By Adrienne Francis

Intercultural training for teachers, teaching assistants and principals is vital, research finds.

New research has found the performance of Indigenous students could be significantly improved by ensuring all teachers, teaching assistants and principals receive thorough intercultural training.

The inter-cultural training being suggested aims to ensure all parties understand and respect the differences between cultures.

Associate Professor Lyn Fasoliof the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education led a four year collaborative study that has produced a report titled, “Linking Worlds – Strengthening the Leadership Capacity of Indigenous Educational Leaders.”

“Nearly 40 per cent of our kids are Indigenous and many of them are in those remote communities.

“And yet we have a fairly mainstream leadership approach.

“We basically said a different form of leadership is needed to address the cultural differences and the cultural contexts of these remote Indigenous schools.”