Georgia Duncan | 110230636

EDUC 2061
Teaching and Learning Aboriginal Education
Assignment 2: Essay

What are some of the key issues teachers need to consider for working
successfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students?

In Australia, there is a major gap educationally between Aboriginals and Torres

Strait Islander people and non-Aboriginals, and it is evident that there is an
unequal power relationship between them. The aim of this paper is to address
the importance of contemporary issues when teaching Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders, to help teachers in understanding the requirements for teaching
successfully. One of the first issues that is going to be discussed is student
diversity within a classroom and the variety of learning styles, equity and
communication there is. This will be followed by discussing Australian
Government schools and their support they have on the education of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander students, the learning gap on school attendance and
educational achievement. Thirdly, Australian Curriculum, Assessment and
Reporting Authority is going to be explored in relation to inclusive classrooms
and teaching resources. The final issue that is going to be discussed is
relationship building in themes of student-teacher relationships and community
involvement in order to build a positive learning environment that is inclusive.

Student diversity
Learning styles
We have all experienced the world in a variety of unique and different ways.
Therefore, our knowledge and understanding of the world is different. It is
important as teachers to understand the diversity of students and how their
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learning styles and abilities may differ in order to be successful when working
with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Understanding these
differences can impact the way teachers handle their students, when students
learning styles have not been found it can Impact the students learning. Gollan
and Mallon (2012) discusses how over half of school teachers that work at
schools over 10 percent of Aboriginal students have not had the training and
professional development that is crucial within the last 3 years. Professional
development is vital as educators gather knowledge and understanding about
how to be culturally Inclusive and responsive, It offers the basic knowledge and
understanding needed to teach the different learning styles. This links with
professional standard 1.2, relating to understanding students and how they learn
(AITSL 2011). There are three basic styles to learning: visual, auditory, and
kinaesthetic are used to cater all students needs within the classroom. However
due to the language barrier within a classroom, it is best to focus on visual
resources and storytelling as it follows tradition and culture.

Equity
Equity and Equality also contributes to student diversity and it is important to
understand the difference between the two terms. Throughout Harrison’s
reading, equity is described as treating students the same and supporting
students when they need it in order to provide them with what they need to be
productive and successful (Harrison 2011). Equality however, is described as
providing all students with the same opportunities and treated equally no matter
their gender or learning abilities (Harrison 2011). Australian classrooms
actually do not provide equal incentives for young people to achieve positive
learning outcomes, therefore equitable strategies need to be implemented to
create learning spaces for positive outcomes.

Communication
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There are a number of Aboriginal students that speak English as their second
language or dialect which can cause a number of problems within the
classroom. The linguistic challenges that Aboriginal people have faced since the
invasion has become apparent in a school environment where Aboriginals and
Torres Strait Islander students face victimisation and hardship, simply for
speaking an Aboriginal variation of standard English. For Example, Troy (2012,
p. 133) reveals in her article that her school daughter often named her friends
parents ‘aunty’ or ‘uncle’, because these are words used in Aboriginal
communities that are valued and respected. However, because these do not
comply with the conventional definitions of standard English terms, she was
teased by her classmates and met with cultural uncertainty. In order to include
EAL/D students in schooling, requires the use of differentiating teaching, so
that it meets the specific learning needs of all students (AITSL 2017, Standard
1.5). This also Includes using effective classroom communication such as verbal
and non-verbal ways to improve student engagement (AITSL 2017, Standard
3.5). Unfortunately, when students have a lack of social skills, it can create
communication barriers within classrooms. It is important to consider and
Identify students level of fluency and understand the barriers and factors that
may impact the teaching. Planning adaptable lessons that caters for this
diversity, will make learning for fun.

Closing the Gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

School Attendance
Attendance with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students is associated to a
number of interrelated and complex factors, such as students parents
educational level, occupation and employment status (Hancock et al. 2013). It
also includes where the students live, their socio-economic status and
mobility/transience. The council of Australian Government implemented a
strategy called, ‘closing the Gap’ which aims to reduce disadvantages among
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in regards to education, employment, and

access to early childhood education (Closing the Gap 2020). Throughout this
report it was also evident in the low attendance status that Aboriginals and
Torres Strait Islander students general attendance rate was 83.2 percent,
compared to non-aboriginals whose attendance was much higher at 93.0
percent, and for the past five years, this data has not changed (Closing the Gap
2020). According to this study, the task of monitoring school attendance is at
present off target, so it is very important for teachers to consider methods for
increasing attendance, this data is how in appendix 1. Behrendt (2008) states,
that children’s inability to attend school is explained by bad parenting, yet there
is proof that quarantining welfare payments would lead to higher school
attendance levels. This resource evidently reflects the Government’s failure to
address reports on Aboriginal Education as the article otherwise suggests using
programs with evidence for supporting students’ school attendance and
retention. This includes creating a positive school culture through an
environment that is safe, inclusive and caring. Getting to know individual
students cultural background, having an engaging curriculum that supports
students culture, community involvement, and student support groups. It is
important that schools implement these approaches as they have been shown to
have a positive influence on the enrolment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander students.

