Brave New Clan - Culture - Language

This lesson is based on the film Who We Are: Brave New Clan – Culture. Students will think about why languages are important for fostering a sense of belonging. They will look at the different languages spoken in the classroom, and then at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. They will be asked to think about how colonisation has affected the survival of these languages, and will explore how these languages are being maintained, revitalised and revived around Australia. Students are then asked to write a letter to a local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander group asking them for advice about how to learn about local languages.

Essential questions:

• Why is language important to identity and a sense of belonging?
• What different languages do we speak in the classroom?
• What First Languages do First Nations people speak?
• How are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages being maintained, revitalised and revived around Australia?