Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Definition:
This group of students includes any who are of and/or identify as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
decent.The percentage of Australians identifying as Indigenous is increasing; ‘The number of people identified as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin in the 2006 Census was 455,028 representing 2.3% of the total Australian population’ (Government, 4713.0 - Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2006, 2010). This number has increased by 11% since 2001 and is expected to continue to grow (Government, 4713.0 - Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2006, 2010).
Impact on Student Learning
The inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in all areas of education are well known and the ‘statistics are not improving anywhere near the rate they should be (Beresford, Partington, & Gower, 2003, p. 36). The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2006 showed that 40% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students performed below the international baseline. The Third International Mathematics and Science Studies (TIMSS) reported that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students performed significantly lower than non-indigenous Australian students. Indigenous students whose first language was not English and who live in rural, remote or regional areas were ‘less likely to meet the national science proficiency standard for year 6’ (Tippins, Mueller, van Eijck, & Adams, 2010, p. 419).
By year 9 the average gap in achievement between indigenous living in remote areas and non-indigenous students living in suburban areas is equivalent to 6-7 years of schooling (Tippins, Mueller, van Eijck, & Adams, 2010, p. 419).
Impact on Teaching
Because there is an ever increasing number of students identifying at Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander many teachers will encounter these students in their classroom. Due to location of residence some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students may not have access to a mainstream education from the age most other Australians do, if at all. Due to the significant achievement gap between indigenous and non-indigenous students in the Australian classroom, this may place increased pressure on the teacher and may limit the content that can be taught and how it can be delivered.
Due to English ibeing a second or third or fourth language (Tippins, Mueller, van Eijck, & Adams, 2010, p. 419) for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students this may affect how teachers can deliver information and how much of the curriculum is retained by students.
Teaching Strategies
The teacher needs to ensure that how they are teaching and the activities they are using are ‘working for the Aboriginal students and, if it is not, then they need to change it until it does work’ (Beresford, Partington,& Gower, 2003, p. 170).
The Dhinawun Consultancy (2011) suggests the following teaching strategies amongst others that can be adopted to help effectively teach Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students:
- Use of Indigenous role models.
- Encourage cultural identity and pride.
- Integration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into curriculum programs.
- Implementation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
- Implementation of localised cultural/language programs.
- Development of school-community based VET programs.
- Incorporate use of ESL teaching methodologies and practices for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students whose home language is not Standard Australian English.
- Assist students to articulate feelings to describe personal problems, so they don‟t misbehave
- Use one-on-one/small groups for instruction and activities
- Sharing information rather than questioning – try not to ask "how" or "why"
- Use student profiles to identify students‟ strengths/weaknesses
- Include symbols of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in teaching
- Behaviour Management:
-don’t yell
-one-to-one
-personal rapport – take interest in individual students
-classroom relationships– all students should be comfortable with each other
-anger management
-conflict resolution
-involve community members, e.g. Elders
- Use a range of strategies – kinaesthetic, visual, auditory modes
- Share your own stories to illustrate and initiate learning
- Utilise mentors for students – community or school based
- Take time to listen
- Bring local culture/knowledge into teaching
- Use of hands-on activities
- Avoid generalisation/labelling/stereotyping
- Draw links with students' lived experiences, interests
- Build on student's prior knowledge
- Using language students can understand – avoid jargon/check for understanding
- Learn in a meaningful context – something students can relate to, e.g. especially subjects like maths when purpose may be a little abstract
- Address specific literacy problems relevant to subject area
- Use of metacognition to teach students strategies for learning, e.g. critical thinking, problem solving, research/analysis skills
- Circular learning– recap, revisit and refocus
- Encourage self-paced learning
- Use of multiple intelligences
- Support development of motivation skills for students – goal setting, time management, etc.
