Source: Australian Council of TESOL Associations
Various resources and research aimed at improving educational outcomes through focus on the interface between Aboriginal English and ESL (English as a Second Language).
Update 2024
This site is no longer current and is not being updated. Since 2016, happily, the number of online sources of knowledge about Australian Indigenous languages exploded in number and diversity of sources, especially from Indigenous organisations and individuals. As a result, it became impossible to keep ALoA up to date. It is no longer a key resource.
As the main web portal for Australian Aboriginal languages on the web (part of Tim Berners-Lee’s official W3C Virtual Library (now defunct at https://www.vlib.org/ - see its history) this site provided summaries, guidance and links to quality resources on Aboriginal languages, especially those produced from communities and by community members. It was listed in most of the major international libraries and other institutions as a key site for Australian languages, and attracted over 500,000 hits a year.
Approximately half of the linked sites still exist and the site’s back-end database remains valuable because it contains data which tracks 20 years of the emergence, expansion and changes in the online presence of Australian First Nations languages from the birth of the web.
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RESULTS: 53 ITEMS FOR CATEGORY Education & teaching
Aboriginal English [aus-x-aeq] see all Aboriginal English
Source: The Victorian Aboriginal Education Association (VAEAI)
The protocols outline principles and procedures for the Victorian education sector to respect Koorie communities in setting up curricula and teaching, including languages, and with particular attention to respecting and understanding Koorie English.
Source: Farzad Sharifian / Adriano Truscott / Patricia Konigsberg / Ian G Malcolm / Glenys Collard / WA Department of Education
Detailed report of a project exploring ways in which Aboriginal-English speaking students (mis)understand school-based literacy materials written in Standard Australian English. Includes many useful examples and resources. [PDF, 118 pages]
Adnyamathanha [adt] see all Adnyamathanha
Source: SA Government
A listing of South Australian schools teaching Aboriginal languages, including Adnyamathanha, Antikirinya, Barngala, Dieri, Kaurna, Narungga, Nauo, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu.
Source: Australia Children’s Television Foundation
A digital resource, based around animation and interactive games, exploring the Adnyamathanha language, culture, stories and traditions. Note: access is on a commercial basis.
Barngarla [bjb] see all Barngarla
Source: SA Government
A listing of South Australian schools teaching Aboriginal languages, including Adnyamathanha, Antikirinya, Barngala, Dieri, Kaurna, Narungga, Nauo, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu.
Burarra [bvr] see all Burarra
Source: Marion Waiguma / Margaret Carew
A short film in which Marion Waiguma and Margaret Carew talk about their work in Burarra language from Maningrida, Arnhem Land.
Dhurga [dhu] see all Dhurga
Source: New South Wales Government
See Learning from each school's experience for case studies from Broulee, Brewarrina, Forbes North, Hillston, Lightning Ridge, St Joseph's, Bourke, Bowraville, Dubbo, Lower Darling, Menindee, Parkes and Vincentia; many include students and teachers speaking or singing in language. [Classified under Dhurga althoug hthis is just one of many language represented]
Dieri [dif] see all Dieri
Source: SA Government
A listing of South Australian schools teaching Aboriginal languages, including Adnyamathanha, Antikirinya, Barngala, Dieri, Kaurna, Narungga, Nauo, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu.
Ganai/Kurnai [unn] see all Ganai/Kurnai
Source: Lynnette Solomon-Dent / Doris Paton / Hollie Johnson
A video about the revival of the Ganai (Kurnai) language of Gippsland, driven by three Ganai women who are teachers and academics. The video is also on Vimeo.
Karajarri [gbd] see all Karajarri
Source:
Characters include Dianne Appleby, a linguist and speaker of the two languages of her parents - Karrajarri and Yawuru. Dianne regularly performs Welcome to Country ceremonies and was instrumental in establishing Yawuru language classes at the Cable Beach Primary School.
Kaurna [zku] see all Kaurna
Source: SA Government
A listing of South Australian schools teaching Aboriginal languages, including Adnyamathanha, Antikirinya, Barngala, Dieri, Kaurna, Narungga, Nauo, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu.
Source: University of Adelaide
Courses in the Kaurna language taught at the University of Adelaide and Salisbury High School (teacher: Jack Kanya Buckskin). The site is also "the Internet home of Kaurna Warra, the language of the people of the Adelaide Plain", with information about the language, language projects and resources, place names, news and events.
