the right). I have been living in NZ for 10 years. My mother tong is Russian, but I also speak a local dialect of the Tatar minority group in Russia. I spoke little English when I first arrived here. I only studied a short course in this language back in Russia, but it’s not enough. The main reason I chose to study English was the convenient location. As I am working full time, it’s a great opportunity to study at DynaSpeak as it’s very close to me. Also it offers very flexible timetables of their programmes. The teachers here are very friendly and they always try to get to know their students. My English has improved significantly. I couldn’t express myself in the past, but after studying here for a while, it helped him go through interviews and I managed to find a job at a Kiwi company, Fisher and Paykel as a maintenance worker. I will keep studying at DynaSpeak and improving my English. Eventually I want to study at a university. I also hope to buy a house in the future.

Toshiko Miyashiro

I had a great experience studying at DynaSpeak! Before coming to New Zealand, I was worried about how I would communicate with the locals since my English skills were limited. However, DynaSpeak's English language program was the perfect fit for me. The teaching method was the easiest to understand among any other school I had ever experienced, and the homework was divided into each theme, making it easy to work on.

I loved how DynaSpeak provided an environment where I could focus on learning. Everyone spoke English, and I was able to ask questions to the receptionist and my teachers with confidence, something I was not able to do before. The school also taught me about New Zealand's culture, and the Maori people, something I had never been exposed to before. I found it wonderful to live in a country that respected these cultures.

My ultimate goal was to speak English fluently, and DynaSpeak helped me achieve this. I completed level 3 and learned a lot about English grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. I was able to use new vocabulary I learned at school when speaking with classmates and teachers. The assessments I took gave me more confidence in speaking to English speakers. The printouts my teacher gave me were helpful, and I plan to keep reviewing them to achieve my goal.

I highly recommend DynaSpeak to anyone who wants to learn English in a supportive environment. The teachers are fantastic, and the program is designed to help students learn step by step. Thank you, DynaSpeak, for making my goal of speaking English fluently possible!

International Women's Day

Today is International Women’s Day. Time to celebrate our mana wāhine!

This is a day to honour the courage and determination of all the women who have changed history, and to encourage those who continue to do so. What would become International Women’s Day began back in February 1909 when 15,000 female labour activists marched in New York City for equal rights. Like our own Kate Sheppard and her calls for voting equality, their voices were heard, and eventually the first International Women’s Day was honoured in March 1911.

We are extremely fortunate in Aotearoa to have many mana wāhine we can admire. From politicians to singers, sports stars to authors, we can celebrate what women can do for ourselves, our wives, daughters and friends, and for us as a nation.

You may like to learn more about these two mana wāhine, one an important figure in the history of our wānanga, and one an important figure in the history of our country.

Marie Panapa (Aunty Ma)

The very fact she was known as Aunty Ma signals how important she is to our story. She was involved right from the early days, when the budding Waipā Kōkiri Arts Centre was growing towards the national education provider Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is today.

Back in the day when there were no marketing resources, recruitment staff or pool cars, Aunty Ma would take a creative approach to spread the word about a fledgling Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. “These were times when we had no cars, no money and you were always trying to work out what’s the best way to draw people’s attention to what you were doing,” she says.

“I tried to maximise things I was good at so I would put a banding wheel on the footpath and like any artist I would have a platter that hadn’t been designed, one that was in the process and one that had been through the kiln and finished.”

“People could see the process, the platter would come through like this and it would become something beautiful like this and they would stand for ages and wonder where all of this took place and It was through that engagement that I was able to maximise the kōrero for our sites.”

Taking something in its roughest form and helping to re-shape it into something beautiful, is something Aunty Ma was a part of for many years. She passed on in 2017, but as all matriarchs, her legacy will always live on.

Watch the video where she talks about her experience when being interviewed for a role.

Whetū Tirikātene-Sullivan

As the first Māori woman cabinet minister Whetū had a lot of pressure resting on her shoulders. She not only advocated for Māori rights and education, she fought to prove women could be both a politician and a mother.

Her schooling was largely pakeha, where she was often the only Māori child, but this only encouraged her to exceed at school, sport and dance. Her father, Eruera Tirikātene, held the Southern Māori parliament seat until 1967, and this exposure contributed to her own political. Whetū worked as a social worker, completed a university degree and was awarded a scholarship to complete her PhD in political science before the death of her father provided the opportunity for her political career to begin. She went on to become the second longest serving woman MP, the first cabinet minister in the Commonwealth to give birth and a member of the Order of New Zealand (highest honour in Aotearoa). During her career, she was an advocate for Māori rights and education, paved the way for gender equality in parliament and other industries, and was one of the first to initiate private bills seeking official status for te reo Māori.

With dignity and flair, she spoke about Māori and women’s rights, and lobbied for the teaching of Māori language, culture and history in Aotearoa. Whetū used her position as a prominent figure in Aotearoa to showcase Māori art in the outfits she wore. In a time where the norm was a conservative suit, she commissioned pieces from contemporary Māori artists, and in doing so reminded audiences of her identity and where her solidarity lay. She died in 2011, but she lives on as a key member on the path of gender equality in Aotearoa.

