Wingaru for kids is a digital learning platform that will support teachers to embed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into the curriculum. It was developed by Aboriginal community from Gadigal Country. This digital platform provides curriculum aligned lesson plan, videos, digital activities, as well as printable classroom resources, which will engage students and broaden their knowledge with different topics relevant to all Aboriginal communities. The platform also provides Professional Development for teachers who wants to upskill their understanding and be able to design and create effective teaching strategy on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander curriculum.  

On this learning platform, students will learn about Australian history pre-1770 contact, first contact, and customary life for Aboriginal people before colonisation. It also provides knowledge for students to learn about Indigenous science and technologies, land-management practices, and cultural expression. Students will also look at issues such as reconciliation, the Stolen Generation, Aboriginal identity, and political movements that have influenced Aboriginal Australia today. This platform is packed with varies Dreaming lessons, with stories from all over Australia. Students will also learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language and explain the concept of language groups, so students begin to understand there is not just one Aboriginal language. As it is mentioned in ACARA (2022), when learning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, there are three key concepts used to scaffold children’s knowledge: the Country/place, people’s cultures, and the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander societies.  The platform is suitable for students from kindergarten to year 12 with multicultural background including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

When students and teacher using Wingaru for kids in the classroom, they can share their learning experience on a yarning circle where they can have conversation that is culturally friendly. Yarning is recognised by Aboriginal people as a meaning to talk about something, someone or provide and receive information (Dean, 2010; Esafety, 2019). Teacher can design a yarning circle while discussing the content of the lesson from Wingaru and allow children to express their ideas in different way. Yarning will support teacher and students build their connection each other, build a new knowledge, and develop positive learning attitude (Birke et.al., 2022). For early childhood students, this platform will support them to connect to the world around them by different play-based activities. 

To support teachers, this learning platform offers varieties of professional development for each lesson plan. Therefore, this platform will support teacher to reach their AISTL especially in AISTL standard 1.4. demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity, and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds (AISTL, 2017). This platform will also support teacher to meet the 2.4 AISTL standard, 2.4 understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by demonstrating broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages (AISTL, 2017). 

Australian Early Years Framework place a strong emphasise on the importance of being culturally competence for Early Childhood educators and professionals (DET, 2009). As a part of principle in Australian EYLF, educators must recognise that cultural diversity contributes to society richness and different ways of knowing, including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities (DET, 2009). In most of the ECEC settings, there are some concerns between the non-Indigenous educators on how to choose the right approach to teach Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives for early childhood students (Miller, 2011). 

According to Miller (2011), there are three different approaches to embed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture into ECEC settings: practical, symbolic, and substantive. One of the examples of embedding the symbolic practice in ECEC settings is teaching students to do the Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners spoken as part of the curriculum and at key events (Miller, 2011). Acknowledgement of the Country is essential to display our respect and value the sharing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and a way of showing respect for the traditional owner of the lands (Queensland Government, 2021; Lorina, 2023). Embedding the acknowledgement of the country at ECEC settings will engage children with diversity and respect (DET, 2009). 

This resource will help educator to be creative when teaching students to conduct the Acknowledgement of The Country at the ECEC settings. Children learn through play and movement (Dinham & Chalk, 2022). In this video, educators invite children to conduct the Acknowledgment of the Country through different movement. By touching the ground and say that we thank the land, reaching hands high up to thank sky, and hug our self to thank people, children will start to develop the ways of knowing through an active and involved learning (Dinham & Chalk, 2021). Involving children to do Acknowledgment of Country daily will help children appreciate the traditional owner of the land they live on and support their ways of knowing through Indigenous perspective (Lorina, 2023).

Teachers can conduct the activity during the group time by creating a yarning circle. This way, children will be able to see everyone’s faces and become more connected each other. Implementing this activity in the classroom will support teachers to deepen their understanding on Indigenous perspectives and provide the basis of Indigenist Standpoint Pedagogy (Philips, 2021). It is aligned with the AISTL standard 1.4., where teacher demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity, and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds (AISTL, 2017). 

This video is playing a traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander song. The song is called Inanay. It is believed that the lyrics of this song written in Yorta Yorta language (Yannucci, 2023). However, there was no source mention the translation of this song words by words. It is believed that the song was originated from Torres Strait Island and brought to the mainland during the seasonal fruit picking time (Yannucci, 2023). This song was known as lullaby song, and nowadays, this song is used to introduce young children with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. This song has simple notes with the rhyming lyrics that easy to remember. This is a great resource for teacher to create an Indigenous learning experience in the classroom through music and dance, which known as important elements for Indigenous communities (Costigan & Neuenfeldt, 2002). 

Music for First Nations is described as the way of knowing the world and giving meaning to everything in it (Cheetham, D. 2021). Singing is the main method of transmitting knowledge in an orally based society (Koch, 2013). Introducing children with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture through song would enhance their understanding of ways of knowing and strengthen connection to communities around them (Dinham & Chalk, 2021). Teaching children with Inanay song from this resource will engage children physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively (Dinham & Chalk, 2021). Through this learning experience, children will learn collaboratively and strengthen their social bonding in a group (Dinham & Chalk, 2021). 

Incorporating cultural song and dance into the curriculum can enhance children’s learning and give them a valuable insight to Indigenous perspectives (Costigan & Neunfeldt, 2002; Dinham & Chalk, 2021). Through this resource, teacher can invite children to learn in a group through a yarning circle, singing, and dancing together. Teacher may also extend the learning using sticks as instruments to expand children’s engagement and support their exploration in this learning experience. This resource support students from multicultural background including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. 

