Cultural Practices of Pedagogy

Literacy Contexts for Young Aboriginal Students in Inner & Outer Regional Australia

Abstract

For Aboriginal students 'becoming literate' in the dominant society is complex and challenging. As researchers of young Aboriginal' students and literacy issues, and particularly through our work in the Baiyai' project and more recently the Narang Guudha" project, we have found evidence of the ways in which the cultural practices of pedagogy are being played out in the day to day realities of Aboriginal students in their dassrooms. This data has enabled the researchers to consider the implications of the Wood's et al comment that "when children begin school they begin to acquire the identity of 'pupil' a secondary socialisation that is not necessarily negotiated but dependent on the expectations of the system and those who work within the system rather than the individual" (Woods, Boyle & Hubbard, 1999:117). Although this is something that happens for all children, when they come from a minority group within a dominant society they face an additional layer of adjustment. In particular in the case of Aboriginal students, Eades (19935) suggests that "Education systems in Australia still have a long way to go in recognising the home language of Aboriginal children and accommodating the special needs of Aboriginal speakers of English."