Translanguaging On Country : trauma responsive pedagogy in Australian Aboriginal early childhood education

Abstract Intergenerational trauma, rooted in histories of colonization and systemic exclusion, continues to impact the educational and psychological well-being of Indigenous communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. In response to the enduring impact of intergenerational trauma, this study explores how a trauma-responsive framework can be strengthened through a translanguaging On Country framework that integrates translanguaging pedagogy with Aboriginal children’s linguistic, communicative, cultural and identity repertoires. This ethnographic study was conducted at an Aboriginal school in Western Australia’s Kimberley region. Drawing on an “ On-Country Walk, ” this study reveals how Aboriginal children engaged in translanguaging to express themselves through full translingual repertories, including Gija, Kriol, Aboriginal English, Standard Australian English, and other semiotic resources, which promote a sense of belonging, strengthens cultural identities, and creates a sense of safety. Findings demonstrate that translanguaging On Country offers a harmonious and healing space for mutual learning where Aboriginal children confidently articulate their meaning-making practices while reclaiming their linguistic, cultural and epistemic agency.