Perceived Teacher Tensions: Navigating Educational Mandates of Explicit Instruction and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

In this paper I discuss the perceived tensions in navigating an Explicit Instruction approach with a Culturally Responsive Pedagogy at the cultural interface. The study took place in a Year 6/7 classroom in the Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia. All students identified as EAL/D learners. As an experienced, yet non-Indigenous practitioner, I documented the perceived tensions I encountered in the discipline of English. Adopting an Action Research methodology, I explored the classroom struggles as I navigated the mandate of teaching explicitly, yet responsively. I used student dialogue sessions and a reflective journal to document my tensions. Results showed, despite being able to adjust the Explicit Instruction approach to meet students’ needs more responsively, tensions arose. The implications of this study are of significance for teachers in Australia who are required to embed Indigenous perspectives into the curriculum, adhering to the Australian Professional Teaching Standards 1.4 and 2.4.