Aboriginal and culturally responsive pedagogies

For students to be fully engaged and reach their educational potential they need to be
behaviourally, emotionally and cognitively engaged.
What are essential components that can build positive, respectful relationships with Aboriginal and
Torres Strait I slander students?
Assess how you as a future secondary teacher will develop the key skills, values and relationships
with school communities.

When developing the key skills, values and relationships appropriate to promote positive

and respectful relationships in the classroom in regard to Aboriginal and culturally responsive

pedagogies, it is important to consider policy and classroom practice. This report will focus on

investigating the essential components that can build positive and respectful relationships with

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The purpose of this is to enable students to be fully

engaged behaviourally, emotionally and cognitively, and reach their educational potential. Through

investigating how future teachers can develop the key skills, values and relationships with school

communities, teachers can plan implementation strategies which recognise the needs of Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander students. There are many policies in Australia which recognise the

importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, and the opportunities regarding

engagement with Indigenous students. When implementing pedagogical practices in teaching, it is

important to recognise engagement and the gaps in lessons where disengagement occurs.

Engagement is a learned behaviour and is malleable and responsive to contextual factors (Fredricks,

Blumenfeld & Paris, 2004). Engagement is multifaceted and can be categorised as behavioural,

emotional or cognitive (Fredricks et al., 2004). Teachers should understand the type of engagement

that both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students are struggling with and adapt their lessons and

school environments accordingly. Behavioural engagement refers to participation and appropriate

behaviour, emotional engagement refers to the relationships to teachers, peers and the school, and

cognitive engagement refers to thoughtfulness and effort (Fredricks et al., 2004). Australian policies

regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and research on effective pedagogies for

Indigenous students should be coupled together and understood by graduate teachers so they can
build positive and respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and

help these students fully engage and reach their educational potential.

It is important to encourage engagement for students in order for them to reach their

educational potential. To recognise elements of engagement in all students, including Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander students, teacher attitudes are critical. Teachers influence academic

growth and a focus on quality has been linked to student achievement, particularly teacher-student

relationships (Mangiante, 2011). The NSW Aboriginal Education Policy (2008) calls teachers to

develop strategies to increase the participation and retention of Aboriginal students in schools

("Aboriginal Education Policy | Policy library," n.d.). Teachers can engage with this policy through

reflecting on their own attitudes. Teacher attitudes include teacher support, which can be either

academic or interpersonal, this support influences behavioural, emotional and cognitive engagement

(Fredricks et al., 2004). In order for a teacher to develop these interpersonal skills, a useful tool are

the seven pillars of support for inclusive education (Loreman, 2007). Using this tool, teachers can

strengthen their pedagogical practices and classroom environment through building their own

positive attitudes, policy and leadership, school and classroom processes, curriculum and pedagogy,

community engagement, meaningful reflection, and training and resources. The NSW Aboriginal

Education Policy (2008) also requires the implementation of Aboriginal perspectives in education.

This is important because every Australian needs to know what our roots are, and that Australia sis

not begin in 1770, our roots are in Aboriginal culture (Price, 2017). Teachers are to reflect on

practices and strategise about how they will teach Aboriginal perspectives in the classroom (Price,

2017). Working as a teacher provides a way to transform all student’s understandings of Aboriginal

perspectives and not just change perceptions, but also change lives (Price, 2017). It is important to

understand that putting theory into practice will not work in every situation, or take immediate

effect, this is why teacher reflection focusing on individual student needs is important. It is also

important to continue to promote a positive environment through teacher attitudes in order to

engage Aboriginal students. Current research explores the importance of student identity and sense
of belonging for Aboriginal students (Stuart et al., 2011), which is influenced by the teacher through

attitudes of warmth, empathy and encouragement (Roorda et al., 2011). It is abundantly clear that

knowing appropriate policies and requirements for Aboriginal education is crucial when building on

essential components of teaching to create positive and respectful relationships with Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander students.

