Working together: strategies that support cross-cultural engagement of Indigenous teacher assistants working in Indigenous contexts

Abstract

ABSTRACTIndigenous teacher assistants (ITAs) are often employed in schools to assist in addressing educational issues relating to Indigenous students. While, this practice has occurred for over 40 years in most Australian states, little has been written about their contribution in assisting Indigenous students to learn. This paper explores the influence of a large longitudinal research project (Representations Oral Language and Engagement in Mathematics) with respect to the role of ITAs in supporting Indigenous students’ to learn mathematics. Data are collected from the perspectives of ITAs, teachers and school principals. In particular, the research proposes that including ITAs in high stakes professional learning, not only changes their confidence and contribution in the classrooms but also allows them and their students to begin to “walk” between the two knowledge worlds, Indigenous knowledge and Western knowledge.