102085: ACRP 18075872 – Tran Tuong Vi Nguyen

Aboriginal & Culturally Responsive Pedagogies: Critical Reflective Essay

Describe the essential components that can build positive, respectful relationships with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and improve retention. Assess how you as a
future secondary teacher will support Aboriginal student learning, success and retention. Use
key policy documents to support your argument.

Cultural inclusivity requires the understanding of difference, in order to create an inclusive

learning environment that accommodates all diverse learners. In order for students to value
the notion of diversity, there is a need to encourage the student to become cultural agents who
can “bring their unique cultural experiences and perspectives to classroom discourse”
(Dreamson, Thomas, Lee Hong & Kim, 2017, p. 948). This will promote a respectful
relationship among students, where they can share and appreciate the diversity of all cultures,
languages and customs. Such diverse learning environments will elevate diverse learning
needs, regardless of their cultures that are underpinned by the western education system.
Cultural inclusivity aims to eliminate the eurocentric monologue way of teaching and
learning, is hoping to provide equal access and learning experience for all learners. This
essay highlights the improvements in building and strengthening the relationship with the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. There are current government policies to
ensure the notion of closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous academic
outcomes and strategies to improve retention rates. Educators must be highly aware and
competent in Indigenous culture and pedagogy to build a culturally inclusive learning
environment. Hence, there are certain limitations for educators to address particular needs, it
is still imperative to uphold a culturally responsive approach in order to promote equity
within the classroom.

During the period of the European settlers in Australia, there has been a negative
fallacy towards the belief that “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were
uneducable” (Price, 2015, p. 2). This notion of “diffusionism” (Battiste, 1998, p. 22) is
labelled as the Eurocentric way of thinking. The force of assimilation and acculturation to
Eurocentric knowledge in the pasts had allowed the modern governments and educational
institutions to misplaced Indigenous knowledge. The mainstream schools have structured,
supported and reinforced the eurocentric contexts and consequences through traditional
academic theory and practice, simply ignoring the Indigenous perspectives, knowledge and
thoughts (Battiste, 1998). This moving forward from the western lens had caused the
Indigenous people to be seen as backward and as passive learners of European knowledge
102085: ACRP 18075872 – Tran Tuong Vi Nguyen

(Battiste, 2005). In addressing the matter of Indigenous knowledge as the ‘othered’, this had
pushed for a recognition for Indigenous education in the 1967 referendum. By removing the
words ‘other than the Aboriginal people in any State’, receiving the highest YES vote ever
recorded in a federal referendum, which was one of the most powerful influence on the
Indigenous education in the 20th century (Herbert, 2015). It must be acknowledged that over
the recent decades, the Australian government had mandated exclusive policies to equalise
the inequality within the educational system, underlined in the 1990 National Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Education Policy (NATSIEP) (Herbert, 2015). The Partnership
Agreement between the NSW Department of Education (NSW DE) and the NSW Aboriginal
Education Consultative Group Incorporated (NSW AECG Inc.) established community-based
relationships of respect, trust, commitment and collaboration to enhance Indigenous
educational success across all levels of education (NSW Department of Education and
Training [NSW DET], 2008).

The Aboriginal Education Policy (AEP) was implemented to confirm the NSW DE’s
commitment to addressing and improving Indigenous students educational outcomes
throughout Australia (NSW DE, 2008). The Aboriginal Education and Communities has
created a Turning Policy into Action guide to support educators in upholding the
implementation of the Aboriginal Education Policy. Moreover, the Australian Professional
Standards for Teaching (APST) is assessed every three years to ensure that the quality
teaching of Indigenous students is upheld and maintained (AITSL, 2017). In addition to these
standards involves the implementation of teaching ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
histories and cultures’ across all learning areas (Australian Curriculum, Assessment, and
Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2016). The nature of these policies, ASPT and cross-
curriculum requirements highlights educators’ and stakeholders’ expectations within the
educational institution as a way to evaluate and measure educators’ compliance for
Indigenous learners. Educators who fail to comply with these policies, requirements and
expectations will result in a loss of employment as they are held accountable for non-
compliance. Nevertheless, it is difficult to inspect and measure teacher’s prejudice within the
classroom. Hence, this is a vital understanding for educators to critically re-evaluate their
own teaching philosophy when delivering their knowledge of Indigenous history and
education when addressing the concern of ‘closing the gap’.
102085: ACRP 18075872 – Tran Tuong Vi Nguyen

Over the past decades, there has been a strong focus on Indigenous disadvantage
which made ‘closing the gap’ for Indigenous Australians a mantra for both public and private
sectors. The idea for ‘closing the gap’ was developed from the Social Justice Report 2005
(Australian, Human Rights Commission [AHRC], 2005), outlining explicit concerns in
relations to Indigenous inequality and disadvantages. According to the Australian
Government (2018) report, the national attainment rates for Indigenous Australians achieving
year 12 or equivalent increased from 47.4% in 2006 to 65.3% in 2016, yet, it is reasonably
lower than non-Indigenous students. In recent years, there has been a major thrust to increase
retention rates for Indigenous students. The overall attendance rates for Indigenous students
was 83.2%, while 93.0% of non-Indigenous students in 2017 (Australian Government, 2018).
Additionally, the report mentioned that the attendance rates in the inner-regional area are
increasing compared to remote areas that are dealing with low socioeconomic deficiency
(Australian Government, 2018). In addressing the attendance rates for remote areas, the
Australian government implemented the Remote School Attendance Strategy (RSAS) in
attempt to improve retention rates through employing Indigenous communities to modify
strategies that address certain needs, for instance, providing travel assistance to schools
(Australian Government, 2018). This report indicates a demand for policies makers and
governments to implement funding and strategies that are more effective and relevant for
Indigenous students.

