EDF2031- Assessment task 1 Demonstrating an understanding of and respect for

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages

Tutorial time: Thursday, 2-3pm
My name: Stephanie Vawser

Critical Reflection piece 3: Identity

Resource: Image of diverse children who have different identities

http://dustina.pbworks.com/f/1296782963/diverse%20children.jpg
Taken from this website: http://dustina.pbworks.com/w/page/35511243/Culturally
%20and%20Linguistically%20Diverse%20Students%20and%20Gifted%20and
%20Talented%20Students
I have chosen this resource because children need to learn that they will have other
students in their class who are from diverse backgrounds. Whilst the resource may not
be a local one, it still illustrates to students the diversity of class mates that any school
may have in any location.

Grade Level: 3 and 4 (middle primary years)

Teaching strategies/Learning activities

Firstly, I would scaffold a discussion based around the following ideas:
- What can you notice that are different about these children in the picture
- Ones identity is not all about physical appearance and that there is a lot of things that
makes up someones identity

Secondly, I would brainstorm with the students what they think makes up ones identity.
E.g. family background, hobbies and interests, hometown, place of birth, and physical
appearance (Facing History and Ourselves, 2015).
Lastly, students will be required to create their own mind map of their own identity using
the ideas that they came up with in the brainstorm. I would show them appendix 1 and 2
as examples of what their mind map could look like.

Link to Identity/ Language

Identity in the classroom is evident in a majority of classrooms these days. It is
important for educators to adapt to the needs of a range of diverse students including
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. It is important that students and teachers
understand that identity has a large influence on others and whilst it depicts your
appearance, it also represents your view of the world (Burridge, 2009). Language has a
close connection to identity because it demonstrates how someone communicates their
views of the world which needs to be respected in the classroom. Language plays a
large role in adapting to social contexts such as a classroom (Norton, 1997).

References
Burridge, N. (2009). Addressing the challenges of cultural diversity in our schools.
Retrieved from
http://www.curriculum.edu.au/leader/addressing_the_challenges_of_cultural_div
ersity_in,28450.html?issueID=11957
Costikoglou, A. (2011, September 17th). About Me: Student Introductions & Leisure Time
Activities [Web blog post]. Retrieved from
http://eslchestnut.com/2011/09/17/leisure-time-activities/
Facing History and Ourselves (2015). Identity charts. Retrieved from
https://www.facinghistory.org/for-educators/educator-resources/teachingstrategies/identity-charts
Norton, B. (1997). Language, Identity, and the Ownership of English. TESOL Quarterly,
31 (3), 409-429. Doi: 10.2307/3587831

Appendices
Appendix 1: (Costikoglou, A, 2011)

Appendix 2: (Costikoglou, A, 2011)