Aboriginal English and Bi-Dialectal Identity in Early Childhood Education

Title
Aboriginal English and Bi-Dialectal Identity in Early Childhood Education
Publication Date
2014
Author(s)
Ellis, Elizabeth M
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7936-7651
Email: eellis4@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:eellis4
Editor
Editor(s): Elke Stracke
Type of document
Book Chapter
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Place of publication
Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Edition
1
UNE publication id
une:17234
Abstract
Aboriginal English is a powerful marker of identity for many Aboriginal people, but in schools it is still often seen as "poor English". This chapter reports a study of the impact of Aboriginal English on learning outcomes for Indigenous children in preschools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Data from one family's home interactions and from Koori and mainstream preschool interactions are presented. Little evidence was found of grammatical and lexical features of Aboriginal English, but prosodic features of interactional style are suggested to form an integral part of Aboriginal identity. The findings suggested that there may be dissonance between Indigenous children's home and preschool language experiences that includes, but exceeds, the linguistic features of Aboriginal English. We suggest that, particularly in contexts where a "light" form of Aboriginal English is used, identity is indexed by features of prosody and interactional style that are characteristic of Aboriginal ways of being, doing and knowing. Combining our understanding of Aboriginal ways of talking and of effective preschool pedagogies forges links between Applied Linguistics and Early Childhood Education that can contribute to improving outcomes for young Indigenous learners.
Link
Citation
Intersections: Applied Linguistics as a Meeting Place, p. 233-252
ISBN
9781443866545
Start page
233
End page
252

Files:

NameSizeformatDescriptionLink