It is crucial to develop key skills, values and relationships with school communities as a

secondary teacher. This is because teachers hold a responsibility to teach Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander education to a high standard, and also build positive relationships with all students,

including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The 2017 Prime Minister’s Report

‘Closing the Gap’ (Australia. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2017) touches on

some of the opportunities in Aboriginal education in schools. This report focuses on Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander student attendance in schools, outlining that attendance is affected by a range

of underlying issues such as mental health, family violence, intergenerational unemployment and

housing (Australia. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2017). As teachers develop the

skills, values and relationships with school communities, it is important to recognise and promote

the importance of school attendance and work with communities and families to encourage and

support attendance at school (Australia. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2017).

Future secondary teachers should develop their skills through engaging with the community to

identify and promote Aboriginal perspectives throughout the entire school. Identity is a fundamental

student need, teaching Aboriginal perspectives will pave the way for Aboriginal students to take

pride in their identity and create a sense of belonging. Recognising and connecting with individual

student needs, such as identity, promotes positive learning experiences and outcomes (Stuart, Lido

& Morgan, 2011). Teachers should engage with individual student needs in their classroom through

teaching Aboriginal perspectives, especially because the importance of social acceptance is high

amongst most adolescents. The impact of cultural racism in Australia, especially in regard to

Aboriginal Australians, has been pervasive in Australian education. The education system has failed
to address the validity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures and their

rightful, and important place in Australian society (Price, 2017). Indigenous Australians have the

right to the improvement of their economic and social conditions (Price, 2017) this should be

encouraged by eliminating discrimination and encouraging the teaching of Aboriginal perspectives

from the outset of secondary education and throughout. Identifying and encouraging positive

identity and sense of belonging within Aboriginal students is crucial for building positive

relationships and encouraging attendance and engagement within all students.

The strategies of critical importance when increasing Indigenous literacy and numeracy

skills include raising the expectations of parents, caregivers, teachers and other members of the

community in regards to Aboriginal students being able to achieve these standards (Price, 2017).

The NSW Education Act (1990) requires every student to develop understandings of Aboriginal

history and culture (NSW Education Act 1990 No. 8 [NSW Government, 2013]) which requires

teacher strategies, including a commitment to success by the principles and teachers of the school

(Price, 2017). Teachers may commit to this in a classroom level through thorough reflection of their

own lessons including differentiation, and individual student needs. Teachers may reflect on this

through the AITSL teaching standards ("Teacher Standards," n.d.) and the Quality Teaching

Framework ("Elements of Learning and Achievement | Quality Teaching Framework," n.d.).

Indigenous perspectives need to be included in the education system so that future generations

receive protected and respectful transfer of knowledge through informed teaching methods

("Education | United Nations For Indigenous Peoples," n.d.). Teachers should monitor their success

of implementing this policy through ensuring best teaching methods are used, and methods to

measure success are used for critical reflection (Price, 2017). Future secondary teachers should

implement positive classroom strategies, free from discrimination, offering Indigenous Australians

opportunity for improvement in order to reach their academic potential. Implementing various

strategies and assessing their effects in the classroom should focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander engagement, and the cognitive, behavioural, and emotional aspects of their engagement.
This reflective process will allow appropriate adjustments to be made in the classroom and school

level to promote Indigenous inclusivity in education.

Teachers need to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander needs when teaching their classes. Professional teaching documents such as the AITSL

teaching standards present the systematic practices that school teachers should engage with.

Engaging with local Aboriginal communities is part of an effective classroom planning process

especially when engaging with the AITSL teaching standards. Standard 1.4 calls for strategies for

teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives ("Teacher Standards," n.d.). When

approaching this standard for teaching, it is important to note the impact of cultural competence

(Price, 2017). It is acknowledges that teaching needs to place value on Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander perspectives, and ensure that teachers are culturally competent to prevent a more harm than

good situation (Price, 2017). When teaching in secondary schools, it is crucial that indicators of

cultural competence are observed by the teacher and the school to ensure that significant

improvements in outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are made (Price,

2017). The 8Ways Aboriginal pedagogy framework should be utilised by teachers when teaching

Aboriginal students in the classroom. This framework focuses on pedagogy that typically reflects

Aboriginal student’s strengths and encourages involvement in education and school environments.

