EDUC5429 – Aboriginal Aboriginal Education Assignment 2 – Major Essay
Aithne Dell 20539099
I ncorpor atin g supporti supporti ng evide evidence nce fr om a range of of relevant relevant l iteratu r e, discus discuss s how your understa understanding nding of the impact impact of cul tur e, cultur al i denti denti ty and li nguistic backg backgroun roun d on the education ducation of students students from A borigin al and T orres Strait I slander lander backgrounds backgrounds wil wil l in form your practices pr actices as a teacher. teacher.
Education within Australia is not equal for all children. S tudent engagement in formal educational settings and school retention rates for Aboriginal children remain significantly lower than those for non-Indigenous students. There a re a number of factors which may ma y contribute to this disparity. Language difficulties can arise within the classroom, with differences in dialect not being well understood by those within the education system. Aboriginal English is spoken by many Indigenous children, and while it bears a strong similarity to Standard Australian English, there are differences which are often considered in a negative manner when they used in the classroom. Stigmatising these differences without an acknowledgement of the validity of the dialect shows a lack of understanding and a nd respect for Aboriginal culture, which can b e highly detrimental to a student’s sense of identity (Eades, (Eades, as cited in Sharifian, 2005). This underlying, covert racism is also often present present throughout Australia’s political policies, h istorically relating to education policy as well. This has caused ongoing issues, with previous generations now unable to help those who are currently receiving education. Cultural issues caused by intergenerational trauma and mistreatment are often reflected in children’s thinking and ideologies, which can affect classroom learning. Additionally, there are a number of cultural factors which can contribute to family mobility, causing students to be absent from, or itinerant in, their schooling. As an ongoing factor, this can cause students to miss considerable periods of their education, causing gaps in their understanding and making it difficult for them to con tinue into the higher levels. Through factors of culture and cultural identity not being accepted a ccepted or understood by the Australian schooling system, many Aboriginal students are being denied an appropriate and adequate education.
One key factor which can inhibit a child’s ability to succeed in the classroom classroom is language barriers. In many cases, Aboriginal children in the classroom speak a different dialect of English, Aboriginal English. This dialect has been “documented in widely separated parts of Australia and, despite some stylistic and regional variation, is remarkably consistent consistent across the continent” (Malcom, 2013, p.267) While the use of Aboriginal English may not inhibit communication, there are instances where understanding can be affected. In particular, children who are a re not yet competent in the art of ‘code-switching ‘code-switching’’ (Taylor, 2010) 2010) between Aboriginal English and a more formal variation of Australian English may struggle to produce work which is considered acceptable in school. A survey surve y of Aboriginal children within Western Australia found that those who spoke Aboriginal English were three times more likely to perform at a low academic level (Zubrick et al., 2006). While children need to develop an understanding of Standard Australian English, it remains important for the teachers to ackn owledge the validity of Aboriginal English as a dialect spoken widely throughout Australia. Malcom (2013) states that it, as a language, “provides a vehicle for the common expression of Aboriginal identity” (p.267), (p.267), and Oliver, Rochecouste, Vanderford and Grote (2011) comment that the ability to speak the dialect may be necessary for “ongoing acceptance within their own communities” (p.62). (p.62). Direct and repeated condemnation of the dialect, or constant correction without acknowledgement of the need to code-switch code-switch may be detrimental to Aboriginal students’ identity students’ identity (Malcom, 2003). It is also noted that “the maintenance of a student’s first language is fundamental to their success in learning a second second language” (Oliver et al., 2011, p.61). Effort must be taken, therefore, to avoid the dismissal of different dialects such as Aboriginal English. An alternative approach is provided through the ABC of Two-Way Literacy and an d Learning Capacity Building Project Pro ject (as cited in McHugh & Konigsberg, 2004). The initial step here is to accept Aboriginal Eng lish in the classroom, before “bridging to Standard Australian English” (McHugh (McHugh & Kinigsberg, 2004, p.9). Rather than promoting the teaching of Aboriginal English, this project aims to engage students and seeks to “improve self -esteem, -esteem, attention, desire to learn, sense of place in learning environment, and retention among non-standard non-standard dialect speakers” by utilising the home dialect (McHugh & Konigsberg, 2004, p.10). p.1 0). Additionally, making the differences between the different dialects explicit and encouraging the children in the class to know when and how to use each can help students to learn to ‘code‘code-switch’ between Aboriginal English and Standard Australian English. Furthermore, it is important to contact and co nsult with those who have local knowledge
