Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on New Approaches in Education
Year: 2025
[PDF]
Decolonising the English Classroom – Embedding Authentic First Nations Perspectives
Tate Williams
ABSTRACT:
This workshop focuses on practical strategies for embedding First Nations perspectives in English classrooms, moving beyond tokenism to create authentic, culturally responsive learning experiences. Drawing from presentations at the Griffith University Summit and ISQ Indigenous Education Conference, this session will explore how English educators can challenge Eurocentric narratives and decolonise curriculum design.
Participants will engage in discussions on curriculum audits, backward mapping, and integrating Indigenous texts, voices, and critical perspectives into senior English units. Case studies will highlight successful approaches, including comparative studies of Stan Grant’s Talking to My Country, Rachel Perkins’ Bran Nue Dae, and Ali Cobby Eckermann’s poetry.
The session will also address how to teach resilience, dispossession, and identity in texts, explore Indigenous storytelling structures, and analyse the impact of colonisation on language and representation. Educators will leave with actionable strategies to create inclusive classrooms where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students see themselves reflected and all students gain a deeper understanding of Australia’s diverse literary landscape.
Keywords: Curriculm, First Nations, Culturally Responsive Classrooms