Student Profile

My name is Erica and I come from Tangshan China. I have been to New Zealand for 3 years, just bofore the Covid. I studied English at schools, starting from junior high, but stopped learning it after I finished high school. I could not finished a complete sentence when I first arrived. All I can say is Yes and No, with broken sentences. I am married to a kiwi husband. In order to have better communication with him, I decided to study English. Then, a friend of mine recommended my DynaSpeak. I studied here since level 1. Darlene was my teacher. During my study here, I learned a lot in speaking and communication, as well as English used in daily life, things like seeing a doctor, going shopping. Now I can join conversation with my husband and my in laws. My goal is to study a degree in healthcare. Therefore, I am going to keep on studying at DynaSpeak until I reach level 4. My most memorable moment was the one on one tutorial with teacher Ray. I was able to engage in the conversation with him for 2 hours. I was amazed that I could understand everything he was saying and I was able to communicate back.

Important update regarding Cyclone Gabrielle

Due to ongoing extreme weather caused by Cyclone Gabrielle, all our sites will remain physically closed on Wednesday 15 February. We will re-open on Thursday, 16 February.

Student Profile

My name is Karryl and I am from the Philippines. I have only been living in NZ for 5 months. My mother tongue is Cebuano. I started learning English in primary school. I chose DynaSpeak because the qualification is recognised by the university where I want to study at. I am currently studying level 4 general this semester. One of the things that I like studying at DynaSpeak is that we are given homework on a daily basis which keeps me motivated and progressing. I also find that school provides me a relaxed environment to study with little pressure. My speaking has improved a lot, as well as my writing and listening. Now I am more confident with my English. I recently found a job working at a dental clinic. I will work there for a period of time. Then I will go back to study oral health at Otago university. The friendly teachers here are always willing to help and make me feel little pressure from my study. I am enjoying my time at school very much and looking forward to coming to my class everyday.

Happy new year!

Happy new year. All sites are now open. We are looking forward to seeing you.

COVID-19 Health & Safety Information

Please remember to follow these key guidelines to make sure we all keep safe from COVID-19

Stay home if you are sick, do not return to work or study until you are symptom free for 24 hours.
When you arrive at one of our sites, make sure to sign in using the TWoA iPad or kiosk at the reception desk.
Wash your hands or use hand sanitiser regularly.
Cough or sneeze into your elbow and dispose of used tissues in rubbish bins.
If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask at school, please feel free to continue to do so.

Thank you for your continuing efforts in our fight against COVID-19.

Hon Kwok Pan

My name is Hon Kwok Pan. I have been living in NZ for 3 months and I am from Hong Kong. My mother tongue is Cantonese and I can also speak English and Mandarin. I learned some English at my primary and high schools. I chose to study with DynaSpeak because it is fee-free. This semester I am a level 3 student studying with Cathy. Also, I found out that DynaSpeak has a diverse learning environment for students and the age range of their students is wide, I can see senior students here study with younger generations and now I know how to build a relationship with others from different cultural backgrounds. Also I have learned some Maori words, especially spoken greetings. My long-term goal is to go to university and I am eligible to enrol once I get my certificate from DynaSpeak. I like doing the exams because I am young and I am able to deal with extra pressure. Sometimes, we are too relaxed, so, I want to do more tests to help me with my studies. 

Waitangi Holiday

DynaSpeak will be closed for the Waitangi Day Public Holiday, Monday 7th February. DynaSpeak will re-open as usual at all sites Tuesday 8th February.

Happy Chinese New Year

DynaSpeak wish you all a Happy Chinese New Year! May the year of the Tiger be a year of peace, health and prosperity!

Rosa Zapata

My name is Rosa Zapata. I’m from Peru and my mother tongue is Spanish. I only speak Spanish before I arrived in New Zealand and now I have been living in NZ for 2 years. I didn’t learn much English in my hometown. I studied English at secondary school and primary school for 3 hrs per week, but I only learned basic words. I also studied English at Unitec 4 years ago. I found out about DynaSpeak from a friend while I was learning English at a school on the North Shore and this year I’m about to finish L 2. As above, I have many different experiences of studying English in NZ. I once studied at UNITEC and there were many young people who studied with me. I had to study for more than 20 hrs. per week from Monday to Friday, 8am -2pm, 6 hrs. per day. It was a very good course. The classes were fun and dynamic. In Peru, I didn’t understand my English classes. They were not interesting. I now understand more English and I can communicate in different situations. Also, I have made new friends of different ages and from different cultures. The people in my class are all the same age and everybody wants to learn. We are motivated and we work and learn together. Furthermore, my goal at the moment is to continue with Level 3. After that, I will start looking for a job. I really enjoy my learning at DynaSpeak especially the presentations. When we showed our photos and explained them, it was very interesting to learn something about the lives of my classmates. We learn a lot of English, but also have fun. Teachers are dynamic – lessons go by quickly. They are not boring, they are dynamic.

School is now open

We wish you all the best for 2022 and wish to inform you all that All DynaSpeak campuses are now open from today!

This means that you can book a time by making an appointment at the campus of your choice to come on site to enrol or complete your re-enrolment.