Source: South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability
Curriculum for Reception to Year 10 students, focusing on language learning and language custodianship, history, and revival, with specific materials for Kaurna, Narungga, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu and Yankunytjatjara.
Source: Kaurna Warra Pityandi/University of Adelaide
Summer school at the University of Adelaide: Summer School, 14th-25th January 2013.
Source: ABC
In this episode of the ABC’s Awaye!, Kaurna speaker Jack Buckskin and other linguists describe the teaching and revitalisation of Kaurna, the language of the Adeliade plains.
Narrungga [nnr] see all Narrungga
Source: SA Government
A listing of South Australian schools teaching Aboriginal languages, including Adnyamathanha, Antikirinya, Barngala, Dieri, Kaurna, Narungga, Nauo, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu.
Source: South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability
Curriculum for Reception to Year 10 students, focusing on language learning and language custodianship, history, and revival, with specific materials for Kaurna, Narungga, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu and Yankunytjatjara.
Nauo [now] see all Nauo
Source: SA Government
A listing of South Australian schools teaching Aboriginal languages, including Adnyamathanha, Antikirinya, Barngala, Dieri, Kaurna, Narungga, Nauo, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu.
Ngarrindjeri [nay] see all Ngarrindjeri
Source: SA Government
A listing of South Australian schools teaching Aboriginal languages, including Adnyamathanha, Antikirinya, Barngala, Dieri, Kaurna, Narungga, Nauo, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu.
Source: South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability
Curriculum for Reception to Year 10 students, focusing on language learning and language custodianship, history, and revival, with specific materials for Kaurna, Narungga, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu and Yankunytjatjara.
Ngunawal [xul] see all Ngunawal
Source: AIATSIS
Ngunawal is now being taught in a pilot program at Fraser Primary School, the result of a joint effort between Ngunawal community members and linguists from AIATSIS. The program has developed a writing system and sets of resources for teaching Ngunawal.
Noongar [nys] see all Noongar
Source:
The school hosts the "Noongar Language and Djidi Marlak Cultural Program" where all classes from K to 6 take Noongar language and cultural lessons. Language teachers have developed songs, games, books and teaching resources specific to the local area. Staff also take Noongar lessons and the language is integrated into other learning areas.
Pitjantjatjara [pjt] see all Pitjantjatjara
Source: SA Government
A listing of South Australian schools teaching Aboriginal languages, including Adnyamathanha, Antikirinya, Barngala, Dieri, Kaurna, Narungga, Nauo, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu.
Source: Ngapartji Ngapartji
A result of the Pitjantjatjara art-language project Ngapartji Ngapartji that was run on Arrernte country in Mparntwe (Alice Springs).
See also site at http://ninti.ngapartji.org/, where you can register for free and take 20 simple language lessons.
Source: South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability
Curriculum for Reception to Year 10 students, focusing on language learning and language custodianship, history, and revival, with specific materials for Kaurna, Narungga, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu and Yankunytjatjara.
Warumungu [wrm] see all Warumungu
Source: Kathy Burns/RosemaryPlummer/Barkly Regional Arts
Pinarra Aku is a children
Wergaia [weg] see all Wergaia
Source: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
A description of Aboriginal languages’ history and situation in Victoria. It also lists Victorian languages and their regions and contains a brief description of Wergaia.
Wiradjuri [wrh] see all Wiradjuri
Source: Connie Ah See, NSW Ed Dept
The Wiradjuri Nation. Includes activities and materials for Wiradjuri to be used in the classroom.
Source: Charles Sturt University
The course provides skills to teach and use the Wiradjuri language in educational and community settings and to work with the Wiradjuri community in culturally appropriate and sensitive ways. The course covers the language, culture, heritage and history of the Wiradjuri nation, and awareness of the difficulties caused by centuries of colonisation, dislocation and dispossession.
Wirangu [wiw] see all Wirangu
Source: SA Government
A listing of South Australian schools teaching Aboriginal languages, including Adnyamathanha, Antikirinya, Barngala, Dieri, Kaurna, Narungga, Nauo, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu.
Source: South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability
Curriculum for Reception to Year 10 students, focusing on language learning and language custodianship, history, and revival, with specific materials for Kaurna, Narungga, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu and Yankunytjatjara.