These pedagogies include story sharing, deconstruct and reconstruct, non-linear, land links,

community links, non-verbal, learning maps, and symbols and images ("Eight Ways of Learning,"

n.d.). When planning lessons, it is beneficial to reflect on the 8Ways pedagogy, especially when

teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. This pedagogical practice and reflective

process will strengthen teacher ability and cultural competency, and improve the engagement of

Indigenous students with positive attitudes and student-teacher relationships. AITSL also calls for

teachers to understand and respect all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in order to

promote reconciliation between Australians. Teachers need to demonstrate professional

understanding of ways to teach Indigenous students, and Indigenous perspectives in order to

reconcile the relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Through

connecting to the community and promoting understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

perspectives, teachers will work towards building positive relationships with their Indigenous

students, and encourage school participation for these students through engaging pedagogies. The

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy which has two long term goals. The

first goal is to enable appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, history and

identities at all levels of education ("Aboriginal Education Policy | Policy library," n.d.). The second

goal is to provide understanding and respect for the traditional and contemporary cultures of

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (Education Council, 2015). Teachers need to have high

expectations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to work toward these goals, and also

demonstrate the belief that these students will achieve their full academic potential (Price, 2017). A

graduate teacher should develop partnerships with teachers and community members who know

more and increase community involvement within the school to improve their own cultural

competence and teach in the best interest of Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous

Australians. Teachers will gain skills through assessing the outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander students as key performance indicators of their teaching (Price, 2017).

Teachers should familiarise themselves with appropriate knowledge of policies and practices

to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement in their classes. Opportunities for

engagement should be identified and actioned by teachers in order for students to reach their

educational potential. Teacher-student relationships should be developed through knowing the

students and immersing themselves in knowledge of appropriate Indigenous teaching strategies.

Teachers should act to build positive and respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander students. Review of policies, teaching practices and inclusivity for Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander students should be current and measured. Teachers should also align these skills,

values and relationships with school communities and Indigenous communities.

References

Aboriginal Education Policy | Policy library. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/policies/aboriginal-education-and-training-

policy?refid=285843

Australia. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. (2017). Closing the gap: Prime Minister's

report 2017.

Education Council. (2015). National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Strategy 2015.

Education | United Nations For Indigenous Peoples. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/mandated-areas1/education.html

Eight Ways of Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aitsl.edu.au/tools-

resources/resource/eight-ways-of-learning-illustration-of-practice

Elements of Learning and Achievement | Quality Teaching Framework. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.theelements.education.nsw.gov.au/the-elements-manual/policy-reforms-and-

focus-areas/quality-teaching-framework

Fredricks, J., Blumenfeld, P., Paris, A. (2004). School Engagement: Potential of the Concept, State

of the Evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59-109.

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Loreman, T. (2007). Seven pillars of support for inclusive education. International Journal of

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Mangiante, E. M. (2010). Teachers matter: Measures of teacher effectiveness in low-income

minority schools. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 23(1), 41-63.

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NSW Legislation. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/view/act/1990/8/full

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profession.

Roorda, D. L., & Koomen, H. M. (2011). The Influence of Affective Teacher–Student

Relationships on Students’ School Engagement and Achievement: A Meta-Analytic

Approach. Review of Educational Research, 81(4), 493-529. doi:10.3102/0034654311421793

Stuart, M., Lido, C., & Morgan, J. (2011). Personal stories: how students’ social and cultural life

histories interact with the field of higher education. International Journal of Lifelong

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Teacher Standards. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards