Background: The Australian curriculum emphasises such knowledge that young Australians can develop their social, personal, and intellectual capabilities and contribute to building our nation. Australians are expected to be confident and creative individuals and successful lifelong learners in a globalised world. The Australian curriculum also prioritises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures as a cross-curriculum priority intended to provide opportunities for all students to deepen their knowledge of Australia by learning about the world’s oldest continuous living cultures. However, are educators ready to deliver the expected Indigenous knowledge?

Aims: This presentation aims to review existing literature to understand the status of primary teachers’ knowledge and confidence in teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures as a cross-curriculum priority.

Method: This research involves a narrative review of the literature about teachers’ knowledge and capability in relation to teaching Indigenous content, incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing into teaching, and authentic engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures as an Australian cross-curriculum priority.

Results: Based on the literature review of the last decade, the findings indicated three critical areas of concern about teachers’ readiness: a) teachers’ confidence and skills in fulfilling the authentic application of Indigenous knowledge as a cross-curricular activity; b) inadequate training and professional development for non-Indigenous teachers; and c) problematic interactions between non-Indigenous teachers and Indigenous students. The results also highlight that a shortage of Indigenous teachers has implications for authentic teaching of Indigenous perspectives.

Conclusions: The literature review identified the need for further study of primary teachers’ knowledge, confidence, and skills in relation to teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ histories and cultures.

Implications for children and families: You will learn what and how children are expected to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures at primary school.

Implications for practitioners: You will learn about Australian primary teachers’ readiness to teach the Cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures.

Key words:

teachers’ confidence and knowledge, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, teachers’ perspectives, Indigenous knowledge, cross-curricular priority, Australian curriculum, professionals’ voices, education

This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities