Aboriginal English in the Classroom: An Asset or a Liability?

Abstract

This paper discusses issues surrounding the use of Australian Aboriginal English in the classroom in the light of a recent survey. Aboriginal English is often correlated with low academic performance and poor school attendance. The paper argues that in any discussion of the school role of students ‘home talk, a range of factors need to be examined, including the relationship between language, identity, power, emotion and cultural conceptualisations. Students’ home dialect can be viewed as an asset at school on various grounds.

Keywords:

• non-standard dialects in education
• Aboriginal English
• second dialect education
• bi-dialectal education

Notes

1. http://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/walna/