Be a Translator

Learning Sequence:

Begin the lesson on the mat or in a yarning circle. Introduce the lesson: ‘Today we are going to pretend we are the first English people coming to Noongar country. We are listening to the Noongar people speak their language and tell us the names of different animals and trees. In order to remember the words, we want to write them down using English letters.’

1. Consider and discuss: How might these words have come to be written down as they are? Why might some Noongar words have different spellings, e.g. Noongar, Nyungar, Nyoongar / Boodja, Boodjar?

2. Ask an Aboriginal educator to pronounce around 5-10 Noongar words or phrases verbally. If possible, they may use the names of plants and animals observed on country. Have students act as transcribers, writing down the sounds as accurately as possible. As a class, choose which spelling/s you think are nearest to the sound and why. Discuss which letters in English could create the sounds, and why there might be different interpretations.

Extension:

Have students each look up the meanings and preferred spellings of five Noongar words in the dictionary and create flashcards with the Noongar word and the English translation or an image. These cards can be used to play memory or quiz games.