Support Networks in Schools and the Community
There are a number of support networks within the community for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. One support network created by
the Government is the Closing the Gap campaign. Closing the Gap is a national challenge which aims to achieve lasting change and ensure that future generations of Indigenous Australians have all the opportunities enjoyed by other Australians to live full, healthy lives and achieve their potential. This includes access to education and further studies and employment. The national Closing the Gap strategy aims to reduce the gap between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous Australians in access to early childhood education, educational achievement and employment outcomes (Beresford, Partington, & Gower, 2003, p. 167). The Closing the Gap Campaign provides support, information and funding to students and schools.
The Victorian Government also has several Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander scholarships available for students to obtain an education.
The Victorian Government provides Community Service Organisations to students who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. These organisations (CSOs)
‘are committed to delivering high quality services for children and families’ (DHS, 2011).
Relevant Legislation
Some legislations that relate to the inclusion and teaching of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students in Australian classrooms include the following:
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005 states that the Government will provide access to services for people who are and/or identify as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander decent, including access to education (Australian Government, 2005).
Under the Children's Services Act 1996 education must be made available to all children, including Indigenous Australians and those who live in rural
communities (Australian Government, 1996).
The education provided to Indigenous Australians must be of a high quality and meet the needs of students according to the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Australian Government, 2005).
The Education Care Services National Law Act 2010 requires that all teachers provide a quality education to all students, including students who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (Australian Government, 2010).
The Education and Training Reform Act 2006 emphasises the need for quality in education, and under this act teachers must provide assistance appropriate to the needs of the individual students in the classroom (Australian Government, 2010).
Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 outlines the right every child has to receive an education, including students who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (United Nations, 1948).
Useful Links
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students, Queensland Government: http://education.qld.gov.au/parents/school-life/support-services/atsi.html
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Department of Human Services Victoria: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/for-individuals/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islanders
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Indigenous/Schooling/PolicyGuidelines/Pages/aep.aspx
101 Effective Teaching Strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students: http://www.ascqld.org.au/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=9eTRh%2FNRbbs%3D&tabid=187
This group of students includes any who are of and/or identify as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
decent.The percentage of Australians identifying as Indigenous is increasing; ‘The number of people identified as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin in the 2006 Census was 455,028 representing 2.3% of the total Australian population’ (Government, 4713.0 - Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2006, 2010). This number has increased by 11% since 2001 and is expected to continue to grow (Government, 4713.0 - Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2006, 2010).
Impact on Student Learning
The inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in all areas of education are well known and the ‘statistics are not improving anywhere near the rate they should be (Beresford, Partington, & Gower, 2003, p. 36). The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2006 showed that 40% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students performed below the international baseline. The Third International Mathematics and Science Studies (TIMSS) reported that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students performed significantly lower than non-indigenous Australian students. Indigenous students whose first language was not English and who live in rural, remote or regional areas were ‘less likely to meet the national science proficiency standard for year 6’ (Tippins, Mueller, van Eijck, & Adams, 2010, p. 419).
By year 9 the average gap in achievement between indigenous living in remote areas and non-indigenous students living in suburban areas is equivalent to 6-7 years of schooling (Tippins, Mueller, van Eijck, & Adams, 2010, p. 419).
Impact on Teaching
Because there is an ever increasing number of students identifying at Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander many teachers will encounter these students in their classroom. Due to location of residence some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students may not have access to a mainstream education from the age most other Australians do, if at all. Due to the significant achievement gap between indigenous and non-indigenous students in the Australian classroom, this may place increased pressure on the teacher and may limit the content that can be taught and how it can be delivered.
Due to English ibeing a second or third or fourth language (Tippins, Mueller, van Eijck, & Adams, 2010, p. 419) for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students this may affect how teachers can deliver information and how much of the curriculum is retained by students.
Teaching Strategies
The teacher needs to ensure that how they are teaching and the activities they are using are ‘working for the Aboriginal students and, if it is not, then they need to change it until it does work’ (Beresford, Partington,& Gower, 2003, p. 170).
