1.4 Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
AITSL Standard 1.4 Example 1
I design and implement effective teaching strategies that are responsive to the local community and cultural setting, linguistic background and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. As part of my strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students I believe it is important to understand their cultural needs. I understand that Aboriginal students can avoid direct eye contact to an adult, as it is considered rude in Aboriginal culture. I respect this and never correct or discipline an Aboriginal student for this. I also incorporate more hands-on learning and greater variety of practical experiences in my lessons.
I include Aboriginal stories which help Aboriginal students feel more valued and accepted, and boosts their sense of identity. Some of the Aboriginal stories I have shared are in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1 - Examples of Aboriginal stories shared in my classroom
EYLF Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5
NQS Quality Area: 1, 3 & 5
Domains: Language, Personal, Emotional, Cognitive & Spiritual
AITSL Standard 1.4 Example 2
I design and implement effective teaching strategies that are responsive to the culture and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. In a mat session I discussed with the students that the Aboriginals left hand stencils on rock in caves. I showed the students images on a Power Point as shown in Figure 2 below. I explained that hand stencils were left to mark a territory and show a person's rank, the higher the hand print the higher the person's rank. I also explained that the Aboriginal people would mix crushed ochre, water and animal fat in their mouth and blew it over their hand to make the hand stencils.
Figure 2 - Images of Aboriginal hand stencils on rock in caves as shown to students in a lesson
The students watched the YouTube video 'Ochre and Indigenous Culture', see Video 1 to the right, and click to view video.
This video shows an Aboriginal man explaining the important cultural significance of ochre, he demonstrates how to make it and also explains what Aboriginals used it for.
Video 1 - YouTube video - Ochre and Indigenous Culture
The students watched the YouTube video 'Hand paint - Aboriginal Style', see Video 2 to the right, and click to view video.
This video demonstrates someone chewing ochre and animal fat then blowing it onto a rock to create a hand stencil.
The students then participated in an activity where they made their own hand stencils using paint in spray bottles, as shown in Figure 3 below.
Video 2 - YouTube video - Hand Paint - Aboriginal Style
Figure 3 - Examples of students making their own hand stencils using paint in spray bottles
EYLF Outcomes: 1, 3, 4 & 5
NQS Quality Area: 1, 3 & 5
Domains: Language, Personal, Emotional, Cognitive, Physical & Spiritual
AITSL Standard 1.4 Example 3
I design and implement effective teaching strategies that are responsive to the culture and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. In a mat session I reviewed what we had learnt about how Aboriginals communicate through art using symbols and dot painting.
I discussed with students that there is no written language for Australian Aboriginal people so in order to pass their important cultural stories the Aboriginal people use symbols and dot painting through their artwork.
I showed the students artwork in a Power Point as shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4 - Aboriginal artwork shown to the students
The students then created their own dot paintings on gum leaves, using the sacred Aboriginal colours: black, red, yellow and white, see Figure 5 below.
Figure 5 - Examples of students Aboriginal dot art on gum leaves using sacred Aboriginal colours
The students were also given the opportunity to create their own dot paintings on bark during free outdoor play as shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6 - Examples of students' Aboriginal dot art on bark in the outdoor environment
EYLF Outcomes: 2, 4 & 5
NQS Quality Area: 1, 3 & 5
Domains: Language, Personal, Emotional, Cognitive, Physical & Spiritual