Successful Transition to School for Australian Aboriginal Children: The 2005 International Focus Issue of Childhood Education Focused on the Education of Aboriginal and Indigenous Children

Aboriginal people have been described as the most educationally disadvantaged group of people within Australia. Their participation rates at all levels of education are lower than those of non-Indigenous Australians. In an effort to enhance the learning and teaching of Aboriginal students, education systems are seeking appropriate strategies and Aboriginal educators are employed to implement appropriate learning and teaching strategies, enhance the involvement of Aboriginal families and communities in their children's schooling, and improve the learning outcomes of Aboriginal students. In this article, the authors discuss the importance of a successful transition to school for Australian Aboriginal children's development. Effective transition to school programs have the potential to help children--as well as their families and communities--feel comfortable, valued, and successful in school, and thereby avoid negative outcomes associated with disengagement from school. The authors also discuss how to promote a positive transition to school for Aboriginal children and their families, and present some elements of schools and their transition programs as supporting children's transition to school.