The Dhinawun Consultancy (2011) suggests the following teaching strategies amongst others that can be adopted to help effectively teach Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students:
- Use of Indigenous role models.
- Encourage cultural identity and pride.
- Integration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into curriculum programs.
- Implementation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
- Implementation of localised cultural/language programs.
- Development of school-community based VET programs.
- Incorporate use of ESL teaching methodologies and practices for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students whose home language is not Standard Australian English.
- Assist students to articulate feelings to describe personal problems, so they don‟t misbehave
- Use one-on-one/small groups for instruction and activities
- Sharing information rather than questioning – try not to ask "how" or "why"
- Use student profiles to identify students‟ strengths/weaknesses
- Include symbols of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in teaching
- Behaviour Management:
-don’t yell
-one-to-one
-personal rapport – take interest in individual students
-classroom relationships– all students should be comfortable with each other
-anger management
-conflict resolution
-involve community members, e.g. Elders
- Use a range of strategies – kinaesthetic, visual, auditory modes
- Share your own stories to illustrate and initiate learning
- Utilise mentors for students – community or school based
- Take time to listen
- Bring local culture/knowledge into teaching
- Use of hands-on activities
- Avoid generalisation/labelling/stereotyping
- Draw links with students' lived experiences, interests
- Build on student's prior knowledge
- Using language students can understand – avoid jargon/check for understanding
- Learn in a meaningful context – something students can relate to, e.g. especially subjects like maths when purpose may be a little abstract
- Address specific literacy problems relevant to subject area
- Use of metacognition to teach students strategies for learning, e.g. critical thinking, problem solving, research/analysis skills
- Circular learning– recap, revisit and refocus
- Encourage self-paced learning
- Use of multiple intelligences
- Support development of motivation skills for students – goal setting, time management, etc.
Support Networks in Schools and the Community
There are a number of support networks within the community for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. One support network created by
the Government is the Closing the Gap campaign. Closing the Gap is a national challenge which aims to achieve lasting change and ensure that future generations of Indigenous Australians have all the opportunities enjoyed by other Australians to live full, healthy lives and achieve their potential. This includes access to education and further studies and employment. The national Closing the Gap strategy aims to reduce the gap between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous Australians in access to early childhood education, educational achievement and employment outcomes (Beresford, Partington, & Gower, 2003, p. 167). The Closing the Gap Campaign provides support, information and funding to students and schools.
The Victorian Government also has several Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander scholarships available for students to obtain an education.
The Victorian Government provides Community Service Organisations to students who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. These organisations (CSOs)
‘are committed to delivering high quality services for children and families’ (DHS, 2011).
Relevant Legislation
Some legislations that relate to the inclusion and teaching of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students in Australian classrooms include the following:
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005 states that the Government will provide access to services for people who are and/or identify as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander decent, including access to education (Australian Government, 2005).
Under the Children's Services Act 1996 education must be made available to all children, including Indigenous Australians and those who live in rural
communities (Australian Government, 1996).
The education provided to Indigenous Australians must be of a high quality and meet the needs of students according to the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Australian Government, 2005).
The Education Care Services National Law Act 2010 requires that all teachers provide a quality education to all students, including students who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (Australian Government, 2010).
The Education and Training Reform Act 2006 emphasises the need for quality in education, and under this act teachers must provide assistance appropriate to the needs of the individual students in the classroom (Australian Government, 2010).
Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 outlines the right every child has to receive an education, including students who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (United Nations, 1948).
Useful Links
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students, Queensland Government: http://education.qld.gov.au/parents/school-life/support-services/atsi.html
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Department of Human Services Victoria: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/for-individuals/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islanders
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Indigenous/Schooling/PolicyGuidelines/Pages/aep.aspx
101 Effective Teaching Strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students: http://www.ascqld.org.au/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=9eTRh%2FNRbbs%3D&tabid=187