Creating a positive learning

environment for Indigenous students

Bradley Forkert Id:a1185135
It is an indisputable fact that Indigenous children in remote and very remote
communities are being significantly outperformed by non-Indigenous students
and students living in metro locations. Although minimal progress has been
made over the years, one clear statistic shows that between 40-60% of
Indigenous children in very remote locations across WA, SA and NT are
achieving below the minimum standard in Reading in Year 3. This injustice is
certainly something that we as a nation cannot ignore"
Karen Williams, Executive Director of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation

Acknowledgement

We acknowledge the traditional and original owners of

this continent and pay respect to todays Australian
Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities who are its
custodians including in particular their past, present and
future Elders.

Welcome

My name is Bradley Forkert

I am an English and History Teacher from Macclesfield South Australia

Im a pretty cool guy

House Keeping

Emergency Exits

Toilets

Why is improving education for

Indigenous Students Important?

Indigenous students are more at risk of disengaging from school than non-Indigenous students.

One of the key characteristics of schools which are the most effective, are teachers with the
skills and knowledge to effectively engage and develop relationships with Indigenous students

The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) requires educators to be proficient in
using strategies to assist in the education of Indigenous students

It is the social responsibility of teachers to ensure that all students receive a positive
educational experience

Closing the Gap

The results of the Australian Government's 2015 Closing the Gap report showed that:

School attendance rates are as low as 14 per cent in very remote areas of Australia

Statistically, there has been no significant improvement between 2008 and 2014 for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at or above the national minimal standard
in reading and numeracy across the eight measures. (Ie. in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9).

In 2014, 34.9% of Indigenous students in very remote areas met or exceeded the
national minimal standard for Year 7 reading.

Results for non-Indigenous students show less variation by area remoteness, but for
Indigenous students, the gap is much wider in very remote areas than it is in
metropolitan areas

About 70 per cent of Indigenous students achieved the Year 5 national minimum
standards in reading and numeracy. There were significant declines in some states
across some year levels. The Northern Territory has the lowest proportion of children
achieving minimal standards.

Source: (Indigenous Literacy Foundation, 2016)

NAPLAN
The 2014 National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) report
results showed that:

Only two in 10 children in very remote parts of the Northern Territory are achieving
at or above the minimum standard for reading in Year 3. This drops to only one in 10 by
the time a child reaches Year 9.

More than half (57 per cent) of Northern Territory-based Indigenous students in Year
3 achieved below the national minimum standard in numeracy

More than 65 per cent of Northern Territory-based Indigenous students in Year 3

achieved below the national minimum standard in reading, persuasive writing, spelling,
and grammar and punctuation.

More than 75 per cent of Northern Territory-based Indigenous students in Year 5

achieved below the national minimum standard in persuasive writing

More than 60% of Northern Territory-based Indigenous students in Year 5 achieved

below the national minimum standard in reading, numeracy, spelling, and grammar and
punctuation.

Source: (Indigenous Literacy Foundation, 2016)

Australian Professional Standards for

Teachers

Focus Area 1.4: Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
students;

Focus Area 2.4: Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
Australians.

Source: (Aitsl.edu.au, 2016)

Learning Outcomes

Respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples to maintain control over their culture.

Developing Teachers cultural awareness and develop their skills and knowledge
regarding engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Teachers will identify their own personal/professional knowledge systems and

understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education.

Teachers will become sensitive to selecting resources that are appropriate to the
immediate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community understanding that some
materials are culturally biased.

Teachers will understand the role of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
community in the success of the school and student achievement levels.

Teachers will understand the implications for learning of the physical, mental, social
and emotional issues that may face Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

First Hour: Building Relationships with

Indigenous Communities

OHSW

Personal Reflective Activity

Group discussion

Break

Working With Aboriginal Communities Peer teaching Activity

Applying to your local context

Break

Second Hour: Understanding Indigenous

Students and how they learn

Aboriginal English

Self-Reflection

Group Discussion

Break

The eight ways pedagogy

Roleplay Scenario

Break (etc)

Third Hour: Developing Culturally

Responsive Curriculum

Identifying Appropriate Sources

Indigenising curriculum

Break

Activity: Outlining a piece of formative assessment

Conclusions

Questions

Personal Reflection

What is your own culture and history?

What do you think a knowledge system is? How and where have you derived
your knowledge system?

Examine your social environment: how would you describe your family,
friends and peers including their beliefs, attitudes and core values?

What skills do you possess that enable you to connect with others? How do
you relate and communicate with others? How do other people relate and
communicate to you?

Group Discussion

Break (5 minutes)

Developing connections with Indigenous

Communities
Why is this important?

Consultation is important in establishing a local focus on syllabus perspectives

and content relating to Aboriginal peoples.

The participation of people from the local Aboriginal community allows the
curriculum to be explored at a local level, making studies more relevant to
students.

