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The increasing cultural diversity of students in 21st century classrooms inevitably highlights the
necessity for educators to identify effective methods and utilise appropriate pedagogical
approaches in teaching (Richards, Brown & Forde, 2007). With the implementation of initiatives
aimed at improving attendance rates of Aboriginal-students at school (Department of Education,
2014), the question arises-of how to equip teachers with the necessary knowledge, attitudes and
skills required for delivering an education for and building positive relationships with Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander children. Hanlen (2010) states that whilst an enormous amount of
goodwill amongst teachers to help Aboriginal students to achieve their potential exists, a reason
teachers provide for being unable to accomplish this is inadequate preparation. Teaching
Aboriginal students requires a holistic approach in both teaching and learning in order to
understand the educational needs of these students from their perspective, who live at the
interface of their own culture and Western culture (Hanlen, 2010). As such, this essay explores
how an understanding of the interplay between culture, cultural identity and linguistic
backgrounds of Aboriginal students might impact on educational outcomes, and how these serve
to inform the practices of a teacher to better address the educational needs of Aboriginal students.
Culture, with its customs, beliefs and values, is defined by Williams (2011) as a particular way of
life that includes various intellectual, spiritual, creative and social elements. Aboriginal cultures
are diverse and complex, and communities maintain their cultural heritage by passing their
knowledge, arts and rituals from one generation to another (Australian Government, 2008). This
proves difficult in the educational setting however, as Brady's (1997) research suggests that
Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators worldwide believe that introduced systems of
education in many cases do not allow for cultural differences. Furthermore, interviews conducted
with Aboriginal people suggest the thought that culture and traditions have been lost for most
Indigenous youth (McTurk, Carapetis, Lea,-Robinson &-Nutton, 2008). This decline in culture is
a challenge for Indigenous communities as Bourke (1994) stresses that Aboriginal people want to
retain their social organisation and management of their land and lives - all important facets of
maintaining their culture, in the onset of receiving an education that does not always
accommodate their cultural perspectives. The potential impact culture has on educational
outcomes is further emphasised by Lette, D'Espaignet, Slack-Smith, Hunt-& Nannup (2009),
who assert that a failure to acknowledge or cater to cultural needs and differences creates a poor
environment for nurturing Indigenous children's potential. As such, recognition and promotion of
cultural diversity in the classroom is significant and Johnson, Musial, Hall, Gollnick and-Dupuis
(2005) stress that the incorporation of it into the education process is crucial. This threat of losing
their culture as the eventual outcome of complying with formal education convinces Indigenous
families to preserve their identity by staying as much as possible within their own culture (Lette
et-al., 2009). The implications this has on an educator is vast, highlighting the need to adopt
culturally appropriate teaching practices and to develop a culturally responsive curriculum that
respects and best utilises Aboriginal knowledge. Much research has advocated consultation with
Indigenous parents and communities on cultural appropriateness (Lette-et-al., 2009; ColmanDimon, 2000; Board of Studies NSW, 2008) as only Aboriginal people are the custodians of their

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knowledge and culture and have the necessary experiences to give authenticity to Aboriginal
studies and perspectives (Department of Education and Training, 2011). Whilst this involvement
of Aboriginal people in the development process allows learning about Indigenous cultural
perspectives directly from Indigenous peoples, it also promotes the formation of relationships,
which Jackson-Barrett (2011) describes as a fundamental principle in Aboriginal culture. As
Connell (2009) links good teaching to a strong culture of collaboration, teachers should develop
strong relationships with both Aboriginal students as well as their families, which are based on
rapport, mutual obligation and mutual respect (Wooltorton, 1997). Collaboration with Indigenous
community members also helps with the selection of texts and materials used to deliver a
culturally responsive curriculum, requiring critical evaluation that considers the author's
perspective, authority and background in terms of authenticity (Department of Education, 2011).
In analysing cultural texts, teachers are able to develop cultural competency whilst enabling
students to appreciate and identify with a deeper understanding of Indigenous peoples' histories
and contemporary culture.
For many Aboriginal people, being an Aboriginal is a spiritual feeling and a strong identity held
in their heart (Department of Education-& Communities, 2012). The notion of cultural identity as
it pertains to Aboriginal people is based on cultural practices, confirmation of cultural behaviours
and confirmation by other people in their community (Forrest, 1998). This community
acceptance of identity and how an Aboriginal person identifies oneself is largely attributed to
kinship, which Forrest further emphasises is supported by affiliations and relationships with
others. The sense of belonging and attachment is suggestive of Berry's (1999) research that
suggests the cultural identity of Aboriginal people is derived from one's knowledge of their
membership and acceptance into a social group. As such, the importance of teachers to foster an
inclusive environment for Indigenous students and families and promote a sense of belonging
within the school community becomes critical, as the Department of Education (2011) claims the
more profoundly an Indigenous student feels inside a group, the stronger their identity will be
with that group. Simultaneously, Department of Education (2011) explains that creating a sense
of place for Indigenous people at school is difficult with the dominance of a western cultural
perspective; however drawing upon the aforementioned idea about development of relationships
with Aboriginal community members will allow for open and ongoing interaction between
students, families and the school community. There is evidence suggested by McTurk et-al.
(2008) that an Indigenous cultural presence in schools encourages this sense of belonging
amongst Indigenous students. Moreover, many Aboriginal people find the Western education
system intrusive and alienating because it lacks cultural relevance and could potentially lead to
the loss of Aboriginal culture and unique identities (Colman-Dimon, 2000). Being in a school
environment in which the cultural norms and behaviours differ from those that form their identity
makes it difficult to assimilate, thus a constant struggle to retain identity, practice values and
maintain beliefs may exist (Bourke, 1998). From this, an educator should attempt to find
common links between mainstream practice in education and Aboriginal knowledge and ways
(Yunkaporta, 2009) to foster confidence in Aboriginal students and gain a sense of identity

