The teaching sequence will begin by have one or more language maps displayed, then the teacher will talk to students about the distribution of hundreds of different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups and languages in Australia. The teacher will then explain to students that learning about an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language is an important step in gaining a deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and identities. Oliver and Shay (2021) outline the crucial importance of teaching the ‘understanding of culture and Australian history, recognising the enormous contribution that Indigenous culture can make to all Australian students’ understanding of their country’ (2021:142). Therefore, the utilisation of this map will prove effective in teaching Year Four students about the identity of Australia. 

 

The Australian curriculum elaborations that are being addressed through this digital resource is:

      i.         Year 4 Humanities and Social Sciences (History): ACHASSK083— The diversity of Australia's first peoples and the long and continuous connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to Country/Place (land, sea, waterways and skies).

     ii.         Year 4 Humanities and Social Sciences (Civics and Citizenship): ACHASSK093—The different cultural, religious and/or social groups to which they and others in the community belong.

   iii.         Year 4 English: ACELA1487— Understand that Standard Australian English is one of many social dialects used in Australia, and that while it originated in England it has been influenced by many other languages.

 

The AITSL standards being addressed here are 2.4- Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages.

 

The teaching pedagogy used will use inquiry-based questions as part of the 8 Ways Indigenous pedagogy. 8 Ways Indigenous pedagogy is effective as the students are engaging in inquiry-based learning which is embedded in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. QCAA (2018) identifies that this nature of inquiry such as community responsibility, lifelong learning, cross-generational resonance, and revisiting, inform development. The guided questions for inquiry will be around how the class can care for Country, what the class can learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, histories, and cultures about caring for Country and why it is important to connect with, and care for Country. Oliver and Shay outline that it is crucial to include Indigenous knowledges and perspectives in the classroom to understand culture and history of First Nations peoples (2021:142); therefore this resource will be effective in teaching the theme of Country to all Foundation students. 

 

The Australian curriculum elaborations that are being addressed through this digital resource are:

      i.         Foundation Year Humanities and Social Sciences (Geography): ACHASSK014—The representation of the location of places and their features on simple maps and models.

     ii.         Foundation Year Humanities and Social Sciences (Geography): ACHASSK016—The Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Country/Place on which the school is located and why Country/Place is important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

 

The cross-curriculum priorities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures and Sustainability will also be addressed through this teaching experience. Whilst these are two different cross-curriculum priorities, sustainable practices of managing Country is a big part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures; therefore, both priorities connect to this one theme of caring for Country. 

 

The AITSL standards being addressed here are 2.4- Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages.

 

Oliver and Shay (2021) outline a pedagogical approach which will be used in the teaching experience, therefore making this resource effective for the learning of reciprocity. They explain co-constructive learning as a curriculum that ‘aligns closely to a strengths-based approach promoted throughout this text and provides a way forward for building upon the abilities and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals’ (2021:167). They also describe how ‘Using a strengths-based approach celebrates the identity and culture of the students and is achieved through two-way learning and a culturally responsive curriculum’ (2021:167) ultimately making this resource culturally appropriate and effective for reciprocity teaching. 

 

NHMRC (2018) explains reciprocity as a process of enabling ‘agreements where all groups or people have equal rights and power in relationships ‘and is reflected through ‘equitable and respectful engagement with and inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, their values, and cultures’ (2018:12). This digital resource can be evaluated as an effective resource for co-constructive learning and inclusion of First Nations peoples, values and cultures as an equitable and respectful discussion is maintained with Year Five students. This is due to the perspective seen in the video of the impact on physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The students are at an age where it is appropriate for them to be engaging with this, sometimes, confronting content and this resource is effective for discussing why this may be confronting and the impact the Kevin Rudd apology had on First Nations people, and the broader Australian community. 

 

The Australian curriculum elaborations that are being addressed through this digital resource are:

i)               Year Five Humanities and Social Sciences (History): (ACHASSK107) --The nature of convict or colonial presence, including the factors that influenced patterns of development, aspects of the daily life of the inhabitants (including Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islander Peoples) and how the environment changed

ii)             Year Five Humanities and Social Sciences (Geography): (ACHASSK112) -- The influence of people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, on the environmental characteristics of Australian places 

 

This resource aims to teaching reciprocity to Year 5 level students and demands the students to respect the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in acknowledging and understanding the trauma of Australia’s past. Thus, it is an effective resource for teaching reciprocity as it connects to AITSL Standard 2.4: Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages.

 

Oliver and Shay (2021) explain the importance of language use when selecting curriculum materials because ‘language and power are interconnected’ (2021:137) and impacts how educators represent, recognise and value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. The language used in Kwaymmullina’s picture book is powerful and allows students in lower primary school to understand and value the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. For example, using words such as ‘sing the earth’s song’ and ‘fly with the red desert dust’ in the book highlight the importance of Country and land and nature in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. Therefore, making this digital resource effective for teaching Year Two students about the importance of Country and special connection to place. 

 

Whilst this digital resource is effective in teaching special connection to Country to lower primary students, it may not be the most effective way to use the picture book for a learning experience. This video moves at quite a fast pace and if the teacher wanted to talk about the illustrations, he/she would need to constantly pause the video which may become impractical. A more functional resource may to use the hard copy version of this book and for the teacher to read it out to the students and then use a photocopier to blow the illustrations on a PDF on a projector screen for students to examine and analyse colours and the influence of Country. However, as a digital picture book and the language used it still is effective as a resource, just may not be as effective when using the resource practically in the classroom. 

 

The Australian curriculum elaborations that are being addressed through this digital resource are:

      i.         Year Two Humanities and Social Sciences (Geography): ACHASSK049-- The ways in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples maintain special connections to particular Country/Place 

     ii.         Year Two Humanities and Social Sciences (Geography): (ACHASSK048) -- The idea that places are parts of Earth’s surface that have been named by people, and how places can be defined at a variety of scales 

 

This digital resource connects to AITSL Standard 2.4- - Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages.