Introduction and permission

This research is continuing on from a PhD research project examining behaviour support attitudes and strategies to support Australian Indigenous students. It is not used to measure teachers’ performance or compare schools. The questionnaire contains 80 Items.
Your responses are confidential. I will not keep or use any identifying information such as your name, email address of IP address.

Your participation is voluntary. If you decide to participate in this research survey, you may withdraw at any time.

The de-identified answers will be used for research purposes only. I thank you in advice for your time and cooperation.

If you have any question about the survey, please contact Linda at linda@llewellynconsultancy.com

The statements in the first part of the questionnaire deal with the behaviour support actions or strategies of teachers that might be used in the classroom. Answer the questions based upon what degree you believe these actions or behaviours are used in your classroom when interacting with Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students. There are 4 answers for each strategy ranging from almost never to almost always. The second set of questions use a Likert scale to answer from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree. These are followed by some general demographic questions. Please be honest and accurate in your answers. This is not a test or an evaluation tool.

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1. Please create a unique ID that you will remember and use again if you take this survey in the future (e.g., a combination of initials and birth year: JD1990)

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2. I make allowances for students having a different understanding from my own about time (more fluid and less determined by a clock)

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3. I explicitly teach my Indigenous students behaviours I would like them to use at school

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4. I model for my students the behaviours I would like to see in my classroom

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5. I reflect on my interactions with Indigenous students

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6. I verbally communicate high standards for my Indigenous students

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7. I teach my students about the importance of our classroom operating on the principles of equitable conduct

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8. I try to look for the reason for inappropriate behaviour

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9. I understand that I must show respect to students in order to be able to expect respect from them

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10. I avoid singling out my students publicly for positive and negative reasons

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11. If I need to speak to a student about behaviour I take him/her away from other students so that the talk is private

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12. I act in a way that creates close relationships with Indigenous students

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13. I offer students choices so they have some autonomy in the classroom

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14. I provide opportunities for students to demonstrate their strengths

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15. I let students know through verbal and non-verbal cues that I believe in them

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16. I teach students to respect and care for each other

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17. I avoid sarcasm with my students

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18. I use meaningful learning tasks for my students

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19. I avoid 'shaming' a student if they can't answer a question. 

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20. I provide students with opportunities for group work

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21. I use storytelling in the classroom

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22. I allow students wait time if needed when I ask them a question

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23. My classroom displays evidence of the cultures represented by the community

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24. I include Indigenous role models in my teaching

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25. I avoid an ‘I’m the boss’ approach

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26. I structure activities for students to build relationships with each other

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27. I react calmly in a crisis

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28. I listen to both parties after an incident

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29. When a student is upset I use simple language when talking to them

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30. I apologise to students when needed

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31. I sit beside students to talk to them after an incident

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32. I use Liaison staff/ Nurse/ Guidance Counsellor to help me understand what is happening in regards to student behaviour

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33. When the class is working on a task, I help individuals and groups

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34. After an incident I don’t talk directly to what happened but talk around it eg: sometimes these things happen and what needs to happen is this

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35. After an event I offer the student options for help to set things right again rather than punish them

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36. I access school programs that teach conflict resolution skills to students

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37. I give students a way to ‘save face’ to avoid ‘shame’ in awkward situations

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38. I implement boundaries to avoid behaviours e.g. I will move a student

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39. I use less intrusive behaviour support strategies like refocus on the learning to address inappropriate behaviour

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40. I selectively ignore some minor inappropriate behaviours

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41. I seek to address barriers to learning arising from sensory needs, disability, tiredness, hearing and hunger

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42. I commend students in an appropriate way for showing behaviours that are suitable for school

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43. I use visual reminders in the classroom to support student behaviour

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44. I cue students to the behaviours required for transitions from one activity to the next

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45. I engage with a student after he/ she has returned from time out or suspension

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46. I use my students’ preferred names correctly when I address them

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47. I use ‘I’ messages in conversations with students about behaviour