In mainstream schools, teachers are responsible for setting high expectations within
the classroom, while also fostering a positive environment of cultural inclusivity. There are
various researches into teachers’ expectation, attitudes and beliefs towards an intercultural
understanding of different cultures, however, there is little that addresses Indigenous culture
(McKinley, 2005). This could be the result of the Eurocentric way of thinking as Indigenous
education was not considered as its own phenomenon, but assimilating into the western
culture. Many teachers did not consider the cultural difference for Indigenous students, rather
view the issue of Indigenous underachievement as a deficit of their culture or the person. The
issue of low teachers’ efficacy and expectations will potentially create a ripple effect of
lowering expectations for Indigenous students, which may impact on their academic
achievements, behaviours within the classroom and a decline in attendance (McKinley, 2005;
Sleeter, 2011). This “deficit [way of] thinking” (Vass, 2012, p. 88) had undermined teachers’
ability and competency to facilitate a culturally responsive environment. However, it is not
entirely the teachers' responsibilities for delivering Indigenous knowledge, as policymakers
102085: ACRP 18075872 – Tran Tuong Vi Nguyen

and universities must contribute towards assisting and training pre-service teachers build their
cultural competency (Rose, 2015).

There is now an expectation for teachers’ to eliminate the Eurocentric way of thinking
and moving towards the notion of change due to globalisation, ensuring the eradication of
racism for Indigenous students (Castagno & Brayboy, 2008). It is imperative for teachers to
integrate Indigenous knowledge outline in the ASPT standards, in hopes to improve critical
engagement, respectful relationships and attendance rates (ACARA, 2016; AITSL, 2017). It
There are many advantages of a culturally inclusive classroom, however, it also could be
beneficial for non-Indigenous students as well. Exposing non-Indigenous students to
Indigenous culture will inform their understanding of difference and enlightening the idea of
acceptance while allowing them the opportunities to challenge their existing opinions and
attitudes of the westernised way (Burridge, Whalan & Vaughan, 2012; Page & Asmar, 2008).
This creates a shared experience among the students to be culturally active agents in their
society by eliminating their preconceived opinions constructed by the media and society. The
idea of implementing theory in practice is an effective way to ensure inclusivity according to
the Quality Teaching (QT) framework, for instance, taking a critical approach of the ‘8 ways
of learning’ from the Aboriginal pedagogy (Harrison & Sellwood, 2016; NSW DET, 2003)
that ensure different learning styles. For example, in an English lesson on contextual
concepts, providing multiple means of representation such as the use of visual and audio
representation through films, images and arts. By incorporating the genuine approach of
Indigenous knowledge and pedagogies, it will ensure the improvement of retention rates as
the students will be fully aware and engagement with their culture.

While there is an expectation for teachers to improve Indigenous students retentions

rates through effective pedagogy within the classroom, there are exterior factors such as
school atmosphere, past performance and bullying/ harassment that may contribute to their
attendance rates. This raises the idea of distrust towards the educational institution for
indigenous students and their families (Lea, Thompson, McRae‐Williams & Wegner, 2011).
There has been an indication that are few qualified and competent educators that
accommodate or deals with Indigenous issues. Schools with low Indigenous students
enrolments will not receive funding from the Aboriginal Education Officer (AEO), or an
Indigenous Education Worker (IEW) (Australian Government, 2017). There are limitations
towards teachers’ abilities and responsibilities, for instance, there may be a disconnection
102085: ACRP 18075872 – Tran Tuong Vi Nguyen

between the student-teacher relationship where Indigenous students are unwilling to share
their problems due to mistrust. While these issues may be beyond the teachers' control, there
are some strategies that teachers could implement to implicitly construct a safe and positive
learning environment for the Indigenous students:

 Remove one’s one preconceive bias of the Eurocentric way of thinking and
learning;
 Critique one’s own level of dedication and commitment;
 Reflect the Quality Teaching framework;
 Creating a respectful classroom, sense of identity, value, trust and
involvement;
 Apply research of theory and practice;
 Ensure community involvement with the school;

There are also government policies and programs across Australia to assist teachers in
developing a respectful rapport with Indigenous students, such as ‘Indigenous Leadership’
and ‘Stronger Smarter Institution’. It is important that teachers undertake intense training that
allows them to implement the right pedagogical approach for Indigenous students.
Mainstreams schools can aim to provide a whole school approach by developing retention
strategies for the further improvements in Indigenous retention rates educational outcomes,
through incorporating the are four dimensions of Aboriginal pedagogy on communication,
collaboration, community and interculturality (Fowler et al, 2018).

It is extremely curial for teachers to fully aware of the cultural differences, especially the
cultural and social issues that Indigenous students are facing both inside and outside of the
classroom that involves, racism, exclusion and prejudices. By complying with the guidelines
and expectations of the QT framework, this will inform my praxis to construct a culturally
inclusive environment that fosters respectful relationships with and among students. The
responsibilities and expectations of a quality teacher will enable them to promote a positive
cultural identity where students’ identity are enriched and valued. Using my knowledge of
Indigenous culture, history and pedagogy along with utilising government documents,
policies and programs to help close the gap for Indigenous Australians.

In essence, the representation of Indigenous knowledge in Australian schools is changing

through the implementation of the current policies, programs and pedagogies. It is essential
102085: ACRP 18075872 – Tran Tuong Vi Nguyen

for educators to contain an intense knowledge and training on Indigenous knowledge, culture
and history in order to accommodate all students learning needs, regardless of their culture.
In hopes to abolish the negative innuendos and stereotyping for Indigenous Australians in the
educational institutions.
102085: ACRP 18075872 – Tran Tuong Vi Nguyen

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