Strategies to support implementation

The strategies listed below have been devised with consideration of current research findings and particular issues impacting upon Aboriginal students and their learning.

To be most effective, these strategies should be applied as a whole school approach.

Outcome 1:
Development of curriculum programs in partnership with local Aboriginal communities, in consultation with local Aboriginal Education Consultative Groups

Strategies:
* Collaboration between parents/local Aboriginal communities and school staff in the planning and implementation of Science curriculum.
* Providing opportunities for Aboriginal community members to be involved in monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning programs.
* Informing Aboriginal community members about school Science:
* Classroom activities
* Stages 4-5 syllabus syllabus
* Assessing and reporting
* Designing classroom science activities which are inclusive, encouraging parent/community participation at a variety of levels.

Outcome 2:
Increased levels of attendance and engagement in school activities by Aboriginal students

Strategies:
* Planning and providing learning experiences which are:
* enjoyable for students and teachers, encouraging stronger rapport and relationships that are based on mutual respect and trust
* open ended and inclusive, providing greater opportunities for students to experience success
* interesting, relevant , motivating and fun
* Providing opportunities for students to apply basic science skills in real life situations with a meaningful purpose
* Recognising and prioritising the importance of community and student home knowledge in teaching and learning programs by using local resources, cultural knowledge of Aboriginal community members.
* Providing programs which reflect recognition of Aboriginal students - home experiences and prior knowledge.
* Encouraging in Aboriginal students a sense of identity and being valued as an individual by providing opportunities to share their local knowledge and learn from one another.

Outcome 3:
Curriculum which is designed with clear understandings of what students already know and what they need to learn

Strategies:
* Specific time allocated to student assessment
* Planning curriculum based upon information about student achievements gained from ongoing assessment
* Development of units of work that include a range of assessment tasks, encouraging teachers to use a variety of strategies in determining what students know.
* Teaching programs that are explicit and utilise good teaching practice to provide students with Stage appropriate learning experiences.ß
* Teaching of specific science skills and understandings in a variety of contexts.

Outcome 4:
Valuing students' use of Aboriginal English

Strategies:
* Consult with Aboriginal Education Assistants (AEAs), and Aboriginal parents/caregivers about students' home language and use this information to make links for the students between home and school science language.
* Development of units of work which consider the students' home language and allow for opportunities to think about, speak about and write about science in both Aboriginal English and Standard Australian English.
* Teaching strategies which develop oral and written language skills whilst students develop scientific understandings.