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48. I keep my word so students can learn to trust me

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49. I follow through with consequences after an incident

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50. I have well established routines

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51. I involve students in deciding classroom behaviour expectations

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52. I explain to students that behaviours encouraged at school might be different from their home culture

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53. I create connections with families and carers

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54. When I suspect or know that students have experienced trauma I adjust my behaviour strategies

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55. I am careful about creating attachments to one family or group of students because others may feel excluded

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56. I explain things clearly and in different ways so students will avoid any frustration of misunderstanding concepts

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57. I respond to problems between students q1uickly so the problems don't beome bigger 

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58. I am able to support the behaviour of students who have a different cultural background from myself

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59. I understand that students may resent being told what to do by a teacher from the mainstream culture due to their history of colonisation

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60. I understand that parents of my students may have bad experiences of school

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61. I understand that some behaviours I see from my students may be due to cultural differences rather than deliberate misbehaviour

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62. My students may not need eye contact when listening to someone

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63. I understand that students may need to see the larger context before attempting a specific task

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64. I understand that the communication patterns in my classroom might require my students to code-switch from home language

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65. I make an effort to learn some Indigenous language/s

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66. I understand that while most parents value education, they may reject school if it negatively impacts their child’s cultural identity

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67. I understand that students may need to make a relationship with me before they will want to work for me

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68. I welcome parents into my classroom

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69. I commit myself to learning about the history of colonisation in my local area

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70. I know culturally appropriate ways of showing respect

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71. I work to have objective perceptions about Indigenous students and families

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72. I need to learn more about Australian Indigenous cultures  

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73. I identify as an Australian Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or Australian and Torres Strait Islander 

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74. My gender is 

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75. My initial training was in

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76. I have been teaching for ___ years

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77. I currently teach students in years

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78. The percentage of Indigenous students in my classes on average this year is

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79. The percentage of those Indigenous students in my class/es who display behaviour that is inappropriate for school

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80. Please give feedback about which (if any) questions were unclear

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81. Have you been helped by taking this survey, reading the book 'Towards Culturally Appropriate Behaviour Support', or the online TASSAIS training?

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82. Title of the Study:

Examining behaviour support attitudes and strategies to support Australian Indigenous Students.



Principal Researcher:

Linda Llewellyn

Llewellyn Consultancy

linda@llewellynconsultancy.com



Purpose of the Study

You are invited to take part in a research survey about the behaviour support attitudes and strategies used to support Australian Indigenous Students. The purpose of this study is to gather information regarding classroom strategies used by teachers in Australia with regards to Australian Indigenous Students, and the impact of Teacher Attitudes and Strategies to Support Australian Indigenous Students (TASSAIS). It will not be used to measure teachers’ performance or to compare schools in Australia.



Procedures

If you agree to participate, you will be asked to complete a research survey that will contain 80 items. The statements in the first part of the questionnaire will deal with the behaviour support actions or strategies of teachers that might be used in the classroom. The second set of questions use a Likert scale to answer from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree. These are followed by some general demographic questions.



Risks and Benefits

There are no known risks associated with participating in this study. While there may be no direct benefit to you, your responses may contribute to a better understanding of attitudes and strategies used with Australian Indigenous students, and the utility of the attitudes and strategies suggested in Linda’s previous research.



Confidentiality

Your responses will be kept confidential and will be used for research purposes only. No personally identifiable information will be collected unless explicitly stated. All data collected will be stored securely and will only be accessible by the research team. For more information, please refer to the privacy policy.



Voluntary Participation

Your participation in this survey is voluntary. You may choose not to participate or withdraw at any time.



Contact Information

If you have any questions about the study or your rights as a participant, you may contact the principal listed above.

Consent Statement

By continuing with this survey, you acknowledge that:

- You are 18 years of age or older.

- You have read and understood the Consent Form to participating in a Research Survey and the Privacy Statement.

- You voluntarily agree to participate in this research survey.

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