The Rocks Dreaming

Aboriginal Heritage Tour (Illi Langi)

Compiled by: | Alex McLennan | Daniel Burgo | Nicole Grant | Sheridan Parsons | Jessica Hayter

The Rocks Dreaming Aboriginal Heritage Tour (Illi Langi) is an engaging experience of The Rocks which shares the Aboriginal perspective of the area using the local environment and
traditional Gadigal peoples’ stories. The tour around the shoreline will keep students engaged through the guide’s stories and the students interaction with the site. The site
demonstrates the connection between Aboriginal peoples and the land, linking the use of nature, conservation, and culture. The site provides a fantastic opportunity to get students
involved with Aboriginal cultural knowledge, and offers the chance to engage in further learning in the classroom post-visit.

Community Consultation
We would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, who are the traditional custodians of the land this tour operates on; and pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present.
This tour was organised by Dreamtime SouthernX, a company founded by Aunty Margaret Campbell, a Dunghutti and Djerrinja woman, and our tour was led by Lindsay Williams. The booking
process for this tour was straightforward and web-based. Lindsay was more than willing to answer the group’s questions and was able to provide a unique insight, through the stories he shared, into the
traditional history of the land. Dreamtime SouthernX offers specialised tours for school groups during term time.

Lesson 1 - History
This pre excursion lesson allows students to research the
history of Sydney Cove. This lesson will highlight how
most of the written history post-colonisation is from the
white settler’s point of view, whilst Aboriginal people’s
history is captured through oral stories. This lesson sets
up the deconstruct, reconstruct format of this unit.
References: Yunkaporta, Tyson (2009) Aboriginal pedagogies at
the cultural interface. Professional Doctorate (Research) thesis,
James Cook University
Lesson 2 - History
Lesson 10 - English
UNIT OUTLINE This lesson reconstructs students’ knowledge through a
collaborative task which involves story telling with the
OUR LEARNING MAP wider school community. The challenges of Critical Race
Theory and the reproduction of power-inequalities are
overcome by facilitating authentic learning and engage-
ment opportunities with the Aboriginal community and
culture (Ferfolja, T., Jones-Diaz, Criss, & Ullman,
Jacqueline. (2015), and, Pring, A (1999).
References: Ferfolja, T., Jones-Diaz, Criss, & Ullman, Jacquel-
ine. (2015). Understanding sociological theory for educational
practices.
Pring, A (1999). Indigenous Australian Cultural Perspectives in
the Study of Geography, Geographical Education, Volume 12,
1999.

Students will gain a specific contextual understanding of

Circular Quay, deconstructing the historical uses, changes
and importance of the location to both Aboriginal people
Lesson 9 - English
and non-Aboriginal people from pre-invasion,
post-colonisation and current perspectives. This lesson
Students orally, visually and creatively represent and
will develop understanding through a strong focus on
reconstruct the new knowledge they have obtained by
symbols and images, such as maps and photographs
engaging in a series of group activities. Students’ literacy
(visual representations).
and communication skills are developed through the
delivery of ‘meaningful learning activities that are relevant
and accessible to all students in a class’ (Loreman, T,
Deppeler, J and Harvey, D. (2011).
Lesson 3 - Science References: Loreman, T, Deppeler, J and Harvey, D. (2011). In-
clusive Education: Supporting Diversity in the Classroom (2nd
This pre-excursion lesson focuses on biotic and abiotic ed.)
factors that make up an ecosystem. Land links are made
by using native Australian flora and fauna examples.
References: Smetana, L. K., & Bell, R. L. (2012). Computer
simulations to support science instruction and learning: A critical Lesson 8 - Science
review of the literature. International Journal of Science Educa-
tion, 34(9), 1337-1370. Students reflect on their learning so far in this unit by way
Zheng, B., Warschauer, M., Hwang, J. K., & Collins, P. (2014).
of a yarning circle before developing deeper understand-
Laptop use, interactive science software, and science learning ing via a structured inquiry-based lesson to prepare for
Lesson 6 - Science
among at-risk students. Journal of science education and technol- their capstone presentations in the final lesson.
ogy, 23(4), 591-603. Lesson 5 - Science
In the first post-excursion lesson, References: Lazonder, A. W., & Harmsen, R. (2016). Meta-
analysis of inquiry-based learning: Effects of guidance. Review of
students apply learned background and
Whilst on the excursion, students Educational Research, 86(3), 681-718.
cultural knowledge to construct food
will identify biotic and abiotic factors
webs related to the Sydney Cove ecosys-
of Sydney Cove. The tour guide
Lesson 4 - Geography tem, giving significance to their learning
shares stories about Middens,
(Gore, 2007).
providing students with a unique References: Hackling, M., Byrne, M., Gower, Lesson 7- Geography
Completion of a field-sketch whereby students observe cultural insight into one way Gadigal G., & Anderson, K. (2015). A pedagogical
landforms, natural and built environments. Students rely people lived and cared for the eco- model for engaging Aboriginal children with
on land links, symbols and non-verbal skills to record system. science learning. Teaching Science, 61(1), 27. Students reconstruct place-based cultural knowledge
information, capturing the perspectives of both Aboriginal References: Behrendt, M., & Franklin, T. Gore, J. (2007). Improving Pedagogy. In J. (seasons, custodian management practices, flora/fauna
people and non-Aboriginal people. Students engage in (2014). A Review of Research on School Butcher & L. McDonald (Eds), Making a differ- relationships) about totemic custodianship to investigate
the application of Nakata’s notion of cultural interface, Field Trips and Their Value in Education. ence: Challenges for teachers, teaching and alternative environmental management approaches. In do-
whereby an understanding of the exchanges and systems International Journal of Environmental teacher education (pp. 15-33). Rotterdam, ing so, students ‘value such knowledge as a sophisticated
of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal realities is required and Science Education, 9(3), 235-245. Netherlands: Sense Publishers system rather than viewing it as a parochial limitation
(Yunkaporta, T., & McGinty, S. (2009)). References: Yunkaporta, T., & McGinty, S. (2009). Reclaiming Ab-
References: Nakata, M (2007). The Cultural Interface, The Aus- original knowledge at the cultural interface. Australian Educational
tralian Journal of Indigenous Education, Volume 36, Supplement, Researcher, 36(2), 55-72.
2007.

AISTL Standards
This unit of work demonstrates aspects from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Specifically, it focuses on the standards
1.4 ‘Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ and 2.4 ‘Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians’. In particular, the teaching and learning
strategies across all KLA’s are centred around the 8 ways pedagogical approach. Such strategies include story based learning through
creative writing pieces as well as yarning circles, Land based learning which is driven by historical content and an excursion. The unit also
includes opportunities for students to learn through symbols, visualisation techniques and hands-on methods. Standard 2.4 is emphasised
throughout the unit. For example, the historical lessons involve students learning the history of Sydney cove, the arrival of the first fleet and
the impact it had on aboriginal people. Making students aware of the trauma that aboriginal people have gone through establishes cultural
awareness as well as understanding and respect for the aboriginal community. In addition, each lesson makes explicit links to the NSW
stage 5 syllabus for History, Geography, Science, and English.

102085 | Aboriginal and Culturally Responsive Pedagogies | School of Education