Challenges in Reading Faced by Indigenous Students

Abstract

Australian Indigenous students’ literacy learning outcomes have continuously fallen behind national standards despite constant efforts and resources invested in education to minimise the gap. A variety of teaching pedagogies and programs have been introduced in schools with the aim of improving the academic performance of Indigenous students. Unfortunately, the invested resources and efforts have not paid off as Indigenous students’ learning, especially their literacy outcomes, are still well below achievement standards. This chapter reveals detailed and exact learning challenges that Indigenous students face during reading performance. It serves as baseline data for the explanation in Chapter 6 of the connectivity between the reading challenges and the culture-related factors and what role culture plays in shaping the way Indigenous students think, learn and communicate. It is my obligation as a researcher to investigate the issue holistically to identify intersectionality among factors and challenges in order to assist stakeholders and the public to gain an in-depth understanding of Indigenous culture and how the culture impacts students’ learning. These evidence-based findings will assist policy makers to target the areas that need to be reformed to provide the most appropriate education for Indigenous students, thus lifting their overall learning outcomes.