Students were engaged in learning the Dyribal language using realia (real objects). The use of spears, boomerangs, digging sticks and other cultural artifacts helped students leave English behind and practice the target language. It made communication more meaningful by allowing students to act out meanings. Students were able to discuss culture and identity through the real objects. The realia also helped teach grammatical concepts like noun classes. Overall, using real objects appeared to increase student acquisition and retention of vocabulary and language structures in the Dyribal language.

1. Engagement. Empowerment. Excellence.
NATIONAL ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER EDUCATION CONFERENCE
19—21 November 2018, Glenelg, South Australia
Catholic Education—Diocese of Cairns: Indigenous
Education Professional Learning

2. I would like to
acknowledge the Kaurna
Nation, the original people
of the Adelaide plains.

3. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander curriculum and pedagogy
reform
Is it engaging?
Does it bring a sense of belonging and value?
Does it create a sense of ‘school is for me?’

4. Achievement Standards – Years P – 2
Students identify and recognise the importance of
learning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages,
including the benefits to communities of language.They
use simple statements, gestures and written captions to
demonstrate their understanding of Country/Place, for
example, by naming bush foods, animals, plants and
natural objects,
Australian Curriculum Framework for Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Languages – LR Pathway – Achievement Standards and Content Descriptors

5. COMMUNICATING STRAND P-2
SOCIALISING CREATING
Socialising/ Interacting
Interact with each other, the teaching team and visiting Elders/community members, using language and gestures to
greet and talk about self and family. ACLFWC130
Participating in and responding to stories,
song, dance and visual design
Participate in shared listening to, viewing and reading of texts and respond through singing,
miming, play-acting, drawing, action and movement. ACLFWC135
Taking action/ collaborating
Participate in guided group activities, such as games, songs and simple tasks, using movement and gestures to
support understanding and to convey meaning. ACLFWC131
Creating and performing
Create and present shared stories, songs and performances, using familiar words and
patterns and support materials. ACLFWC136
TRANSLATING
Developing language for classroom interaction
Interact in classroom routines and respond to teacher instructions. ACLFWC132
Translating/ interpreting and explaining
Translate frequently used words and phrases, using visual cues and resources such as word lists.
ACLFWC137
INFORMING CREATING
Obtaining and using information
Discover key information about Country/Place by exploring Country/Place and listening to stories from Elders and
community members. ACLFWC133
Creating bilingual texts
Create simple oral, print or multimodal bilingual texts for the classroom environment,
such as captions, signs, labels and wall charts. ACLFWC138
IDENTITY
Expressing Identity
Describe aspects of self, such as family, school/class and language/s spoken, considering how
these contribute to their sense of identity. ACLFWC139
Conveying information
Give factual information using simple statements, gestures and captions. ACLFWC134
REFLECTING
Reflecting on intercultural experience
Notice how using different languages involves some different ways of communicating and
behaving. ACLFWC140

6. UNDERSTANDING STRAND P-2
SYSTEMS OF LANGUAGE LANGUAGE AWARENESS
Sound and writing systems
Learn the different sounds of the language and link these to written symbols and conventions.
ACLFWC141
Linguistic landscape and ecology
Recognise that the language is part of the broader regional and national language diversity. ACLFWC147
Grammar and vocabulary
Recognise the function of different word types and understand basic elements of language
structures. ACLFWC142
Protocols for working with
languages
Understand that language belongs to communities, and that language learning requires the application of
respectful and appropriate behaviour. ACLFWC148
Ways of communicating and creating text
Recognise there are many ways of communicating messages in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
languages. ACLFWC143
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
Links between language, kin and land
Identify elements of the kinship system and its links to place and natural species. ACLFWC144
The relationship of language to culture
Notice that people use language in ways that reflect their culture, such as where and how they live and what is
important to them. ACLFWC149
LANGUAGE VARIATION AND CHANGE
Variability in language use according to social and cultural context
Recognise that different words and language forms are used to address and communicate with people
according to relationship and context. ACLFWC145 ROLE OF LANGUAGE BUILDING
Processes and protocols of language building
Recognise that learning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages can provide language revival
benefits to communities. ACLFWC150
The dynamic nature of language
Notice that languages borrow words from each other. ACLFWC146
Techniques of language building
Build the resources of the language by creating, performing and recording
new texts, and by creating new
contexts for its use. ACLFWC151

7. Achievement Standards – Years 3-6
They create bilingual texts for the classroom and
school community that explain words and
associated cultural ideas.
Australian Curriculum Framework for Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Languages – LR Pathway – Achievement Standards and Content Descriptors

