%0 Journal Article
%T Factors affecting language and literacy development in Australian Aboriginal children: Considering dialect, culture and health
%A Cori J Williams
%A Gwendalyn L Webb
%J Journal of Early Childhood Research
%@ 1741-2927
%D 2018
%R 10.1177/1476718X17693417
%X Australian Aboriginal children, in general, lag behind their mainstream peers in measures of literacy. This article discusses some of the complex and interconnected factors that impact Aboriginal children¡¯s early language and literacy development. Poor health and historically negative socio-political factors are known influences on Aboriginal children¡¯s participation and achievement in education. Cultural and dialectal differences are also considered in this article for the effect these variables may have on children¡¯s learning, in terms of both the child¡¯s ability to code-shift between dialects and the development of the educator¨Cchild relationship. The importance of this relationship is discussed, partly because of the valuable communicative interactions that are involved. These educator¨Cchild interactions allow children an opportunity to extend their oral language skills, which are essential precursors to literacy development. This discussion concludes with some suggestions for further research
%K Aboriginal peoples
%K Australia
%K communication
%K culture
%K early childhood
%K early literacy
%K language
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1476718X17693417