Please remember that when you come on campus you must bring:

Your passport
Valid visa (e-visa)
My Vaccine Pass

Open hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm (3pm is the last enrolment time)

Christmas and New Year Holiday

This Christmas and New Year, we will be closed during this period, 2021-2022 for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa;

Last workday 2021: Friday 17 December

First workday 2022: Monday 10 January

Best wishes for a safe and enjoyable holiday. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your families.

Kuldeep Kaur

My name is Kuldeep Kaur. I have been living in NZ for almost 10 years and I am Indian. Punjabi is my mother tongue and I also speak Hindi, English and Sanskrit. I learnt some English at school and I came to DynaSpeak to improve my English level. I am in Level-5 academic. My learning experience at DynaSpeak is different from other institutes. The teacher is very good at explaining content and has a good grasp of the subject. As a result, I have gained new English skills. I identified my key mistakes and improved some of them with the help of a teacher and I also learnt New Zealand culture and slang. I plan to enrol in the Graduate Diploma in Teaching (ECE). To do this I need to sit the IELTS exam and I am already preparing for it. I like the effective teaching methods used at DynaSpeak and the friendly and supportive staff.

Labour Day Public Holiday!

No classes on Monday 25^th OCTOBER.

DynaSpeak online classes will resume as usual at all sites on Tuesday 26^th October.

Happy students from New Lynn campus

During the Auckland lockdown, DynaSpeak face-to-face classes changed into online classes.

All NZCEL students are studying hard and we have amazing participation. We are very proud of DynaSpeak NZCEL students.

Semester Break

Reminder: Next week is Break Week. There will be no NZCEL classes from Monday 4^th October – Friday 8^th October. Classes will start again on Monday 11^th October.

Please take the opportunity to relax and spend time with others in your bubble.

Daylight Saving

Daylight Saving Time starts 26^th September 2021

REMEMBER TO RE-SET YOUR CLOCKS

Spring Forward will start this weekend, so before you go to bed on Saturday, 25^th September remember to put your clocks forward an hour!

(i.e. 2 am Sunday the 26^th will be 3 am Sunday)

(i.e. 2 am Rātapu te 26^th – 3 am te Rātapu)

COVID-19 - Our Response

Important update: All DynaSpeak Tauira

https://www.twoa.ac.nz/hononga-stay-connected/covid-19

Shiyana Zubair

My name is Mohamed Zubair Sithy Shiyana (Shiyana Zubair), and I am from Sri Lanka. I have been living in NZ for four years. My mother tongue is Tamil and I can speak Sinhala as well. I knew some English before I arrived in New Zealand, perhaps from my family background and I did my university education in English. I heard that DynaSpeak is a good place to learn English and I am learning Level 4 Academic. My learning experience at DynaSpeak is quite different. Here I find well equipped class-rooms and well prepared teaching – learning lessons, which help the students to learn. Gradually, my English vocabulary and writing are improving. Also, I have learnt a lot about NZ. My long-term goal is to become a teacher and I will try to do a diploma in teaching at any university. I would like to mention that all the staff are very kind and helpful, and my teacher is awesome.

DynaSpeak moves all NZCEL programmes online during COVID – 19 Lockdown 2020

When the government announced New Zealand had to move to full lockdown on March 25th 2020 to protect the population from the highly contagious COVID – 19 virus, DynaSpeak was able to quickly move all its classes online. This transition was possible because every NZCEL programme already had an online component, familiar to students as “DynaSpeak Online”. Now the teachers have added new elements so that DynaSpeak Online Plus enables all the NZCEL programmes to be 100% online.

Teachers working in online teams have been busy creating new interactive resources, posting weekly videos, meeting with classes in Google Meets, and making sure individual students are managing with the new ways of doing things. DynaSpeak’s Academic and IT support have provided guidance to teachers in an all-out team effort.

Students have been able to meet with their teachers face to face online or communicate via online chat, to discuss any questions about homework or class tasks. They’ve also been able to discuss any issues with unfamiliar technology and have been enjoying working together with their classmates in the new online ‘Classrooms’.

Teachers say students are motivated to learn and have enjoyed being able to maintain their learning process during the weeks of lockdown. All New Zealanders are adjusting to a changed world, and DynaSpeak students have shown they are ready for the challenge.

Tatiana Silva

My name is Tatiana Silva. I’m originally from Colombia, my mother language is Spanish and I have been living in NZ for around 9 years. I knew the basic things in English before arriving in NZ and I learned English at college and university, but I never had much practice. DynaSpeak was recommended to me by some friends and they caught my attention to improve my English and I’m learning 4 Academic. My experience in DynaSpeak has been different, the methodology is very different from the courses I had taken in other places since they were based on the units of a book and only about grammar. It did not go beyond that. Knowing English has increased my knowledge about how to get a good job and improved my English skills, which help in my business in general. What I have learned is valuable and it has created many opportunities. My long-term goal is to finish my studies in DynaSpeak Level 5. I want to get my certificate to go to university and continue my studies. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the hard work put in by each one of the teachers. The methodology is a bit strict, which makes everyone take these courses seriously. In each course you acquire a good foundation for your future studies.