8. COMMUNICATING STRAND 3-6
SOCIALISING CREATING
Socialising/ Interacting
Interact with peers, the teaching team and visiting Elders/community members about aspects of personal worlds,
such as experiences at school, home, everyday routines, interests and activities. ACLFWC152
Participating in and responding to stories, song, dance and visual design
Listen to, read and view different real and imaginative texts, identifying and making simple
statements about key elements, characters and events, and interpreting cultural expressions
and behaviours. ACLFWC157
Taking action/ collaborating
Participate in guided tasks that involve following instructions, making things, cooperating with peers, planning
for and conducting shared events, activities or school performances. ACLFWC153
Creating and performing
Create and present real and imaginative texts suitable for a particular audience, using
familiar expressions and modelled language. ACLFWC158
Developing language for classroom interaction
Participate in everyday classroom activities and routines, such as responding to questions and requests, asking
permission, requesting help. ACLFWC154
TRANSLATING
Translating/ interpreting and explaining
Translate simple texts from the language to English and vice versa, identifying elements which
require interpretation rather than translation and involve cultural references. ACLFWC159
INFORMING
Creating bilingual texts
Create bilingual texts for the classroom and the school community, such as songs, picture
dictionaries, captions for images and displays, photo stories. ACLFWC160Obtaining and using information
Discover key information about Country/Place by exploring Country/Place and listening to stories from Elders and
community members. ACLFWC133
IDENTITY
Expressing Identity
Explore their own sense of identity, including elements such as family, friends, interests,
membership of groups, and consider markers of identity that may be important across all
cultures. ACLFWC161
Conveying information
Give factual information using simple statements, gestures and captions. ACLFWC134
REFLECTING
Reflecting on intercultural experience
Notice and describe ways in which the language and associated communicative behaviours are
similar or different to other known languages and cultures. ACLFWC162

9. UNDERSTANDING STRAND 3-6
SYSTEMS OF LANGUAGE LANGUAGE AWARENESS
Sound and writing systems
Distinguish and produce the speech sounds of the language, understanding how these are
represented in writing. ACLFWC163
Linguistic landscape and ecology
Explore the language situation of language communities and the diversity of language contexts in Australia.
ACLFWC169
Grammar and vocabulary
Expand vocabulary in the language through word-formation processes and recognise and use
simple language structures. ACLFWC164
Protocols for working with
languages
Understand that the use of stories and names in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages is
culturally determined. ACLFWC170
Ways of communicating and creating text
Understand that texts such as stories, paintings, songs and dances have distinct purposes and
particular language features. ACLFWC165
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
Links between language, kin and land
Recognise how kin relationships link people, Place and story. ACLFWC166
The relationship of language to culture
Explore connections between identity and cultural values and beliefs and the expression of these connections
in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. ACLFWC171
LANGUAGE VARIATION AND CHANGE
Variability in language use according to social and cultural context
Understand that speakers vary language forms according to kin relationship and context of situation.
ACLFWC167
ROLE OF LANGUAGE BUILDING
Processes and protocols of language building
Identify available resources and protocols to be followed when building language. ACLFWC172
The dynamic nature of language
Recognise that languages change over time. ACLFWC168
Techniques of language building
Understand how the language has been recorded in the past, and how this affects language building processes.
ACLFWC173

10. Achievement Standards – Years 7-10
By the end of Year 10, students use the language
to initiate, sustain and extend interactions, and to
exchange information about interests,
experiences and aspirations
Australian Curriculum Framework for Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Languages – LR Pathway – Achievement Standards and Content Descriptors

11. COMMUNICATING STRAND 7-10
SOCIALISING CREATING
Socialising/ Interacting
Engage with peers, the teaching team and visiting Elders/community members to exchange information about
interests, experiences, plans and aspirations. ACLFWC174
Participating in and responding to stories, song, dance and visual design
Interpret and respond to texts by sharing personal reactions, comparing themes, describing
and explaining aspects of artistic expression and how these relate to land, sky, sea, water,
people, plants, animals and social and ecological relationships. ACLFWC179
Taking action/ collaborating
Engage in activities that involve collaboration, planning, organising, promoting and taking action. ACLFWC175
Creating and performing
Create a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts to entertain others, involving real or
imagined contexts and characters. ACLFWC180
Developing language for classroom interaction
Interact in class activities that involve making suggestions, seeking clarification, praising or complimenting one
another. ACLFWC176
TRANSLATING
Translating/ interpreting and explaining
Translate and interpret texts from the language to English and vice versa, comparing their
versions and considering how to explain elements that involve cultural knowledge or
understanding. ACLFWC181
INFORMING
Creating bilingual texts
Create bilingual texts for the wider community collaboration with others. ACLFWC182
Obtaining and using information
Investigate and summarise factual information obtained from a range of sources on a variety of topics and issues
related to the Country/Place. ACLFWC177
Conveying information
Convey information about Country/Place events, experiences or topics of shared interest, using different modes of
presentation. ACLFWC178
IDENTITY
Expressing Identity
Consider and discuss their own and each other’s ways of communicating and expressing identity,
reflecting on how the language links the local, regional and national identity of its speakers with
the land. ACLFWC183
REFLECTING
Reflecting on intercultural experience
Participate in intercultural interactions and consider own reactions when engaging with Elders
and community members and resources. ACLFWC184

