"Textbook identities" : Constructing Indigenous students as "Other" in educational texts that promote inclusion and diversity

The role of textbooks used in undergraduate Teacher education programs is to provide knowledge and further understanding of teaching practice for the pre-service student teacher. In particular these textbooks can offer insight into areas that may be unfamiliar to the undergraduate education student. Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) I examine the construction of the ‘Indigenous student’ within the past textbook in order to make visible dominant discourses and positionings. The analysis of the discourses has demonstrated ways in which Indigenous students are positioned “at risk”, “disadvantaged” and “other” to mainstream Australian students. CDA has been used to illustrate the social, political and historical positioning of Indigenous students as a vulnerable minority group that have ‘special needs’ in the education environment. By making visible these ‘taken-for-granted’ discourses opportunities are opened for the developing of positive counter-narratives.