Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mathematics Alliance (ATSIMA)

A group of teachers and other beneficiaries at the Toyota Centre of Excellence in Altona, Melbourne, standing among Toyota vehicles.

ATSIMA Teaching Resource - Pilot

  • First Nations Australian students continue to be more than two years behind their non-Indigenous counterparts in maths outcomes. As the gap continues, educators from remote to urban settings are increasingly looking for specialist support to address this disadvantage and make a difference to the maths learning outcomes of First Nations Australian students.

  • In January 2022, ACARA published revised Maths Curriculum for Foundation – Yr 10. It will include 105 pieces of content relating to First Nations histories and culture. There will be a demand from teachers for culturally responsive resources in maths.

  • This pilot project will develop a teachers’ resource that is culturally appropriate and has two components: one for the primary years, and one for high schools. There will be two elements to each: a) a unit of lesson learning that incorporates Prof. Matthews’ Goompi Model for teaching and learning, and content from the revised maths curriculum; b) accompanying problem solving tasks for students.

  • The resource is for teachers and First Nations Australian educators working with students from foundation level to year 10.

The ASTIMA. At the top is ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mathematics Alliance’ in a terracotta coloured box, in the centre is the ASTIMA crest, a yellow triangle with white and terracotta dots at its intersections as well as in the very centre. Below is ‘Transforming Maths Education’ in a yellow box.

About ATSIMA

  • ATSIMA is the only national Indigenous led non-profit, focused exclusively on ensuring mathematics is accessible to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners in pursuing their aspirations.



  • ATSIMA works with education systems, schools and communities across Australia to deliver professional learning courses focussing on the development of culturally responsive maths resources, and to provide STEM camps to students.