Slide+6+-+Issues+and+challenges+of+teaching+these+students

Slide 6 Planning page

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people reflect the linguistic and cultural diversity of the communities in which they live. While some speak Standard Australian English at home, many speak Aboriginal English (a non-standard dialect of English), a creole, one or more Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander languages, or any combinations of these as their first language.
 * __Contribution by Joanna __**
 * Language **

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students have made gains in recent years in some areas of English literacy and numeracy and retention to Year 12. Many succeed at school and go on to join the increasing numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians who are undertaking further study: there are around 74 700 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in vocational education and training and approximately 9 500 at university. Other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students move straight from school into employment. However, gaps remain between the educational outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and other students with evidence from across Australia showing that the more remote the community the poorer the student outcomes. This is clear on all indicators including participation in early childhood education, literacy and numeracy, attendance, retention, and post-school transitions. These gaps limit the career prospects and life choices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and perpetuate intergenerational disadvantage.

Attending school and engaging with learning is fundamentally important in helping young Australians to acquire the skills they need for life. Successful learning cannot be built on irregular attendance. There is evidence to suggest that the more regularly students attend school the greater their success in learning. In 2008, the median Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander attendance rate in government primary schools was 87 per cent compared to 93 per cent for non-Indigenous students. At the secondary level, the median Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander attendance rate was just under 78 per cent compared to a non-Indigenous median of 89 per cent (DEEWR, 2008).
 * Attendance **

Schools need to embrace diversity and explicitly value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and cultures to enable students to feel culturally safe at school. Increased engagement between the school, community and parents is a key factor in supporting regular attendance. A curriculum and pedagogy that embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural perspectives will support attendance and retention.

Source: http://www.mceetya.edu.au/verve/_resources/A10-0945_IEAP_web_version_final2.pdf

factors
 * Family attitude
 * Family obligations
 * Socioeconomic status
 * Cultural attitudes
 * Language
 * Attendance
 * Quality of teaching
 * Teacher attitude and behaviour
 * Students confidences, self esteem and identity
 * Cultural clashes

In the past Indigenous attendance rates were quite poor but with the changing generations education is becoming important to the Torres straigt people. As a result attendances have increased nationwide revealing that “ in 2006, there were around 140,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students enrolled in schools throughout Australia, an increase of 21.6% in the last five years (Commission for Children and Young People and Child guardian, - []