Educational achievement
Schools play a vital role In providing children with formal learning through a
nurturing and caring environment which supports students positive
development. Data results given by NAPLAN (2015) shows that at least 18
percent of indigenous students failed to meet the national minimum reading and
writing requirements, compared to 6 percent of non-indigenous. However, data
that was released in 2019 indicated that the scores among indigenous students
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has improved (NAPLAN 2019). Teachers need to learn how to strengthen the
basic reading, writing and numeracy skills of children in early childhood
education and help them develop and enhance these skills over the years. Using
the Australian Professional Teaching Standards, teachers need to show an
appreciation of Standard 1.4, focusing specifically on strategies for teaching
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and standard 2.4, focusing on
understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote
reconciliation between Indigenous Australians. (AITSL 2017). Teachers at a
graduate level need to ensure they have a safe and secure environment in
educational settings, teachers can gain knowledge and understanding of the
Impact of cultural identity and socio-economic standing. It is important, as a
teacher, to build effective learning relationships with every student in the class,
as they each offer their own abilities, history and experiences to the classroom,
and learn in different styles. It is as equally Important for students to feel as if
they belong in order to motivate students to learn as well as setting learning
goals. Through establishing attainable learning goals and using scaffolding to
achieve them, teachers may monitor the progress and determine which areas of
change are required. Using these strategies it creates positive and motivated
pupils, thus growing educational achievement and accomplishment and
supplying all Australians with fair competencies.

Building relationships
Student-teacher relationship
One of the most important considerations for interacting effectively with
students from Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander background is to build
strong relationships between teacher and students. This is crucial for promoting
equity and building trust. Teachers can build their relationships with their
students through figuring out what they are interested in, talking about family
situations, and listening to what they have to tell. Many Aboriginal and Torres
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Strait Islander students that live in Australia have no sense of achievement in a

school environment or the incentives that follow (Buckskin 2012, p. 176). This
is because they have minimal educational experience and the teachers to not
have the professional development training that is beneficial for teaching
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Some ways to connect and build
relationships with students and teachers is through creating a school group
where students of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background feel
welcome and as they belong. Inviting guest speakers from the community to
discuss their past experiences and stories. This gives the students a higher
chance of mutual understanding and respect for each other. Using these
strategies will increase the attendance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
students, and create an environment where they feel accepted, supported and
increase their success in school.

Community
It is important that educators, schools and the community integrate Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander studies into their education. Working with the
community has a number of benefits for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
students as they are able to connect to their surroundings. The presence of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and members of the local
community within school programmes and facilities is crucial to making sure
students and their support networks feel welcome. This creates an environment
where students feel supported and further develop their understanding
surrounding their cultural and person identity (Gollan & Mallon 2012). A
framework was created for Embedding Aboriginal Perspectives through the
curriculum, which has seven guiding principles that gives various approaches
for working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and scaffolds
their learning for successful outcomes (2016). When incorporating community
into everyday teaching a strategy that can be used to support students is through
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acknowledging the land in which the school is placed on and have respect for
the the connection that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have for their
country. Active involvement in the community increases students educational
outcome as it has a number of positive benefits such as improving self-esteem,
attendance and engagement.

Teaching Resources
Australian Curriculum
According to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
(ACARA), It is important that educators strive to close the gap between
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-indigenous people. Recent
revisions to the Australian Curriculum have been made to incorporate
knowledge and understanding of the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander histories and cultures. Therefore, it is important for teachers to be
aware of the ACARA (2018) before teaching. This encourages students to gain
knowledge and understanding of historical and contemporary issues that impact
communities and finding their identity in school. The Australian Curriculum
cross-curriculum priorities and general capabilities are dynamic and changing
within a regional context with the needs of the students. Gollan and Mallon
(2012), however, address how tokenistic activities are included in the
curriculum to includes students in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, without
having any connection with culture or material. Educators would hope that the
histories and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders will not be an
overt priority in the future, but rather rooted in teaching activities and implicit in
the students’ knowledge of Australia’s history. To achieve positive outcomes, It
is crucial to understand how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students learn
in regards to the curriculum and adapt their curriculum through developing units
and learning plans.
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Conclusion
To ensure that educators communicate with Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander students effectively, current problems in the Australian education
sector need to be taken into consideration. Student diversity poses problems
related to understanding student learning styles, implementing inclusive
teaching strategies and effective communication in classrooms, but can be
addressed with the use of Australian Professional Teaching Standards. In order
to significantly improve school attendance and school achievement, partnering
with government initiatives will help. Nevertheless, the government in Australia
has failed to meet the needs of all students, leaving educators responsible for
their students education. The paper also discusses recognising the limits of
building relationships with community involvement. All of these issues need to
be considered in order to work successfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander students. Finally, the paper addressed how it is necessary to carefully
select teaching resources with respect to the Australian Curriculum and avoid
stereotypes and discrimination.

Word Count: 2140

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Gollan, S and Mallin m, 2012 ‘Teachers and families working together to build

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Gower (eds) Reform and Resistance in Aboriginal Education, UWA Publishing,

pp. 149 -174. 

Troy, J 2012, ‘The stolen generations: what does this mean for Aboriginal and
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