Combining the song and dance into the Indigenous learning plan is supported by ACARA (2013), where students learn that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities communicated through cultural expression in story, dance, songs, and visual traditions. Implementing this teaching strategy will support teacher to broaden their knowledge in Indigenous perspectives to meet the AISTL standard 1.4 and 2.4 where teacher understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by demonstrating broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages (AISTL, 2017). 

This resource is a story telling video of a dreamtime story book, Sisi and The Cassowary by Arone Raymond Meeks (2002). The video started with beautiful nature scene to take viewers experience the country. In the video, the writer himself read the book to viewers. Throughout the video, viewers can enjoy illustrations from the book which also painted by the writer. The illustrations rich with the traditional Indigenous painting which captured the dreamtime essence of the story accomplished with nature's back sound such as birds chirping and sound of the streams, which very soothing and engaging viewers. Based on the content and how it’s being delivered, this resource is suitable for most age group students. 

Dreamtime story known as the important part of land creation in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities (Kickett-Tucker, 2021). In this resource, the book describes the kinship between Sisi and her mother, as well as the interconnectedness between people and the land. This story rich with the message about reciprocity relationship in the Aboriginal kinship systems. To extend the learning experience, teachers can gather students in a yarning circle and create an active dialogue about the story with the students. Yarning circle will provide a cultural safe environment for children when sharing their story (Dean, 2010). Teachers can scaffold children’s learning by being responsive and provide opportunities for them to ask and answer questions or shared their ideas (Arthur et. al., 2018). For Early childhood teacher, the reciprocity relationship can be explained in a simple manner, which is suitable for younger age groups. Teacher can explain about how Sisi’s mother care about Sisi, and how Sisi being so helpful to the boy she found in the forest by offering him a hand to pick the cherries. Meanwhile, for older children, teacher can explain about the kinship systems in the Indigenous communities such as Moiety and Totems. 

Implementing this learning experience in the classroom will create opportunities for children to be engaged and start to develop their way of knowing. Story sharing is the way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to connect and to gain a new knowledge (Dinham and Chalk, 2021). This resource is a great way to start a sequence of learning, or to create a unit of inquiry. 

This resource promote children’s literacy skill and support their understanding about the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities by examining the kinship concepts (ACARA, 2022). This learning experience will also deepen teachers understanding about Indigenous literacy and the kinship systems which will help teacher to fulfill the AISTL standard 1.4 and 2.4. where teacher promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by demonstrating broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages (AISTL, 2017). 

Australian Curriculum and Assessment, and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2013). Australian Curriculum: The Arts Foundation to Year 10. https://docs.acara.edu.au/resources/Australian_Curriculum_The_Arts_2_July_2013.pdf 

Australian Curriculum and Assessment, and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2022). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures (Version 8.4). https://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/foundation-year-10/cross-curriculum-priorities/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-histories-and-cultures-ccp 

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AISTL). (2017). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. All Career Stages. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/standards

Burke, A. W., Welch, S., Power, T., Lucas, C., & Moles, R. J. (2022). Clinical yarning with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples—a systematic scoping review of its use and impacts. Systematic Reviews, 11(1), 1-15.

Costigan, L., & Neuenfeldt, K. (2002). Torres Strait Islander music and dance in informal and formal educational contexts in Australia. Research Studies in Music Education, 19(1), 46-55.

Dean, C. (2010). A yarning place in narrative histories. History of Education Review, 39(2), 6-13.

Department of Education and Training (DET). (2009). Belonging, Being, & Becoming: The Early Years Framework for Australia. Department of Education and Training. 

Department of Education and Training (DET). (2016). Victorian early years learning and development framework: For all children from birth to eight years. Department of Education and Training. 

Dinham, J., & Chalk, B. (2021). It's Arts Play: Young Children Belonging, Being and Becoming Through the Arts. Oxford University Press.

Esafety. (2019). Be deadly online. Yarning circle lesson plan. https://www.esafety.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-09/be-deadly-online-lesson-plan-yarning-circle.pdf 

Kickett-Tucker, C. (2021). Cultural learnings: Foundations for Aboriginal student wellbeing. In Indigenous Education in Australia (pp. 51-62). Routledge.

Koch, G. (2013). We have the song, so we have the land: song and ceremony as proof of ownership in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land claims.

Lorina. (2023). Children’s Acknowledgement of Country. https://aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au/articles/teaching-children/children-s-acknowledgment-of-country#:~:text=Involving%20children%20to%20say%20the,in%20which%20they%20are%20situated. 

Meeks, A.R. (2002). Sisi and The Cassowary. Scholastic Press.  

Miller, M. (2011). Embedding Indigenous perspectives in the early childhood curriculum. Educating Young Children: Learning and teaching in the early childhood years, 17(2), 37-39.

Phillips, J. (2021). Foundations of teacher knowledge in Indigenous education. In Indigenous Education in Australia (pp. 7-20). Routledge.

Queensland government. (2021). Connecting Through Culture and Community. https://earlychildhood.qld.gov.au/news/educators/connecting-through-culture-and-community#:~:text=Acknowledgment%20of%20Country%20is%20a,understand%20the%20importance%20of%20belonging.

Yannucci, L. (2023). Mama Lisa’s World. International Music and Culture. Songs and Rhymes from Australia. https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=5086