Including native languages into a classroom is usually straightforward...Unless of course there is limited information and resources available. Such is the case for the Mount Gambier aboriginal Boandik (Bunganditj) Language.

The Australian Curriculum has a focus on students learning about the local indigenous/aboriginal tribes in the area where they live. For many teachers they have an abundance of information and members of the tribe eager to pass on traditions. For those lucky teachers planning and implementing indigenous education is quite simple...and then there are the rest of us.

I live in Mount Gambier and there is very limited information available about the local indigenous people - the Boandiks (they are also referred to as Bunganditj and in early history as Booandik). With limited resources (though there is a dedicated team working on collating and preserving their history and language) currently available it often seems daunting to teach students about something which you have little knowledge about yourself. Often it isn't a lack of enthusiasm but a question of where to start and where to find resources and information.


This is where my creative little brain takes over to give teachers a starting point. I love word walls. They give assistance to students and create a buzz in the classroom - basically by starting with just a few words you can hook in even the most reluctant student!

I decided therefore to start with a collection of words to do with creepy crawlers. There are bugs, ants and spiders (amongst a few others) and each card comes complete with the word in the Boandik language and supported by a picture. All you need to do it print, cut, laminate and start to use!
This is the first of the sets I will be creating. My aim is to do at least two sets a week (but I'll see how I go).

To purchase click the image below to visit my TPT store, Classroom Kitty.

Edited: 10 July 2018 - Languages that are phoentically recorded evolve as the recorded known vocabulary increases and is better understood. This resource has recently been updated with both new phoentic spelling for some and new graphics by the talented Rossy Zapata @ Rossy's Jungle.