Meeting the standard

The Australian Curriculum acknowledges the inequity in learning outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students and identifies the need for cross-curriculum priority areas to meet the goal of ‘closing the gap' in education. Cross-curriculum priorities seek to address two main elements of Indigenous education: that Indigenous students are able to identify their cultures and identities being reflected in each of the learning areas. and that they can participate fully in the curriculum and that Indigenous Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority provides opportunities for all students to “engage in reconciliation, respect and recognition of the world’s oldest continuous living cultures” (ACARA, 2016).

Initiatives by Education Queensland address Indigenous education through Every Student Succeeding State Schools Strategy which targets students, teachers and principal’s performance levels and aligns with the Advancing Education Action plan which focuses on parent and community engagement frameworks, provisions for additional guidance officers and mental health coaches within the schools including increased engagement of Indigenous Education Teacher Aides, youth engagement and re-engagement in education (Gillies & Carrington, 2004). The engagement of these strategies and alliances is ensuring the acknowledgement and importance of equity in access to support services and educational opportunities for Indigenous children (Burns, Collin, Blanchard, De-Freitas, & Lloyd, 2008).

The mathematics lesson prepared will investigate alternative traditional methods of measurement, connecting with Indigenous culture through identifying symbols and artefacts to be measured.

Students will access knowledge through discussions, viewing culturally relevant videos, handling cultural artefacts and representing learning outcomes through drawing. The inclusion of elements of language, artefacts and cultural video ensures a culturally responsive curriculum experience for Indigenous students, intended to lead to an increased student engagement and positive educational outcomes for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students (ACARA, n.d.a.).

Student exploration of cultural applications for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students will involve experiences that are connected with Aboriginal ways of thinking, living and working. Aspects of this mathematics investigation are based on the conceptual framework for Indigenous histories and cultures priority as outlined by the Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority (Oxenham, 1999). Underlying elements of identity and living communities are incorporated through key interconnected concepts of country and or place, culture and people.

Yunkaporta’s 8-way pedagogy framework explicitly outlines the following strategies for teaching and learning success:

narrative-driven learning
visualized learning processes
hands-on / reflective techniques
using metaphors and symbols
linking to land-based learning
interdisciplinary approach
scaffolding and modelling
connecting to community

Standard 1.4 - Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students This page is part of the collection 'Know Students and how they learn'.

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