Consultation with local Aboriginal communities allows educators to learn

more appropriate pedagogy for teaching about Aboriginal issues, and to take
into account the necessary sensitivities and feelings of local Aboriginal
communities when developing strategies appropriate for teaching Aboriginal
students.

Group Activity

You have each been given a copy of Working with Aboriginal Communities

Split into groups you will each be given one module to read from part 2 and 3
of the booklet

You will then be required to summarise and teach the group how to
implement that aspect of working or consulting with Aboriginal Communities

(15 minutes prep time)

Your Local Context

Now you have a basis from which to begin working with your local Indigenous
communities take this time to brainstorm ideas of how to apply this to your
local context ?

Break (10 minutes)

First Hour: Building Relationships with

Indigenous Communities

OHSW

Personal Reflective Activity

Group discussion

Break

Working With Aboriginal Communities Peer teaching Activity

Applying to your local context

Break

Second Hour: Understanding Indigenous

Students and how they learn

Aboriginal English

Group Discussion

Break

The eight ways pedagogy

Roleplay Scenario

Break (etc)

Aboriginal English

Most Indigenous students are multi-lingual with the language spoken at home often
being Aboriginal English and the language at school being Standard Australian English

What is Aboriginal English?

Huge variation in versions of Aboriginal English spoken; dependant on location

Has its own grammar, spelling, syntax, tone and inflection, which is consistent through
the language in the area

Used to include or exclude, confer status and identity within specific contexts

Uses Aboriginal words

Uses recast standard English

Common element of aboriginal English is the dropping of auxiliaries and copulas, that
is, the verbs to be and to have that link things together

(eg. Nakan them two miminis)

(eg. deadly; country; business; proper; cheeky)

Source: (Westphalen,2016), (Ab-ed.bostes.nsw.edu.au, 2016).

If you dont respect or include a

students home language

You will be alienating the student from their own linguistic context, where AE
or something else, is standard

You will be undermining the linguistic heritage of the family

You will be setting the school and yourself up in opposition to the student and
the family

Source: (Linda Westphalen, 2016)

Possible issues with teaching students

who speak Aboriginal English

It is not overtly obvious they are speaking Aboriginal English

underlying research has shown underlying the surface features of the variety spoken by
children are features of Aboriginal English in terms of conceptualisation and semantic and
pragmatic features.

Teachers need to be able to distinguish Aboriginal English from Standard Australian English
which can prove challenging

So the aim really is to enable teachers to help students develop bi-dialectal competence, is
competence in the two varieties of English, and this is often quite a challenge for teachers.

As it is extremely similar to Standard English it is often possible to dismiss it as a basic literacy

issue

When in fact Aboriginal English speaking students should be given the same accommodations
as ESL learners

Source: (Ab-ed.bostes.nsw.edu.au, 2016)

For More information on Aboriginal

English please visit:

http://ab-ed.bostes.nsw.edu.au/go/aboriginal-english

Strategies for making content relevant

to Indigenous students

This can prove difficult for teachers as every student can be different and
indigenous groups can differ greatly depending on context

However, there are ways in which Teachers can attempt to make learning more
inclusive and relevant for Indigenous learners

For Example, In the first hour we discussed how to develop relationships with local
indigenous communities

This is important as they can assist you in creating relevant content for your local
area

Communicating with local community groups can help you better incorporate an
indigenous perspective in the classroom

This can be done by creating direct links between the land and the classroom

8 Ways a Pedagogical Model (Yunkaporta 2009)

This pedagogical model is based in Aboriginal processes rather than being based on
Aboriginal perspective

Providing educators with a number of ways through which to approach a subject with
students in order to make it relevant and engaging

This Aboriginal pedagogy framework is expressed as eight interconnected pedagogies

involving:

narrative-driven learning,
visualised learning processes

hands-on/reflective techniques,

use of symbols/metaphors,

land-based learning,

indirect/synergistic logic,

modelled/scaffolded genre mastery,

and connectedness to community.

But these can change in different settings.

Source: (Yunkaporta, 2009)

For more info visit: http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/10974/4/04Bookchapter.pdf

Tell a story. Make a plan. Think and do.

Draw it. Take it outside. Try a new way.
Watch first, then do. Share it with others

Break (5 minutes)

Your Classroom: (20 minutes)

Now its time to implement this information!

Scenario:

You have in your year 9 class an indigenous student who has recently moved with his family
into the area from a remote community in Northern Queensland. The student speaks primarily
Aboriginal English and is generally disengaged with school work. While the student isnt being
bullied, they are very self-conscious of the fact that they are not able to use Standard
Australian to the same proficiency as the rest of the students in the class. You recently
overheard them call them self stupid and you believe it is this this mentality which is
preventing them from working effectively in the classroom.
As part of your subjects curriculum you are required to have this student produce a piece of
work that requires significant amount of writing.
Work in teams based on your teaching faculty: (20 minutes)
What strategies would you use to get them engaged in your specific subject area?
How could you help them become more proficient in speaking Standard Australian English,
while not discouraging their use of Aboriginal English?

