Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia face educational challenges shaped by historical, cultural, and geographical factors. Historical legacy has disrupted trust in schools for many families and these experiences may influence children’s engagement with education.
If young people are unable to see how education relates to life beyond their community, motivation and engagement decline. Gower, Ferguson, and Forrest (2021) argue that strong school/community partnerships are critical in addressing these issues, as trust and collaboration are foundational to improving student engagement and outcomes.
The Australian Government Department of Education (2025) emphasises the importance of enabling all learners to reach their full potential. Recognising that family and community involvement plays a central role in student success is vital in engaging communities in the learning journeys of young people.
Supporting learners
In Australia, proficiency in Standard Australian English (SAE) is widely viewed as fundamental to academic success and curriculum access (Australian Department of Education, Capability Framework, 2013). Schools should adopt an EAL/D (English as an Additional Language or Dialect) approach that recognises learners’ existing linguistic knowledge while supporting their acquisition of English.
A comprehensive EAL/D program is essential to ensure equitable access to curriculum. Such programs should ideally be inclusive of students with low literacy levels and those with Special Educational Needs (SEN), ensuring support for all learners.
School actions to support learners include:
- Recognise Aboriginal English and other dialects, for example, bring the home language into the classroom through stories by local elders or encouraging brainstorming and discussions in the home language
- Teach subject-specific English vocabulary and language structures to support curriculum access, for example, pre-teach vocabulary and create opportunities for whole of staff collaboration
- Differentiate EAL/D support to include learners with SEN and low literacy needs, for example, print scaffolded resources for equitable access, and provide individualised digital platforms for independent learning opportunities
- Engage learners in a blend of independent, instruction-based, and differentiated learning, for example, follow the proven strategy of giving instruction and practice time to recognise cognitive load
- Differentiate learning of the curriculum to reflect language needs, for example, use Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) to teach language in context with scaffolded resources - for help with understanding CLIL
Steele and Wigglesworth (2023) note that some educators may not recognise speakers of non-standard English dialects as EAL/D learners, as they present as English speaking, resulting in insufficient or inappropriate language support. This non-recognition can disadvantage learners who need proficiency in English to access further education and employment opportunities (Australian Government Department of Education 2025).
Supporting families and communities
Efforts to promote English have often relied on top-down approaches that position it as superior to home languages. This can undermine students’ cultural identity and contribute to disengagement. Lowe et al. (2021) argue that authentic inclusion of Indigenous language and culture is essential for effective learning in Indigenous contexts. English can be reframed as an additional tool for participation in wider Australian society rather than as a corrective measure. This strengthens relationships between schools and communities and supports sustained engagement.
School actions to support families and communities include:
- Incorporate local languages and dialects within classroom practice and school communications, for example, use local language(s) and English in paired activities and incursions
- Collaborate with community members to co-design culturally relevant learning experiences, for example, invite community members to work with staff
- Establish two-way communication channels that encourage family participation, for example, social events and volunteer opportunities for parents/grandparents
Strengthening family and community engagement through EAL/D programs
When EAL/D programs are delivered through blended or digital platforms, they create opportunities for parents and caregivers to participate alongside their children. Platforms that include adult ESOL encourage shared learning experiences and help families better understand the curriculum. Side-by-side learning models foster positive learning interactions within families and support language development across generations. This can contribute to improved educational outcomes, increased confidence, and broader access to learning and employment pathways.
School actions to strengthen engagement include:
- Engage students and their families in English, for example, provide resources for parallel learning with online platforms and printable resources
- Offer adult ESOL platforms for parallel family and student learning, for example, Community Village combined with Learning Village
- Design activities that encourage shared learning at home, for example, fun homework games and activities
- Provide guidance to families on supporting language learning outside school, for example, career or further study information for families
Supporting teachers
A significant challenge in remote Indigenous contexts is the limited availability of EAL/D specialist teachers. Even when educators recognise the need to teach English as an additional language or dialect, they may lack the training, time, or confidence to do so effectively. This can lead to teacher stress and inconsistent instructional practices.
A whole-school EAL/D strategy addresses this by providing all staff with access to scaffolded resources and targeted professional learning. When teachers are equipped with practical tools and clear guidance, they can support learners’ language development and curriculum access.
School actions to support teachers include:
- Implement a whole-school EAL/D platform - consistency in assessment and tracking
- Provide ongoing professional learning in EAL/D teaching in vocabulary, language structure, spelling, and phonics (available with every Learning Village or Community Village membership)
- Supply adaptable, scaffolded teaching resources, for example, sentence visualiser, text builder and others in Learning Village
- Enable staff to create bespoke materials efficiently, for example, content creator in Learning Village Recognise and address workload pressures associated with EAL/D provision, for example, provide an easy-to-use platform for staff.
References:
Australian Government Department of Education. (2025). Closing the Gap. Available here.
Gower, G., Ferguson, C., & Forrest, S. (2021). Building effective school–community partnerships in Aboriginal remote school settings. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 50, 359–367. Available here.
Lowe, K., Skrebneva, I., Burgess, C., Harrison, N., & Vass, G. (2021). Towards an Australian model of culturally nourishing schooling. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 53(4), 467–481. Available here.
Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment. (2013). Capability Framework: Teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander EAL/D learners (PDF). Available here.
Steele, C., & Wigglesworth, G. (2023). Recognising the SAE language learning needs of Indigenous primary school students who speak contact languages. Language and Education, 37(3), 346–363. Available here.
