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http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/1916032/discover-the-diversity-of-australia-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-languages

The video ‘Discover the Diversity of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages’ from Splash ABC is a great resource that introduces students to the diverse range of Indigenous languages and tribes across Australia. A literacy unit based on the book ‘Welcome to Country’ by Joy Murphy could include a frontloading lesson with this video. This book is about the Wurundjeri tribe, their language and their way of life. The video from Splash ABC could act as a resource to introduce students to the idea of different tribes and languages and their diversity, before focusing in on and deeply exploring the local one of Wurundjeri in the text.

On the Splash ABC website, I watched the above mentioned video. The children in it were singing about their connectedness to the land, and their reasons why they love it. This lyrics are sung in their traditional language as well as in English. It provides various sounds and images for the students to be able to consider whilst watching it.  The front loading activity I would use prior to showing my students the video is reading “The Rainbow Serpent” by Dick Roughsey. I have chosen this book specifically because the song mentions the Rainbow Serpent, and I would like to see how many children in the class are actually listening and identify that it has been mentioned. If they are paying attention to the well-thought out lyrics that are being shared, they will identify some other topics and themes that will be further explored through independent research later on. 

Prompt 6 "Discover the diversity of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages" This video found on splash.abc.net.au shows 5 different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. This short clip showed me the importance of learning these languages in schools. Schools often learn one language other than English but I haven't heard of a school in my local area learning an Indigenous language. You could get the students to do a KWL chart before watching this video. The students would write what they 'know' and 'want to know' about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. The students could then share there knowledge with a partner.

Watch the premiere of Splash Tuesday, March 19 at 8|7c on ABC!

Would you take the plunge? Watch the premiere of Splash, Tuesday March 19 at 8|7c on ABC!