Summary Of The Film Rabbit-Proof Fence

Language is the lens through which we see the world. Each child is born into an existing linguistic environment, where they become involved in experiences that shape their cultural and social understandings of language. Language is materialistic, and is physically present in this world through the use of speech, audio recordings and writing (Gee & Hayes, 2011). To be able to teach language in the classroom, there needs to be a mutual understanding of the different phonological aspects, that enable sound to be heard in different cultures and contexts. In order to understand the language we teach, we must be aware that language has a voice, attitude and power that creates it’s meaning (Sharifian et al, 2004). To devoid language from social context

It is important that teachers are able to recognize the different understandings that students portray from different cultures. A range of video clips, and movies would be inappropriate for traditional cultures, due to the beliefs and understandings they portray. Teachers might consider having students watch the movie ‘Rabbit Proof Fence’. Teachers with a socio-cultural understanding might reconsider this movie, if an aboriginal student is present in their class, due to the strong idea that is portrayed on stolen generations. The teacher would recognize that this idea portrayed, may be different to the traditional beliefs to the child, and therefore may be offensive, and not

It is through inclusivity that teachers can include students with cultural differences, and previous language experiences. Teachers can be inclusive of these students, by involving them in language activities that incorporate their own cultural heritage, and including experiences they have made in their home environment. Goodman (2005) discusses that student’s oral language isn’t learnt by explicit teaching, but instead having students immersed in using language. When including these students, teachers are able to see language as a social pedagogy, and scaffold students thinking to ensure they have power over there already had experiences (Gardner, 2017). Many students with a socio-cultural background will feel powerless, and alienated due to the lack of language understanding. Teacher intervention will therefore, be extremely beneficial to these students as it has the potential to change the students thinking, as well as enable mentoring and modeling to take