Woi wurrung [wyi] see all Woi wurrung
Source: VACL
Thornbury Primary School’s Woiwurrung Language Program teaches prep - grade 2 students and extends to include older classes through the Indigenous Studies program. With the support of key Elders of the Wurundjeri Council, lessons are conducted by Koorie Educator Phil Cooper, Wurundjeri woman Mandy Nicholson (VACL officer and Woiwurrung language specialist), and LOTE teacher Leeann Sartorel. Page includes link to Woi wurrung digital storybooks for iOS.
Yankunytjatjara [kdd] see all Yankunytjatjara
Source: South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability
Curriculum for Reception to Year 10 students, focusing on language learning and language custodianship, history, and revival, with specific materials for Kaurna, Narungga, Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjatjara, Wirangu and Yankunytjatjara.
Yawuru [ywr] see all Yawuru
Source:
Characters include Dianne Appleby, a linguist and speaker of the two languages of her parents - Karrajarri and Yawuru. Dianne regularly performs Welcome to Country ceremonies and was instrumental in establishing Yawuru language classes at the Cable Beach Primary School.
Yolngu [aus-x-yoq] see all Yolngu
Source: ARDS
Online purchase of publications for learning Gupapuyngu. ARDS (Aboriginal Resource and Development Services) is an arm of the Northern Regional Council of Congress of the Uniting Church.
Many languages or language not specified
Source: John Hobson
A language education site with many teaching resources and links. It is focused on NSW languages but has many widely-applicable resources and links.
Source: NSW Department of Education and Training / NSW AECG
Extensive list of annotated resources including for NSW languages.
Source: NSW Government
Practical advice, resources and case studies for the teaching of Aboriginal languages in NSW schools. See also the many resources downloadable from this page.
Source: NSW government
Teaching and syllabus information for and from NSW schools. Click on Leaning from each school's experience for case studies and information from Brewarrina, Broulee, Forbes North, Hillston Central, Lightning Ridge, St Joseph's, Bourke, Bowraville, Nambucca Heads, Dubbo, Lower Darling, Menindee, Parkes and Vincentia schools, some with students and teachers speaking and singing.
Source: New South Wales Government
Practical advice and resources for Aboriginal language and literacy teaching. See also QALT.
Source: NSW Department of Education
A set of newsletters produced from 2005-2010, to share news, stories, pictures and opinions amongst Aboriginal teaching teams in NSW. Althouigh it is no longer produced, there are many interesting stories and of course interesting history of developments in the field.
Source: School Curriculum and Standards Authority
Syllabus and assessment materials for Years 11 and 12 learning about Aboriginal languages, their linguistic structures, texts, community and cultural contexts, and protocol.
Source: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
A downloadable booklet Aboriginal Languages, cultures and reclamation in Victorian schools: standards P-10 and protocols. It describes standards, methods and protocols for teaching Aboriginal Languages.
Source: NSW Board of Studies
Assistance for schools in setting up Aboriginal language programs under the NSW K-10 Syllabus.
Source: NSW Board of Studies
A 2003 document providing advice on designing Aboriginal languages programs and their assessment. [MS Word, 57 pages]
Source: NSW Department of Education and Training
Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme (AGQTP) project for schools starting Aboriginal language programs. Includes syllabus examples; downloadable teaching resources for NSW languages; audio on language protocols for consultation from Lynne Riley-Mundine, Hazel Rhodes and Clarrie Hoskins.
Source: Batchelor Press
Batchelor Press is the publishing arm of Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education. Batchelor Institute develops teaching and learning resources primarily for Indigenous students in remote communities, where most students have English as a second or third language. These resources are developed by community elders, students and teaching staff.
Source: Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
CALL is a centre of excellence for the research, documentation and preservation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. Offers research, language documentation and curation, publications, professional development, advocacy and resources
Source: ACARA (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority)
The Framework provides flexible guidance for developing programs for any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language. It has three pathways: 1. First Language Learner; 2. Language Revival Learner; 3. Second Language Learner. It also provides principles and protocols for consulting with communities when developing and delivering languages learning programs in schools. This document contains full details for all 3 pathways. [PDF 131 pages]
Source: ACARA (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority)
The Framework provides flexible guidance for developing programs for any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language. It has three pathways: 1. First Language Learner; 2. Language Revival Learner; 3. Second Language Learner. It also provides principles and protocols for consulting with communities when developing and delivering languages learning programs in schools. [PDF, 2 pages]
Source: Association of Children's Welfare Agencies
May 2013 document from then-Minister for Education Peter Garrett announcing the first national approach to Indigenous language teaching.
