English · Year 10

Active learning ideas

Indigenous Perspectives on Justice

Active learning works for this topic because Indigenous justice systems rely on communal participation and oral traditions. Students engage with texts through movement, discussion, and visuals, mirroring the collaborative and place-based nature of Indigenous practices. This approach builds deeper understanding than passive reading alone.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E10LT05
• AC9E10LY01

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Jigsaw
• 50 min · Small Groups

Jigsaw: Justice Narratives

Divide class into expert groups to analyze excerpts from one Indigenous text and one Western legal text on justice. Experts then regroup to teach peers and co-create a comparison matrix. Conclude with whole-class synthesis of key differences.

Analyze how Indigenous narratives portray different understandings of justice and fairness.

Facilitation Tip

During the Jigsaw Protocol, assign each expert group a distinct text to ensure deep coverage of multiple Indigenous perspectives before peer teaching.

What to look for

Pose this question to small groups: 'How does the concept of 'Country' in Indigenous texts influence ideas about justice and accountability differently than Western notions of property or jurisdiction? Provide specific textual examples.' Facilitate a brief whole-class share-out of key differences identified.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Philosophical Chairs
• 45 min · Small Groups

Role-Play Stations: Conflict Resolution

Set up stations with scenarios from texts: one Indigenous restorative circle, one Western courtroom. Groups rotate, act out resolutions, and debrief on outcomes. Record reflections on fairness perceptions.

Compare Indigenous approaches to conflict resolution with Western legal systems as depicted in texts.

Facilitation Tip

At Role-Play Stations, provide clear role descriptions and conflict scenarios so students focus on cultural nuances rather than improvisation alone.

What to look for

Provide students with short excerpts from two different texts, one representing an Indigenous perspective on justice and one a Western perspective. Ask them to identify one key difference in their approach to conflict resolution and write one sentence explaining why this difference matters.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 30 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Reconciliation Critiques

Students individually note text evidence on reconciliation efforts. Pairs discuss contrasts with historical events, then share with class via a shared digital board. Teacher facilitates connections to key questions.

Critique the representation of reconciliation efforts in contemporary Indigenous literature.

Facilitation Tip

For the Think-Pair-Share, give students a specific critique prompt to guide their discussions, preventing vague or off-topic conversations.

What to look for

Students write a short paragraph critiquing a representation of reconciliation in a text. They then exchange paragraphs with a partner. Partners use a checklist: Does the paragraph identify a specific representation? Does it offer a clear critique? Does it suggest an alternative or improvement? Partners provide one written suggestion for strengthening the critique.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Gallery Walk
• 40 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Visual Timelines

Groups create timelines of justice themes in texts, posting on walls. Class walks gallery, adding sticky notes with questions or links to Western systems. Discuss as whole class.

Analyze how Indigenous narratives portray different understandings of justice and fairness.

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk, ask students to annotate visuals with concrete observations before discussing broader themes as a class.

What to look for

Pose this question to small groups: 'How does the concept of 'Country' in Indigenous texts influence ideas about justice and accountability differently than Western notions of property or jurisdiction? Provide specific textual examples.' Facilitate a brief whole-class share-out of key differences identified.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should center Indigenous voices by selecting texts that authentically reflect restorative practices and kinship obligations. Avoid framing this topic as a comparison to Western systems; instead, ask students to notice differences organically through their analyses. Research shows that when Indigenous perspectives are presented as complete systems rather than counterpoints, students develop more respectful and accurate understandings.

Successful learning looks like students confidently explaining how Indigenous justice differs from Western models while respecting cultural contexts. They should analyze texts for restorative practices, use evidence in discussions, and critique representations of reconciliation without oversimplifying. Collaboration should reveal nuanced perspectives rather than binary comparisons.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Jigsaw Protocol: Watch for students assuming Indigenous justice is unstructured or informal.

  Have expert groups highlight specific rituals, kinship rules, or community-enforced consequences described in their texts, then present these as evidence of formal systems during peer teaching.

• During Role-Play Stations: Watch for students oversimplifying justice as purely communal without individual accountability.

  Provide scenarios where both individual actions and communal responses are required, and ask students to explain how each is addressed in their role-play.

• During Gallery Walk: Watch for students viewing reconciliation as a completed process rather than an ongoing challenge.

  Use the timeline artifacts to prompt students to identify tensions or unresolved issues, framing reconciliation as dynamic rather than static.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Jigsaw
• Philosophical Chairs
• Think-Pair-Share
• Gallery Walk