The Multicultural Classroom: Learning from Australian First Nations Perspectives

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.

"Jasmin Peskoller's detailed and comprehensive research into the significance and importance of students' first language and culture as it impacts on their learning is sure to inspire significant change in classrooms. I believe her passion and soundly presented argument, supported by practical strategies for educators, will have a lasting impact on educational policies and therefore on individual lives. She is inspiring a renewed interest, awareness and appreciation of the linguistic and cultural challenges speakers of minority languages, in particular speakers of Aboriginal languages and Aboriginal English, have in our classrooms. What I hope for is that Australia will harness its rich cultural and linguistic heritage as an educational force. Aboriginal English should be recognised as a language in its own right to the extent that it is a requirement for every Australian trainee teacher to complete a unit in it. Reading this monograph would be a great start."- Margaret James, Linguist and Indigenous Education Specialist, Founder of 'The Honey Ant Readers' "Jasmin has captured a vital story about the regarding importance of language to First Nations Australians. She bravely set off to explore through research at several schools along the Australian east coast up to the Tiwi Islands the importance of and the way in which Indigenous languages and cultures are considered in current teaching practice. The invading colonial bodies attempted to annihilate all First Nations Languages in Australia, so only English would be spoken. Our people were punished or killed for speaking and attempting to maintaining their languages which many remain strong and vibrant. The fact that that we have been able to hold on to these languages and take them up proudly again is worth celebrating. Jasmin has delivered a very worthy account of why language and culture remains a treasured part of our survival and sustainability." Professor Juanita Sherwood, Office of Indigenous Engagement "The