about the area and the languages and dialects used, so as to help students build their ‘bi‘bidialectalism’ (Woolfolk & & Margetts, 2013). Through approaches such as these, teachers can support each Aboriginal child’s cultural identity, both within the classroom and the community, while also allowing them opportunities to develop their understanding of Standard Australian English. Australia’s history of racism towards Aboriginal Abo riginal people continues to impact education policy and procedures today. Intergenerational trauma and disadvantage, resulting from racist policies of discrimination, neglect or forced assimilation, throughout Aboriginal populations causes ongoing issues which which can be difficult to overcome. ov ercome. Historically, Australia’s record of denying civil rights, including all but basic education, to Aboriginal people has a continuing impact today, with older generations unable to help or support those currently receiving an education. 70 years ago, it was estimated that “fewer than 10 per cent of Indigenous children throughout Australia were attending state schools, a further 25 per cent c ent were in church-based missions and the remainder – remainder – that is nearly two-thirds of Indigenous children – children – received received no education whatsoever” (Neville, as cited in Gray & Beresford, 2008, p.205). Gray and Beresford (2008) claim that many of the attempts to rectify the ‘educational disadvantage’ experienced b y Aboriginal people have been “embedded in racism, deficit theory and assimilation” (p.207). Programmes of assimilation and integration which were embedded into the curriculum following the Second World War, however, served to reject Aboriginal culture, and continuing the issues with children’s disengagement from formal schooling (Gray & Beresford, 2008). Furthermore, despite recent and ongoing attempts at reconciliation, the “Australian political system has been reluctant to empower Indigenous people to be self-determining” self-determining” (Gray (Gray & Beresford, 2008, p.214). The education system for all is therefore still developed predominately from a white, Euro-centric background, which can leave some Aboriginal children at a disadvantage. Winch (1998) describes how “[f]rom the children’s perspective all the rules have changed so that they become confused by the different cultural approaches and fall behind in their school work…White Australian Australian school children have almost always alwa ys been reared in a similar system to the teacher” (p.23). This initial imbalance shapes children’s enduring experiences of the schooling system. Approaches, such as actively supporting Indigenous culture within the classroom and working with local Aboriginal communities and knowledge can help to bridge this gap between students. By incorporating Aboriginal perspectives through local knowledge and works created by
Aboriginal authors, artists and experts, the schooling of all c hildren in the classroom can be benefitted. Student mobility has vast impacts on education. Learning is considered to be in many ways sequential, and “[m]uch of the school syllabus is built on fundamental concepts where e ach is a link in a chain of learning. The underlying premise is that the student attends scho ol on a regular basis” (de Plevitz, 2007, p. 57). However, Howev er, for students who do not attend school sch ool regularly, this can cause difficulties when attempting to catch up on missing days and especially when moving on to higher level topics before the basics are covered. Studies conducted in Yamatji country in Western Australia show that vast numbers of students are regularly moving. Examples from Cue and Mt Magnet suggest that “between 60 and 100 per cent cent of the school population was itinerant”, and in nearby Meekathar r ra “administrators suggested that at least 40 per cent of the school population were not in regular attendance” (Prout, 2009, p.44). These imply that vast numbers of Indigenous students within this area, and within Western Australia in general, are affected by familial mobility or ‘spatiality’ – both both long-term and temporary movement (Prout, 2009). A number of factors can be considered when accounting for this movement, with Prout (2009) citing factors of sociocultural obligations to be the caus e of such mobility, such as attendance at ceremonies or visiting families, familial or legal conflicts. De Plevitz (2007) raises the issues of students needing to attend funerals of family members, leading to absence from school. A failure to account for student mobility mob ility and to develop means to combat c ombat the issues arising from children not receiving a consistent education likely contributes to the low rate of completion of secondary schooling amongst Aboriginal populations. While statistics for student retention from Year 8 through to 12 are slowly increasing, the numbers are still far below those of non-Indigenous students within Australia (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012; Milroy, 2011; Schwab, 1999). By B y being aware of Aboriginal cultural factors while lead to mobility, schools, both at the administrative and teacher levels, can begin to develop ways to work around this movement, so that it is not to the detriment of the students’ education. One of the key factors listed by the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, is the importance of “knowing your students and how they learn” (Australian (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2014). 2014 ). Incorporated in this, is the need to develop dev elop strategies specific to addressing the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in order to assist in them
to develop their own abilities and talents throughout school. By acknowledging issues of language diversity within Australia, and the presence of different dialects, as well as cultural factors which can lead to school absence due to mobility mob ility or stress in the classroom as a result of a Western education system, teachers can begin to adapt to the needs of their learners. Through a range of approaches, and especially through incorporating local Aboriginal perspectives into their teaching and learning, the needs of Aboriginal students in the classroom can be supported.
