Investigators: Deborah Lehmann, Kerry Stack, Peter Richmond, Rosemary Walley, Victoria Stroud
External collaborators: Jane Ogilvie (Department of Communities, WA), Jenni Curtis (Yok Djakoorliny), Christine Parry (Boodjari Yorgas, Armadale Hospital), Joanna Hamilton (East Metropolitan Health Services), Helen Walley-Stack (ACAG), Raelene Hayward (ACAG), Leon Hayward (ACAG), Madge Hill (Aboriginal community member), Theresa Walley (Aboriginal community member), Viv Hansen (Aboriginal community member), Mort Hansen (Aboriginal community member), Flo Morrison (Aboriginal community member), Lester Morrison (Aboriginal community member), Emily Garlett (Babbingur Mia), Kammi Rapsey (Media on Mars)
The Koorlungkas Yarning Project explores early language skills valued by Aboriginal families in the Perth metropolitan area. Working with a team of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers, participating families are asked to record early language and communication behaviours in infants (under 2 years) that are important to them, and strategies families use at home to promote early language. For example what gestures do they use and encourage in infants? how do they know if baby is listening? how do they get a response? Throughout 2018 we met together with families to share stories, experience and knowledge to help others learn.
The project responds to concerns from community that ‘our kids can’t talk’, raised during discussions with a broader Urban Aboriginal Ear Health study. The study includes families from the Kwinana/Rockingham and Armadale areas. We hope that our findings will continue to empower the Aboriginal community by sharing knowledge with Aboriginal mums, dads, grandparents and carers about babies learning language.