Yirrkala Visitors

This week we have welcomed a group of educators from the Yirrkala School and the Homelands Schools in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.

All students at the visiting schools speak a Yolŋu first language, and the Yirrkala model sees Yolŋu educators work together with classroom teachers (who guide learning in English) to support the use of Yolŋu Matha (literally ‘Yolŋu tongue’). 

They visited Newlands as part of the Djambatj Dhukarr (Road to Excellence) project which is organised by Melbourne University. Members of the Yolŋu ‘team teachers’ group investigated how we plan and deliver curriculum in two languages and how we respond to engagement and wellbeing concerns in the classroom.

They visited all classrooms across the school and some classes were fortunate enough to have our visitors teach the students Yulnu words and phrases.

The group included:

Djawundil Maymuru

Mundatjngu Munuŋgurr

Shenay Thorne

Mulmulpa Munuŋgurr

Paula Gumana

Gamburruwuy Wunungmurra

Yalmay Yunupiŋu

Rebecca Arbon

Some information about where our visitors are from:

Yinydjaypuma works at Makarrata School teaching the senior school. The students learn in Yolngu Matha and English. She has been working with Rob's class and has noticed that they are teaching writing the same way in both Spanish and English as to how she teachers her students to write in both language.

This is GanGan school where Jessica teaches.

There are 19 students at her school ranging from Prep to Year 8.

There are 3 teachers at the school and 1 teacher who visits every week. Holly flies in from Yirrkala to support the students.

The children learn in Yolngu Matha and English.