BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk//
X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY: Lunchtime presentation | Language and Literacy in the West Kimber
 ley: The case for 3 and 4 year old Indigenous learners' - Dr Sacha DeVelle
 \, Manager and Principal Research Fellow for the Australian Council for Ed
 ucational Research (ACER)
DTSTART:20150703T120000Z
DTEND:20150703T130000Z
UID:TALK60071@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Centre For Global Equality
DESCRIPTION:The gap in literacy achievement between Aboriginal and non-Abo
 riginal students has been widely publicised\, and evidence from the Wester
 n Australian Child Health Survey conducted in 2004 (Zubrick et al\; 2008) 
 shows that a substantial proportion of Aboriginal children are behind the 
 starting gate when school begins. Research addressing the reasons for the 
 ‘gap’ in achievement has raised questions in regards to Aboriginal lea
 rners. For example\, is performance a reflection on the ways in which they
  are being taught\, or in how they are tested? Are their linguistic and cu
 ltural characteristics being adequately considerered? What other factors a
 re involved? This presentation addresses such questions with reference to 
 the development of an online diagnostic tool designed for remote\, Aborigi
 nal learners aged 3-4 years old. In October 2014 we travelled to the Kimbe
 rley region to visit a number of indigenous schools and communities in the
  Broome\, Fitzroy Crossing and Derby regions. Feedback was extremely posit
 ive from all communities visited\, and highlighted a specific need for the
  proposed tool. Production is now underway\, and includes the use of authe
 ntic illustrations from the region to support the learning process. To acc
 ommodate the range of language abilities (Malcolm\, 2011)\, the tool will 
 be delivered in Kimberley Kriol and Standard Australian English (SAE)\, an
 d piloted in the West Kimberley region of Western Australia.
LOCATION:The Humanitarian Centre office in Emmanuel United Reformed Church
   
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR