Education Rights
Aboriginal Teacher Speaks Out For The Inclusion Of Aboriginal Language and Culture In Education
Our guest writer, a Wik woman from Aurukun on Cape York, Australia, writes about her struggle for recognition of Aboriginal language in Indigenous education.
A few years ago the Aurukun Aboriginal school staff attended a four day workshop in Cairns with IETA (Indigenous Education And Training Alliance). During the workshop we sat with Darcel Moyle, who works for the Teacher's Union, and developed a discussion paper of our thoughts on learning while using local language and culture in the school. We also stated other things of importance, which concerned the community, and the people as a whole. We do value the way our children are taught Standard Australian English in the school, but we also value the way our children are taught at home about Wik Mungkan land, language and culture. We stated that we wanted Wik Mungkan to be valued as much as English in the school. That is the reason why we want our children to learn the kaa' pach (white) way, but we don't want them to become kaa' pach people. As people, we need to identify ourselves appropriately, and hold on to our heritage strongly. Although it is not the school's job to teach our language and culture directly, it does need to use the knowledge that is richly instilled in the people who live in the community of Aurukun, start with the language and culture the students know and build on Western knowledge and language.
As English is a universal language, we need to keep in time with the wider community, and so the learning and teaching of Standard Australian English is very important, as this ensures a person to better themselves using literacy to enhance their learning. Standard Australian English gives an Aboriginal person freedom from dependancy on kaa' pach people, and so this helps us in a way to be self-managed, self-sufficient and take control of our lives. If we want to control our land and our lives, we will need to control Standard Australian English, and we need to be able to write this language for ourselves to control our community and wellbeing. And we need to learn Standard Australian English for political purposes, not just functional purposes like everyday use. Therefore, the learning of Western language and ways is good for the community.
However, we need to focus strongly on the child's knowledge and background and gradually build on the Western knowledge and language. This is the only way our children will ever learn Standard Australian English. If we don't focus on the child's Wik knowledge as a starting point, then all sorts of factors will contribute to the deprivation of their background knowledge, and then that will affect their learning of the new kaa' pach ways. Schema theory supports this. It says that new concepts are developed in the mind by linking of new information to existing networks of ideas. This is supported by Education Queensland policy as well, as inclusive curriculum is part of the social justice strategy. A curriculum is inclusive when all that goes on in the school reflects and responds to the experiences, needs, rights and contributions of all students. It is also one which incorporates and builds on the knowledge,skills, experiences and values which students bring with them.
The use of Wik Mungkan language in the school where children are learning Standard Australian English is also supported by the ESL (English as a Second Language) program. We strongly believe that teachers cannot ignore the first tongue of the child and teach Standard Australian English by itself. A teacher cannot teach ESL awareness of different languages if they are only teaching one language. A teacher cannot teach separation of different languages if they are only looking at one language. There is a lot of ESL research and ways that support this view.
In an inclusive ESL curriculum, cultural transmission also takes place. Cultural transmission involves community, land, language and culture, using Wik knowledge and resources to assist learning. We need to teach Wik Mungkan written text, as this records for future use of the first tongue. So in the future all of our students will be able to have cultural transmission by reading Wik Mungkan, and develop identity, self-confidence and self-esteem.
It would be good if in the future all the Aboriginal teachers would be qualified to teach in the classroom. Right now, we are just teacher aides, and so Wik Mungkan is just used verbally, just for behaviour management. We need a team effort by working together to recieve a positive response from the children. So then Wik and English are both used in learning tasks.
The staff discussion paper we produced asking for these things was never really acted upon. We stated our needs for Wik Mungkan to be used in the classroom, because if we need a positive outlook for the school, we need to build on the knowledge and language of the community. We need to see equal acceptance of the Standard Australian English and Wik Mungkan language in the classrooms. We are still waiting.
Click here to read the public statement made to the press on this topic by the principal of Phyllis' school.
Click here to find out about the international law that supports Phyllis' requests.
Also, read Nanette Croce's article about American Indigenous boarding schools
