Pre-requisites

ED7080 Inclusive Education

Co-requisites

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of the Australian Curriculum’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority and its application across different stages and subjects.

• Critically analyse the diversity within and across First Nations peoples including variations in culture, language, perspectives, and the impact of colonisation on different groups. Evaluate research evidence on the positive outcomes of community and family engagement in education and apply best practices for effectively engaging with First Nations families and communities.

• Understand and apply the concept of cultural safety in educational contexts and develop strategies for creating culturally safe and inclusive learning environments. Cover content related to local First Nations context developed in collaboration with local First Nations groups ensuring authenticity and respect for Indigenous subject expertise.

• Cultural responsiveness, including EAL/D students. Critically reflect on positionality through engagement in self-inquiry demonstrating how this concept shapes professional teaching practice and academic writing, with particular attention to cultural diversity within Australian classrooms and local communities to understand and value the perspectives of diverse groups, including EAL/D and First Nations students.

• Demonstrate intercultural competence by integrating ongoing self-reflection and reflexivity into teaching practice with a focus on understanding and valuing the cultural diversity of EAL/D and First Nations students in Australian classrooms and local communities.

• Critically evaluate how personal biases and assumptions about diverse groups and worldviews influence classroom practices, behaviors, and attitudes, and analyse the adverse impacts these biases can have on specific groups. Reflect and apply how a Biblical Christian worldview, grounded in the principles of love, justice, and the inherent worth of all people created in the image of God, can guide the development of inclusive and respectful teaching practices that affirm the dignity and value of every student.

Unit Description

This unit explores the integration of content covered in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures within the Australian Curriculum across various stages and subjects. You will develop an understanding of the diversity that exists within and across First Nations peoples, including differences in culture, language, perspectives, and the varied impact of colonisation on different groups.
The unit emphasises culturally responsive teaching by examining research on the positive effects of engaging with First Nations communities and families to improve student outcomes. The unit addresses topics from a Christian worldview, incorporating perspectives from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian communities.
By the end of the unit, you will be able to:
(1) Critically reflect on positionality through self-inquiry, shaping professional practice and valuing cultural diversity, including EAL/D and First Nations students;
(2) Demonstrate intercultural competence by integrating ongoing self-reflection and reflexivity into teaching, with a focus on understanding the perspectives of diverse student groups;
(3) Critically evaluate personal biases and assumptions about diverse groups and worldviews, and
(4) apply a Biblical Christian worldview, grounded in love and justice, to develop inclusive, respectful teaching practices.
You will be equipped to engage meaningfully with First Nations histories and cultures, fostering a deeper understanding of culturally safe, responsive teaching practices from a Christian perspective.

Topics

1. Content covered in the Australian Curriculum Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority across various stages and subjects.
2. Diversity within and across First Nations Peoples including an exploration of cultural, linguistic, and historical differences and the varied impact of colonisation on different Indigenous groups
3. a) Engaging with First Nations communities and families for successful student outcomes by exploring research evidence on the benefits of such engagement, alongside best practices for fostering effective and respectful collaboration in schools.
   b) Apply this understanding to cultivate two-way positive communication, provide light-touch learning updates, and participate in collaborative planning and problem solving with students, families, colleagues, and the wider community.
4. Understanding the concept of cultural safety and exploring practical examples of how to create culturally safe classroom contexts and environments. Including what constitutes racism strategies, policies and legislation.
5. Cover content related to local First Nations context developed in collaboration with local First Nations groups ensuring cultural authenticity and subject matter expertise.
6. Explore the concept of positionality and its impact on professional teaching practices and academic writing. Understand and value the perspectives of culturally diverse groups, including EAL/D and First Nations students, within Australian classrooms and local communities.
7. Explore how ongoing self-reflection and reflexivity can enhance intercultural competence, with a focus on understanding and valuing the cultural diversity of EAL/D and First Nations students in Australian classrooms and local communities.
8. Critically evaluate the influence of personal biases and assumptions on classroom practices, and examine how a Biblical Christian worldview, grounded in love, justice, and the inherent worth of all people, can shape inclusive and respectful teaching practices.

Learning Experiences

1/ Critical Self-inquiry and Reflexive teaching practice Read the AERO Cultural Safety practice guide.
Australian Education Research Organisation. (2024). Cultural safety. Retrieved from https://www.edresearch.edu.au/guides-resources/practice-guides/cultural-safety
Individually:
Reflect on personal experiences and backgrounds that may influence teaching practices.
Group Discussion:
In small groups, discuss the concept of positionality and share insights from the reading and how a Biblical Christian worldview can guide the development of inclusive practices.
Discuss how personal biases and assumptions can impact classroom behaviors and attitudes.
Report Back to Class:
A member from each group to present a summary of insights on how to engage in critical self-inquiry and reflexive teaching practice on an ongoing basis.