Reference List
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2012). Education: (2012). Education: School retention. Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/
[email protected]/lookup/4704.0Chapter350Oct+2010. Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). (2014 ). Australian ). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.teacherstandards.aitsl.edu.au/OrganisationStandards/Organisation. De Plevitz, L. (2007). Systemic racism: The hidden barrier barrier to educational success for Indigenous school students. Australian students. Australian Journal of Education, 51(1), 51(1), 54-71. Gray, J. & Beresford, Beresford, Q. (2008). A ‘formidable challenge’: Australia’s quest for equity in Indigenous education. Australian education. Australian Journal of Education, 52(2), 52(2), 197-223. Malcom, I.G. (2003). English language and literacy development and home language support: Connections and directions in working with Indigenous Students. TESOL in Context, 13(1), 13(1), 5-18. Malcom, I.G. (2013). Aboriginal English: Some grammatical features and their implications. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 36 (3), (3), 267-284. Milroy, J. (2011, August). Incorporating August). Incorporating and understanding different ways of knowing in the education of Indigenous students. Paper presented at the ACER Research Conference 2011 Indigenous Education: Pathways to Success. Retrieved from http://research.acer.edu.au/research_conference/RC2011/8august/. McHugh, M. & Konigsberg, P. (2004, December). Accepting Aboriginal English – English – the the ABC of two-way literacy and learning. Literacy learning. Literacy Link, p.9-11. Link, p.9-11. Retrieved from http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/153087460?versionId=166840106. Oliver, R., Rochecouste, J., Vanderford, S. & Grote, E. (2011). Teacher awareness and understandings about Aboriginal English in Western Australia. Australian Australia. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 34(1), 34(1), 60-74. Prout, S. (2009). Policy, practice and the ‘revolving classroom door’: Examining the relationship between Aboriginal spatiality and the mainstream education system. Australian system. Australian Journal of Education, 53(1), 53(1), 39-53.
Schwab, R.G. (1999). Why only one in three? The complex reasons for low Indigenous school retention. Canberra: retention. Canberra: The Australian Natural University. Sharifian, F. (2005). Cultural conceptualisations in English words: A study o f Aboriginal children in Perth. Language Perth. Language and Education, 19(1), 19(1), 74-88. Taylor, A. (2010). Here and now: the attendance issue in Indigenous early childhood education. Journal of Education Policy, 25(5), 25(5), 677-699. Winch, J. (1998). Aboriginal youth. New youth. New Doctor, 70, 22-24. Woolfolk, A. & Margetts,K. (2013). Educational (2013). Educational psychology (3rd psychology (3rd ed). Sydney: Pearson Education. Zubrick, S.R., Silburn, S.R., De Maio, J.A., Shepherd, C., Griffin, J.A., Dalby, R.B., … Cox, A. (2006). The Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey: Improving the e ducational experiences of Aboriginal children and young people. Perth: Curtin University of Technology and Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.