Present your Findings

Break (10 minutes)

Second Hour: Understanding Indigenous

Students and how they learn

Aboriginal English

Group Discussion

Break

The eight ways pedagogy

Roleplay Scenario

Break (etc)

Third Hour: Developing Culturally

Responsive Curriculum

Identifying Appropriate Sources

Indigenising curriculum

Break

Activity: Outlining a piece of formative assessment

Conclusions

Questions

Identifying Appropriate sources

The incorporation of an Indigenous perspective is now a pivotal part of the

modern Australian classroom

When discussing indigenous people in the classroom it is important to have

the correct sources

There are a few things to consider when identifying appropriate sources so as

to not alienate or offend indigenous students and communities

Identifying Appropriate sources

Resources and support materials for Aboriginal studies must value the diversity of
Aboriginal cultures

It is important that the materials and resources recognise contemporary Aboriginal input
as an indication of the cultural diversity of Aboriginal communities and present them as
living, dynamic and changing cultures.

Resources that contain text that is demeaning to Aboriginal people and their cultures
should be avoided.

Before 1990 a lot of materials produced contained stereotyped and generalised

information about Aboriginal people

Resources and support materials for Aboriginal studies must value the diversity of
Aboriginal cultures.

Source: (Aboriginal Education K-12 Resource Guide, 2003)

Incorporating Indigenous content into

your curriculum

Building on the information you have been presented with reflect on these
questions:

What forms of assessment could enable you to be more inclusive of diverse

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students skills and abilities?

What themes/topics can be developed across the curriculum to enable the

presentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives?

Break (5 minutes)

Share Reflection (15 minutes)

Outline a Formative piece of Assessment

(20 minutes)

Based on the APST standards 1.4 and 2.4 in groups of two or three outline a
Unit of assessment which:

is inclusive for indigenous students

incorporates an indigenous perspective

Conclusions

Things to remember:

Indigenous students are at a greater disadvantage in mainstream schooling than

non-indigenous students statistically

Forming relationships with community groups is integral to creating an inclusive

and welcoming learning environment

They face issues specific to their cultural context (eg. Bidialectism)

There are specific pedagogies designed for indigenous students

Important! Do not generalise!!:

Aboriginal students do not just have one set of strengths

There is not just one Aboriginal culture or one stereotypical Aboriginal student.

Identifying individual students' learning strengths and engaging them can be

seen as important for Indigenous students, just as it is for all other students.

Questions?

Implications for the Classroom

Special considerations need to be made for indigenous students

They can need extra support equal to that of ESL learners

Unique pedagogical approaches can be implemented to support indigenous

students

Teachers need a deep understanding of local indigenous culture and develop

relationships with local communities in order to support students effectively

Resources

Working With Aboriginal Communities. (2008). Sydney: Board of Studies NSW.http

://ab-ed.bostes.nsw.edu.au/files/working-with-aboriginal-communities.pdf

Aboriginal Education K-12 Resource Guide. (2003). NSW Department of Education and
Training. http://
www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/assets/pdf/aboriginalresour
ceguide.pdf

Indigenous Literacy Foundation (2016).Indigenous Literacy. [online] Indigenous Literacy

Foundation. Available at: http://
www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/what-is-indigenous-literacy.html

Ab-ed.bostes.nsw.edu.au. (2016). ABED :: What is Aboriginal English like, and how would
you recognise it?. [online] Available at: http://
ab-ed.bostes.nsw.edu.au/go/aboriginal-english/what-is-aboriginal-english-like

Yunkaporta, T. (2009). Aboriginal Pedagogies at the cultural interface. James Cook

University.

Bibliography

Ab-ed.bostes.nsw.edu.au. (2016).ABED :: What is Aboriginal English like, and how would you
recognise it?. [online] Available at: http://ab-ed.bostes.nsw.edu.au/go/aboriginalenglish/what-is-aboriginal-english-like [Accessed 21 Aug. 2016].

Aboriginal Education K-12 Resource Guide. (2003). NSW Department of Education and Training.

Aitsl.edu.au. (2016).Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. [online] Available at:

http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers [Accessed 21 Aug.
2016].

Foundation, I. (2016).Indigenous Literacy. [online] Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Available

at: http://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/what-is-indigenous-literacy.html
[Accessed 21 Aug. 2016].

Ockenden, L. (2014). Positive learning environments for Indigenous children and young
people. Closing the Gap Clearinghouse.

Westphalen, L. (2016).Language and Multilingual Contexts.

Working With Aboriginal Communities. (2008). Sydney: Board of Studies NSW.

Yunkaporta, T. (2009).Aboriginal Pedagogies at the cultural interface. James Cook University.