2a/ Class Discussion
Read the AERO Cultural Safety practice guide and other related articles and resources.
Australian Education Research Organisation. (2025). Cultural safety. Retrieved from https://www.edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2025-03/aero-practice-guide-cultural-safety-aa.pdf

Australian Education Research Organisation. (2024, November). Scaffold practice: Guide student learning and gradually remove scaffolds. Australian Education Research Organisation. Retrieved from https://www.edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2024-11/AERO-practice-guide-scaffold-practice-aa.pdf

Prompts: -What are some common biases and assumptions teachers may have about different student groups (e.g., cultural, socio-economic, linguistic backgrounds)?;
- How do these biases influence classroom practices such as student participation, expectations, or treatment of students?
- How might these biases inadvertently affect the educational outcomes of specific groups of students?;
- Share examples from personal experience or case studies, highlighting how bias has impacted classroom dynamics.
Application:
Develop a practical action plan for addressing biases in your future classroom. The plan should include: - Specific strategies you will use to address biases in your classroom practices.
- Techniques for fostering inclusivity and ensuring all students feel valued and respected.
- Ways to engage with students from diverse backgrounds to understand their unique experiences and needs. Share your plan with a peer.

2b/ Students participate in:
A Yarning Circle-style reflective dialogue to explore how personal identity, cultural positioning, and reflexivity impact classroom practice. (Also refer Learning Activity 1 4.2.1)
A case study analysis involving vignettes of First Nations and EAL/D students. Working in small groups, identify barriers to participation and propose culturally responsive and differentiated strategies aligned with AERO guidance.

Applied Task
Co-design a lesson segment for a culturally diverse classroom, including:
- One scaffolded support for an EAL/D learner.
- One culturally responsive strategy for a First Nations student (e.g., integrating local knowledge or language practices).

Use the AERO guide’s strategies and reflective questions to inform lesson design.

Reflection:
Write a brief reflection on how your understanding of cultural diversity, particularly in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and EAL/D learners has developed. Reflect on how you will continue to embed inclusive, culturally responsive, and reflexive practice in your future teaching, ensuring that you value and incorporate the diverse linguistic and cultural perspectives of all students.

3/ Role-Playing: Parent Teacher Conference/ Meeting
Read the AERO Practice Guide on Family Engagement.
Australian Education Research Organisation. (2025). Family engagement practice guide. Australian Education Research Organisation. https://www.edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2025-03/aero-practice-guide-family-engagement-aa.pdf
Instructions:
Divide the class into pairs, with one person playing the role of the teacher and the other playing the role of the parent.
Provide each pair with the previously discussed scenario: a parent-teacher meeting focusing on the student’s reading progress.
During the role-play, the pre-service teachers (playing the teacher) should:
- Practice positive, two-way communication by asking open-ended questions, actively listening, and responding respectfully.
- Provide light-touch updates on the child’s progress in reading, offering concise and meaningful feedback, and suggesting areas for improvement in a positive manner.
- Collaboratively discuss a plan with the parent to address the child’s learning needs, ensuring that the parent is engaged in the problem-solving and solution process.
- Peer Feedback on the strengths and areas of improvement on practice (role playing) as per the elements listed above.

Research

Australian Education Research Organisation. (2024). Cultural responsiveness in education. Retrieved from https://www.edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2024-05/cultural-responsiveness-in-education-aa.pdf

This research summary emphasises the importance of building relationships that cultivate trust, engagement, confidence, respect, and learning with First Nations students, their families, and communities. It posits that culturally safe learning environments are foundational to meeting the learning needs and aspirations of First Nations students.

The resource cited above also provides a comprehensive list of references, covering both foundational and contemporary research on community and family engagement to drive successful outcomes for First Nations students.

Australian Education Research Organisation. (2025). Family engagement. Retrieved from https://www.edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2025-03/aero-practice-guide-family-engagement-aa.pdf
This reading guide recommends “fostering two‑way, positive communication between schools and families, including light‑touch updates that are personalised, positive, concise and focused on learning, and enable families to respond if required.”

Collaborative planning and problem‑solving:
It promotes providing “regular opportunities for parents to share knowledge of their children’s learning needs, aspirations and achievements and allowing this information to inform teaching plans.”

Teacher’s individual role:
The guide describes the importance of knowing when and how to engage families—emphasising the teacher’s responsibility to initiate respectful, responsive, and culturally aware communication.

The resources cited above also provide a comprehensive list of references, covering both seminal and contemporary research on 4.3.2.

---

Unit offerings

Please note

The Unit Offerings listed above are a guide only and the timetable for any year is the final authority. The College may vary offerings based on demand, regulatory requirements, continual improvement processes or other conditions.

This unit may be available in different modes of delivery i.e. online and face-to-face as listed above. The unit content will not differ between these modes of delivery. There will possibly be a difference in the schedule and/or the prescribed assessment tasks, however both will cover and assess the same content.