Since mid 1990 I have been part of the Eastern Area Aboriginal Studies team. The “team” comprises two people, myself and an Aboriginal Education Worker (AEW), Mrs. Shirley Gollan. The role of the Aboriginal Studies team is to provide training and development in Aboriginal Studies for school communities across the Education Department Eastern Area.

Undertaking teachers training through schemes such as AREP, ANTEP, or this commendable scheme through the Catholic College system has required dedication and commitment to get you through the workload as well as overcoming the frustrations that seem to increase as your studies have progressed. Frustrations due to time (or rather lack of), difficulties with assignments (first, trying to make sense of them and then trying to write something that does make sense, while you are wondering how this is actually going to help you to become a teacher) and absences from the family (when you are required in Sydney or doing a practice teaching session away from home) are very hard to overcome. Therefore, the support network that has been put in place must be regarded as effective, otherwise you would probably be watching the footy instead of satisfying course requirements.

The commercially available Pictionary provides the basis for the game described in this paper and the outcomes of its introduction to a class of grade three aboriginal students on Palm Island in North Queensland are explore. Suggestions are made for the preparation and extension of the game into classes and topic areas specific to a broad variety of learning situations at both primary and secondary level.

Middle ear disease is one of the most common childhood illnesses (Kokko 1974) and often results in hearing loss. This type of conductive hearing loss is endemic among Aboriginal children in particular. Between twenty-five and fifty percent of Aboriginal primary school age children are affected by hearing loss at any point in time (Quinn 1988). However, Aboriginal children's hearing loss is often not identified, in part because of ‘masking’ due to cultural differences. The awareness of possible hearing loss among non-Aboriginal children is usually prompted by children's behaviour. For example, the children don't follow directions and fail to answer questions. However, among Aboriginal children these behaviours may also be attributed to cultural differences in appropriate social behaviour (Harris 1980). Therefore, concern about possible hearing loss is less likely to emerge on the basis of the behaviour of Aboriginal children (Price 1981, Howard 1991). This means identification of Aboriginal children's hearing loss often occurs only if children are tested, usually as part of a hearing screening program. However, in some areas of the Northern Territory at least, the likelihood of Aboriginal student's hearing being screened has actually diminished in recent years.

First of all I would like to extend to you all a warm welcome to Canberra. For the next ten days the focus of the Christian world will be on this Assembly.

Recently, I asked a young teacher who made much use of the computer in her classroom, “Why do Aboriginal children succeed at the computer?”.

She gave these reasons:

1. 1. Racial differences go out the window.

2. 2. Ability groups do not matter - all are happily involved.

3. 3. Concepts, e.g. direction, come early.

4. 4. Hastens sight-word recognition.

5. 5. Adult helpers are well employed.

The broad outcomes of 25 years of state education for A.T.S.I. people are not encouraging. Whilst it would be premature to say that the system has failed these people, it is obvious that the outcome has not met the expectations of many educators and many A.T.S.I. people.

Social justice has emerged over the past decade to ensure that all Australians have the opportunity to participate fully and effectively in creating and sharing the nation's resources. The South Australian Social Justice Strategy Unit (1989, p.7), suggests that “a sense of social justice fair and equal treatment is built into the Australian character”. Social justice can be applied to all aspects of the Australian society. Health, welfare and education, to name a few.