Source: NSW Board of Studies / NSW Government
A bibliography and weblinks for resources on Aboriginal language programs.
Source: Charles E. Grimes/Summer Institute of Linguistics (AuSIL)
The paper argues that the NT government and its education system continue to ignore solid research on best practice education in Indigenous communities. also includes an extensive bibliography on language and education in multilingual societies, many linked to online sources. [PDF]
Source: ACER/Nola Purdie/Tracey Frigo/Clare Ozolins/Geoff Noblett/Nick Thieberger/Janet Sharp
A report on the national project to strengthen Indigenous languages programmes in schools, providing a detailed survey of the current situation in Indigenous languages education in Australian schools. The report is for language teachers and speakers, Aboriginal communities, schools, and policy makers.
Source: Jane Simpson / The Conversation
Jane considers parallels between forced assimilation and the imposition of English in the context of the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People. She argues for ‘best practice’ in schools, where the home language is used as the medium of instruction in the classroom at the start, and later children transition in a systematic way to add English. Ultimately, there must be much more Indigenous language - and well-trained language-speaker teachers - throughout schools with Indigenous students.
Source: Greg Dickson/Crikey
This article takes an alternative view on the so-called "literacy gap" amongst Indigenous people, and argues for greater recognition and rights to literacy in people"s own Indigeous languages, not (only) English.
Source: House of Representatives/Australian Parliament
A 2011 enquiry into benefits of giving attention and recognition to Indigenous languages, benefits of including Indigenous languages in early education, methods to improve outcomes etc. The final report of September 2012, submissions and proceedings are online.
Source: Charles Darwin University / Batchelor Institute / NT Government / ANU
LAAL (Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages) is a digital archive of endangered literature in Australian languages from the Northern Territory. Much of the literature is language teaching/literacy material created in schools, which is otherwise endangered by the instability of governmental support for mother tongue and bilingual programs. You can search the site by map, placename, language name, author, or category (such as Narrative or Language instruction). The literature materials are beautifully displayed and are viewable and downloadable as PDF or plain text. The site currently holds about 2250 books in 32 languages. Updates are posted on http://laal.cdu.edu.au/
Source: University of Sydney
The program can be taken as a Certificate, Diploma, or Master’s. The Master’s program provides students with the knowledge and skills to implement the NSW Aboriginal Languages Syllabus from K-10, as well as to teach syllabi from other states and territories. Applications for 2016 close on 4 December 2015.
Source: Kevin Lowe, New South Wales Board of Studies
Paper about the interaction between schools and communities, in regard to establishing language programs. Includes discussion about ownership and controls that Aboriginal communities seek over their languages. See also the abstract, which notes the author details.
Source: SA Government DECS
The document supports teachers in planning, programming and assessing using the SACSA (South Australian Curriculum, Standards and Accountability) Framework. It includes a sample range of learning descriptors for languages including Kaurna, Wirangu and others, relating to the Key Ideas and Outcomes in Australian Indigenous languages R-10.
Source: Gadj Maymuru / Jodie Maymuru
This site created and run by Gadj and Jodie Maymuru offers educational programs and resources for Aboriginal Communities and Australian schools. Most of the services and resources are offered on a commercial basis.
Source: SACE Board of SA
Outline of the SACE course in Australian languages, which covers the current status of Indigenous languages, the circumstances under which they have become endangered or extinct, linguistic structure of Australian languages, and the value of Australian languages as storehouses of cultural and social knowledge.
Source: National Congress of Australia
In this document, the Congress welcomes the Framework, stating that it recognises Indigenous languages and their owners or custodians, the negative impact of government policies since 1788, and the importance of languages to Australia's First Peoples, and the need for ongoing consultation in developing and implementing programs. Congress was disappointed at lack of description of the past and present state of languages and highly critical about the lack of implmentation of the 2009 National Indigenous Language Policy. [PDF, 4 pages]
Source: Kevin Lowe / Anna Ash
Background to the rise of language revitalisation efforts in NSW, and the prominent role of the NSW Board of Studies in providing input and support.
Source: John Hobson
This paper examines issues surrounding Indigenous languages revitalisation in NSW and strategies for increasing the number of Aboriginal language teachers in the state
