The Multicultural Classroom: Learning from Australian First Nations Perspectives

The scope of multilingualism and multiculturalism within societies is increasing on a global scale. As this is happening, discussions are emerging concerning the significance of including a variety of perspectives in classroom discourse as well as the imperative of ridding it of a prevailing monocultural straitjacket. Against the backdrop of these changing realities, authors have advocated for a revision and adaptation of current teaching methodology and classroom materials in order to do greater justice to an increasingly diverse student population. This book presents the findings from a qualitative research project conducted in Australia, a country acclaimed for its linguistic and cultural diversity. Specifically, the study investigated the educational context of Indigenous Australian learners by shedding light on the incorporation of First Nations perspectives in teaching materials and methodology. Additionally, the project identified therewith-related challenges and possibilities for improvement. The results provide insights into the multifacetedness of language- as well as culture-related factors, which prove vital for learning processes. Moreover, the results reveal the complexities arising in connection with the incorporation of First Nations perspectives in classroom discourse. The data also point towards dimensions for improvement and recommendations for action for educators working in diverse classroom settings. As growing linguistic and cultural diversity has become a global reality, this volume, addressing Australian First Nations perspectives, offers an important contribution to the field of contemporary education.

Jasmin Peskoller is a researcher in the field of Foreign Language Education at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. Her research interests include cultural learning and global education as well as diversity-sensitive approaches to teaching and learning in the contemporary foreign language classroom. For her outstanding research in the Australian educational context, she was awarded the Würdigungspreis by the Austrian Federal Ministery of Education, Research and Economy. Barbara Hinger is Professor of foreign language education (Fremdsprachendidaktik) at Graz University, Austria. From 2012 to 2020 she held this same position at Innsbruck University, Austria, where she was head of the department of subject-specific education and the area of language education. At Innsbruck University, she established the Innsbruck Model of Foreign Language Education (IMoF) and worked in a multilingual team of teacher educators including the languages English, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and Latin. Her research focuses on instructed second language acquisition, classroom-based language assessment and multilingual teacher education.