12. UNDERSTANDING STRAND 7-10
SYSTEMS OF LANGUAGE LANGUAGE AWARENESS
Sound and writing systems
Understand and explain the sound patterns in spoken language and use developing phonemic
awareness to represent these patterns in written form. ACLFWU185
Linguistic landscape and ecology
Investigate and compare the ecology
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages to Indigenous languages in other countries, and consider
issues such as language policy, language rights, language loss, advocacy, reform and
multilingualism. ACLFWU191
Grammar and vocabulary
Expand vocabulary and understand and use a range of vocabulary sets and grammatical
structures that are available in the language. ACLFWU186
Protocols for working with
languages
Understand and apply cultural norms, skills and protocols associated with learning, using and researching
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. ACLFWU192
Ways of communicating and creating text
Discuss the purpose and roles of various spoken, written and visual texts in the language.
ACLFWU187
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
Links between language, kin and land
Investigate how the kinship system functions to integrate personal and community histories and
relationships. ACLFWU188
The relationship of language to culture
Reflect on how ways of using language are shaped by communities’ ways of thinking, behaving and viewing the
world, and the role of language in passing on knowledge. ACLFWU193
LANGUAGE VARIATION AND CHANGE
Variability in language use according to social and cultural context
Discuss variations in language use that reflect different social and cultural contexts, purposes and
relationships. ACLFWU189
ROLE OF LANGUAGE BUILDING
The dynamic nature of language
Describe and reflect on how languages change over time and influence one another.
ACLFWU190
Processes and protocols of language building
Explore language building processes and protocols in communities. ACLFWU194
Techniques of language building
Investigate and explain techniques used to build language, considering challenges involved and
understanding their role as contemporary documenters of language. ACLFWU195

14. Investigate ways to support student
learning of Aboriginal
Languages. Exploring evidence –
based Language Learning and
explore whether Realia benefits
Language Learners
This Language will focus on the
Dyribal Language of
the Ravenshoe area.
The purpose
of this session
aims to:

15. Does the use of Realia increase the
acquisition and retention of vocabulary
items and language structures by
learner of Dyribal and other languages?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Realia as: “Objects or activities used to relate classroom teaching to
the real life.
According to Richards and Schmidt (Richards, 1985) realia can be defined as “(in language teaching) actual
objects and items that are brought into a classroom as examples or as aids to be talked or written about and
used in teaching.”

17.  Engage In Real Life Cultural Artefacts
 Communication in discussions were conducted
face to face
 Students were keen to learn
 Students were able to embrace their own stories
and bring prior knowledge to the discussions
 Classroom teachers were keen to learn the
language
 Learning was enjoyable and also different.
 You don’t require an app for Realia
The Positive in
Realia teaching
identified that
students were
able to:

18. 1. Leave English behind and practice using the targeted Language
2. Make yourself understood with nonverbal communication by acting out,
using mimes to convey the message.
3. Teach in full sentences. Converse in full sentences
4. Aim for real communication. Speak everything in Language
5. Language is also Culture. It is our Identity
6. Focus on listening and speaking. Learn the language by simply listening and
speaking it.
7. Learn and teach language activities. This will support the Language Learning.
8. Use audio and video recordings. This will provide practice with Language
Learning.
9. Be an active learner. Ask Questions
10. Be patient and be proud. Language Learning is a long process. Be patient
and proud of your success.
(Hinton, 2011)
ten points for
Successful
Language
Learning.

19. Artefact in Dyribal Language Artefact in English RAVENSHOE LESSON.ppt
waŋal boomerang
yulman spear thrower
wIrrga nulla nulla
bigin shield
jiman fire stick
gajin digging sticks
baŋgan spear
mugay stone grinder
waŋarr woven basket
yarra fishing line
bargu traditional axe
bargur sword
ŋuwa fish trap

22. Gender that/there
masculine bayi
feminine balan
neuter bala
(Dixon, 1978) Language for this/here - nouns
Masculine and feminine noun classes were also taught
with the use of Realia.
Bayi, balan and bala are the most commonly used in
sentences, which have a noun and a verb in them. e.g.
• Bala wirrga bura.
That nulla nulla look at.
Look at that nulla nulla.
• Bayi waŋal bura.
That boomerang look at.
Look at that boomerang.
• Balan jiman bura
That firestick look at
Look at that firestick.
animation.mp4

23. Gender this/here
masculine giyi
feminine ginyan
neuter ginya
(Dixon, 1978) Dyribal Language for that/there -noun & verb
Dyribal Language does not have any verb 'to be', as
English. The word ginya, giyi and ginyam ('this') are simply
put together with a noun to form a complete sentence in
Dyribal.
• Ginya wirrga/ nulla nulla
This/here is a nulla nulla.
• Giyi waŋal / boomerang.
This/here is a boomerang.
• Ginyan jiman/ firestick
This/here is a firestick.
•GIYI.mov

24. Email: lmiller@cns.catholic.edu.au