DRAWING ON IDEAS OF STRENGTH BASED LEARNING What’s old? What’s new? People think that two-way is giving Aboriginal people the opportunity to use both languages; it really means people are given the opportunity to learn more about themselves, their beliefs and values. To learn about each other. Staff and students sharing their knowledge and world view.

What’s old? What’s old is still important New knowledge is stronger if it builds on old knowledge Often, we re-invent the wheel – thinking we are dealing with new knowledge, when in fact it is just forgotten knowledge – hidden from the past

What’s old – but very important and very useful? Strength-based learning must build on what the student already knows Negotiated curriculum: Student/community involvement Relevance Need Valuing learner’s existing knowledge, skills and experiences Explicit teaching of what is ‘not known’

What’s new? Performance/achievement LANGUAGE Attendance participation Mismatch of student lag with lag of instruction affects everything in AE: attempts to make the curriculum more inclusive, attempts to create more ‘engagement’ within the Indigenous student cohort, attempts to create genuine partnerships with Indigenous parents, caregivers and community members, attempts to improve the quality of teaching for Indigenous students, and lastly, attempts to improve the learning outcomes of indigenous students. Attendance participation

What’s new Aboriginal English is a rule-governed dialect – as complex as any other dialect, including standard Australian English Aboriginal English is a treasure filled with ancient knowledge and wisdom and must be recognised, acknowledged and fostered. The speed at which a second dialect or language is acquired is contingent on the degree of value placed on the first

DRAWING ON IDEAS OF STRENGTH- BASED LEARNING WHAT’S OLD, WHAT’S NEW? Old knowledge is important – we must build on it… Let’s not dismiss what we don’t know

How it works: Two-Way bidialectal Learning Principles Receptive and productive competence in Standard English for Aboriginal English speakers Receptive competence in Aboriginal English for all students Accommodation of Aboriginal ways of approaching experience and knowledge

How it addresses the ‘gap’ Learning can only occur with comprehension – it addresses language issues Explicit teaching (without explicit correcting). Exploration of cognitive and linguistic differences explicit provision of dialectal alternatives, thus creating opportunities to expand language repertoire.

Key Principles Understanding of the existence of both dialects: Home Language and SAE. Conscious separation of both Explicit teaching and learning of SAE Students are given the opportunity to explore and become aware of the role and nature of language and of culture through the development of a meta-language. They are allowed and encouraged to use their first language/dialect. The learning of a second language/dialect is slowed down considerably if use of the first one is not allowed. It is virtually impossible to teach/learn about pragmatic language differences in a monocultural, monolingual setting.The first language must be valued and students need to be given opportunities to use it. Classroom activities support the learning of SAE rules Students need to learn about the rules of language (SAE) so that they can control the code, not so that the code controls them, to be competent in a language means being in charge of the code not conforming to it. They are provided with opportunities to participate in communicative use of SAE in a wide range of activities A second dialect/language is best learned if it can be practiced for real purposes in meaningful situations. Their skills and understandings of their home language is valued, recognized and build upon. Aboriginal students bring to the classroom a vibrant and complex language which carries a rich cultural heritage. The recognition of AE as a valid language affects students’ perception, willingness, to use both languages, including the development of literacy skills. The debate as to the status of AE is largely a sociological and political one, the stigmas often attributed to AE has nothing to do with linguistic complexity There are opportunities for the students to hear ‘comprehensible input’ and to structure and produce meaningful output. Language/dialect learning involves the need to deliberately focus on various language forms/items, whether at the vocabulary, sentence or genre level. All members of their community are continually involved in the program implementation. Program delivery and student learning will be enhanced with the active involvement of community members. They become aware of the role and nature of language and of culture. Aboriginal English is a complex and rule-governed dialect of English which differs from SAE in systematic ways at all levels of language including underlying conceptual systems. Students need to be provided with language awareness activities which enable learners to become aware of the poser of language.