auld-amiddle-2004.pdf (152.27 kB)
A middle approach to literacy in a minority Indigenous Australian language context.
Kunib-dji live in Maningrida, a remote community in the Northern Territory and speak Ndj-bbana as their preferred language of communication. Kunib-dji are one of many groups of Indigenous Australian languages who speak a minority language. Very little has been documented about the social practices of literacy with speakers of such languages, particularly with the texts that mediate these languages. Knowing about the beliefs and attitudes towards enacted by these speakers towards these texts is useful for understanding the process of learning of minority and majority languages. This paper presents a middle approach to literacy as distinct form top-down and bottom-up approaches, that has emerged from the minority Indigenous Australian language context in Maningrida. The proposed middle approach to literacy incorporates non-indigenous intervention in Indigenous social practices and technological transform of Indigenous texts. The methodological aspects of such intervention and transformation together with the implications of a middle approach to literacy are presented in this paper. Throughout the paper references are made to Kunib-dji children's access to digital Ndj-bbana texts and their engagement with these texts in a home environment.
History
Event
Australian Association for Research in Education. Conference (2004 : Melbourne, Vic.)Pagination
1 - 18Publisher
Australian Association for Research in EducationLocation
Melbourne, Vic.Place of publication
Melbourne, Vic.Start date
2004-11-29End date
2004-12-02ISSN
1324-9339Indigenous content
This research output may contain the names and images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people now deceased. We apologise for any distress that may occur.Language
engPublication classification
E1.1 Full written paper - refereedCopyright notice
2004, Australian Association for Research in EducationEditor/Contributor(s)
P JefferyTitle of proceedings
AARE 2004 : Doing the public good : positioning educational research ; AARE 2004 International Education Research conference proceedingsUsage metrics
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