Pedagogy

Pedagogical Approach
In order to meet the needs of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in
the classroom and develop their cultural awareness, cultural inclusivity and
cultural competence educators must adopt a pedagogical approach which is
founded on understandings of cultural worldviews. Through an understanding of
the cultural worldviews that exist in the classroom educators can adapt their
teaching and learning strategies to accommodate each individual student. This
involves critically reflecting on both the curriculum and pedagogical approach in
terms of how it promotes the intellectual development and cultural identity of
students from all cultures.
Through the adoption of a pedagogical approach which is primarily student
centred, the needs of all students in the class are met. Such a framework strays
away from the traditional western pedagogy which is often characterised by
individualism, competitiveness, formality and teacher centred classroom
activities. Within a student centred pedagogy Aboriginal students are able to
maintain the autonomy which is characteristic of Indigenous culture. Furthermore
the collaborative learning environment fostered by this approach allows all
students to engage in a wide range of encounters with their peers, meaning they
come in contact with a variety of different perspectives. For Aboriginal students
such collaborative work resonates with the communal nature of Indigenous
culture. The following information provides a snapshot of how this pedagogy can
look in the classroom with reference to specific teaching, learning and
assessment strategies.

Teaching strategies
-

Allow silent pauses during conversation and allow extended time for
response to questions.

Try to incorporate language that Aboriginal students understand e.g.

deadly

Accept and allow humour as a way of communication.

Have an understanding of the autonomous nature of the Aboriginal

culture and how this may conflict with traditional mainstream
pedagogy e.g. Aboriginal student may go to the bathroom without
asking permission or answer a question without raising their hand. In
order to combat this you may create and explore the rules as a class
so they meet the needs of all students. Only scaffold Aboriginal
students into those rules which are absolutely necessary for
classroom management.

Never yell at Aboriginal students as this will elicit shame

Observe facial and gestural changes in students to read their

emotions.

Present Indigenous perspectives in this topic as part of the

framework of Australian society as a whole as well as being
Indigenous (Williams S. , 2014)

Ensure you use and encourage the use of culturally inclusive

language in discussions e.g. Indigenous peoples as opposed to The
Aborigines.

Learning Activities
-

Create learning experiences which promote collaborative learning

and group work e.g. think-pair-share, small group work

Create roles and jobs for students so they feel they are worthwhile
valued members of the classroom community e.g. literature circles

Design lessons as a series of short learning experiences which allow

students to move around the classroom and explore, rather than
asking students to focus on one task in the same spot for the entire
lesson.

Allow the use of Aboriginal English in the classroom. Generate

discussion of Aboriginal English when it is encountered and highlight
and model grammatical differences between the two.

Create working partnerships with Indigenous parents and community

members and invite them into the classroom to share their
knowledge and cultural identity.

Introduce lesson focuses and success criteria to create relevance

and contextualise the lesson for students.

Create learning experiences in which students teach each other

e.g. small groups might explore different types of narratives (fiction,
memoir, autobiography, folktale etc.) then pair with another group to
exchange knowledge.

Foster a shared learning community, where the teacher takes on the

role of facilitator to the students learning.

Classroom Practices
The learning activities and teaching strategies outlined above are intrinsically
linked to creating a classroom which addresses the diverse needs of both
Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. Many of the specific teaching practices
and learning activities which have been devised to be culturally inclusive of the
Indigenous ethos are also applicable to non-Indigenous students. Through the
adoption and modelling of such practices in the classroom, students are
encouraged to reflect and demonstrate culturally inclusive practices aiding in the
development of their cultural competence.