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within the school environment. Concurrently, teachers should have awareness of their own
'cultural baggage' (Department of Education, 2011) they bring to the classroom; particularly the
personal attitudes and perceptions formed from past experiences as they hold the responsibility
to challenge the persistent perceptions of deficit and differences between Aboriginal people and
non-Aboriginal people (Gorringe, 2011).
There is ample research that draws the strong interconnection between Indigenous identity to
language, stating that language is integral to their sense of self and identity (Berry,-1999;-Williams,2011). The importance of one to the other is further emphasised by Williams (2011), who
explains that language is the primary indicator of Indigenous identity, meaning Indigenous
identity cannot be fully legitimated without it. To illustrate the relationship between these, Eades
(as cited in-Sharifian, 2005) observes that Aboriginal English combines characteristics of
Standard English and Indigenous languages to create a distinctive dialect which reflects,
maintains and continually creates Aboriginal culture and identity. Whilst McGloin and Carlson
(2013) affirm that Standard English is the language of instruction in most Australian schools,
many Indigenous students arrive at school speaking Aboriginal-English or other variants of it
(MCEETYA, as cited in Department of Education & Training, 2011). Consequently, it has the
potential to create teaching and learning issues for teachers and Aboriginal students as this
mismatch between home and school language directly impacts on Indigenous students'
achievement in literacy and numeracy (Warren & de-Vries, 2008). Furthermore, a study reveals
that the most damaging aspect of classroom interaction in Standard-English only schools places
Aboriginal pupils in situations where their cultural identity is constantly challenged, whereby
they are expected to abandon the rules of language behaviour which define themselves as
Aboriginal (Malcolm, 2003). As a teacher, it is important to acknowledge the right of Aboriginal
children to be educated in their home language and gain awareness of the protocols of
Indigenous languages and its differences to Standard English. Department of Education-&
Training (2011) states that it is particularly vital that 'non-traditional' Indigenous language
varieties are recognised as valid forms of communication in the classroom, to overcome the
widespread misunderstanding about these diverse languages commonly mistaken as 'bad' or
'broken' forms of Standard English (House of-Representatives Commitees, 2012). As teachers
develop understanding of linguistic differences, it allows them to explicitly teach features of
Standard English, as the Department of Education &-Training (2011) states they will learn to
predict language features in activities where students will require explicit language teaching and
scaffolding.
As language forms a significant part of the culture and identity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people, its many conventions should be taken into consideration by educators when it is
used in the classroom context. There is a growing body of research that shows styles of discourse
spoken in Aboriginal-English vary markedly from those spoken in Standard-English, however
they can be effectively drawn upon as part of the education process if teachers are sufficiently
aware of them (Malcolm, 2003). Whilst Standard Australian-English is the language in which

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fluency is required for schooling purposes, it is important to note that many Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander students are only exposed to this in the classroom environment
(Department of-Education & Training, 2011). As such, the limited opportunities of exposure to
and to practice Standard Australian English should be recognised by teachers, who should accept
students' approximations as a valuable and necessary process in their learning of Standard
Australian English in the classroom (Department of-Education & Training, 2011). This helps to
ensure that Aboriginal students learn the features of Standard Australian English but not at the
expense of their home language. Interestingly, there is research suggesting immersion into a
Standard English speaking environment and the interactional conventions it entails to be
damaging for Aboriginal students (Malcolm, 2003); however Malcolm also notes that other
studies contend this statement, purporting the claim that using one's home language in class is
undesirable due to its interference with the Standard Australian English that Aboriginal students
are trying to learn. The implications this may have on the teaching practices of a teacher then, is
to find a balance between helping students to achieve required outcomes and demonstrating
cultural sensitivity. A valuable example proposed by Bean et-al. (as cited in Malcolm,-2003) is to
enable Aboriginal students to write exploratory drafts and work in their home language to
generate ideas, which teachers can then use to help the student towards the subsequent writing of
more consolidated work in Standard Australian English. Faced with disparities in language and
communication, McGloin-and Carlson (2013) reinforces the importance of a teacher to
appreciate and respect diversity, by assisting Aboriginal students to further their language skills
by utilising their knowledge in their home languages without compromising on other aspects
which define Aboriginal students to their culture.
In many instances, aspects pertaining to Aboriginal culture, language and cultural identity are
intertwined and an understanding of the interconnectedness between these factors are influential
in shaping the teaching practices and pedagogies of teaching in a culturally diverse classroom.
Knowledge of the link between Aboriginal culture and language and how these are involved in
shaping a sense of identity is fundamental in the teacher's role in devising a curriculum which
incorporates an awareness of cultural facets and an appreciation of different and valid Aboriginal
languages, whilst creating an inclusive classroom and a sense of belonging for Aboriginal
students. A teaching blueprint may not exist for the complexity involved in successfully
overcoming such challenges, but the teacher certainly plays a pivotal role in supporting the
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting-Authority (2014) framework of embedding
Indigenous perspectives into the national curriculum to ensure all young Australians learn about,
acknowledge and respect the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

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