Developing Mathematical Resilience among Aboriginal Students

The processes of mathematisation, the use of mathematical models and representations of real world contexts, and contextualisation, the embedding of mathematical ideas into a meaningful context, are key aspects of students' mathematical learning. We present a conceptual framework for thinking about mathematising and contextualising developed as part of the "Make it Count," a national project that seeks to develop an evidence base of practices that improve Indigenous students' learning in mathematics. We suggest that an intentional focus on mathematisation and contextualisation helps to make mathematics meaningful, particularly for Indigenous students. In particular we suggest that such a focus has the potential to enhance the mathematical resilience of Aboriginal students.