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• VCASFU247

  Understand that signs can include different information including a gestural overlay, and identify how signers establish spatial locations, types of depicting signs and ways of showing constructed action

  Elaborations

  • recognising that Auslan has fully-lexical signs that are in the dictionary and have a standard handshape, movement and location, and partly-lexical signs that cannot be listed in a dictionary in all forms as gesture changes the form each time they are signed
  • noticing that meaning is created in Auslan from fully-lexical signs, partly-lexical signs, non-lexical signing and gesture and comparing with the range of ways English speakers create meaning, including spoken words, modifying intonation, and gesture
  • noticing that fully- and partly-lexical signs can include grammatical information not included in a ‘citation’ form, for example, the sign TELL-_me is not listed separately to TELL (towards neutral space) and GO-TO includes GO-TO-_often
  • noticing that single-digit numbers can be separate lexical items or merged into other signs (numeral incorporation) such as those for ages (for example, 5-YEARS-OLD) or adverbs of time (for example, 3-WEEKS-AGO) or pronouns (WE3, WE4)
  • identifying where and how a signer has established a location in space, for example through the use of points, non-body-anchored signs or fingerspelled words
  • recognising that signers must make explicit which referent is associated with a location, but do not need to continue to make this explicit throughout a text
  • recognising that signers can set up referents in the signing space close to them (viewer space, for example, using a bC handshape (use of non-dominant hand) to indicate putting a glass on a table) or distant (diagrammatic, for example, using 5claw in two locations to represent two houses)
  • recognising that in viewer space, signers can use locations for present referents, non-present referents, or abstract referents that do not exist in space
  • identifying instances of DSs and their type independently
  • comparing English adjectives with SASS DSs
  • learning that the function of CA is to represent the words, thoughts or actions of a protagonist in a text, either themselves or another
  • knowing that in CA a signer can shift into the role of another, or themselves at a different time, through eye gaze change, body shift, head orientation change, and matching facial expressions

  VCASFU247 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU089

  Investigate and compare the nature and status of Auslan and other signed languages, considering issues such as language and education policies, language rights, representation and processes of language preservation and language building

  Elaborations

  • identifying historical events, government policies and educational initiatives that have impacted on the status of Auslan and the identity of the Deaf community, such as ALLP, DDA, the mainstreaming of deaf students
  • researching the nature of International Sign, including its relationship to national signed languages and its use by deaf people
  • analysing subjective measures of language vitality, such as societal attitudes towards Auslan or the perceived strength of the language identity group, and identifying challenges facing Auslan in terms of societal attitudes, provision of resources, access, education systems and social networks
  • analysing the status and use of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander signed languages and comparing these to Auslan
  • appreciating the impact of the use of Auslan in settings such as education, health care and different workplace settings in terms of the evolution of the language and specialised terminology
  • analysing representations of deaf people and sign language in the Australian media and wider community, making comparisons with representations of other languages and cultures
  • investigating how Auslan and Deaf culture are promoted in the wider community, for example, through the influence of organisations such as Deaf Australia, of high-profile individuals such as activists or actors and of events such as NWDP Deaf Festival, Australian Deaf Games or Deaf art exhibitions
  • considering how processes of language building and evolution may expand existing Auslan linguistic and cultural resources in the Australian community
  • investigating programs and initiatives that maintain and strengthen Auslan use, such as school language programs; bilingual education and research programs; recording, archiving and documentation of the language; and the establishment of websites and databases
  • appreciating the importance of documenting and promoting Auslan in raising community awareness of the richness and value of signed languages
  • recognising that Auslan requires maintenance, development and documentation, considering historical and contemporary circumstances which have either contributed to or impeded these processes, for example the use of technology such as ELAN for capturing and documenting the language
  • considering domains where Auslan may grow in the future, and contributing to localised Auslan signbanks on specific topics, for example, creating a bank/dictionary of signs used by deaf students and interpreters in Year 9 Science
  • researching the status and recognition of signed languages in other countries, for example, New Zealand, the USA, the UK, the Scandinavian nations, considering issues such as language rights, documentation and development efforts
  • discussing the concept of ‘language health’ and how it applies to Auslan, for example by designing a chart of relevant factors such as status (social, economic, historical), demography (number and distribution of users) and institutional support (media, government, education, religion, industry, culture)

  VCASFU089 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Language awareness

• VCASFU086

  Understand the difference between main and subordinate clauses and how the inclusion of constructed action and depicting signs has an impact on clause structure

  Elaborations

  • understanding that verbs can be either auxiliary (CAN JUMP or TRY REACH) or main verbs (WORK)
  • noticing how to use modal verbs and NMFs to express possibility, obligation and ability (MIGHT, SHOULD)
  • understanding the difference between definite and indefinite reference and how Auslan makes this distinction
  • recognising the function of some signs as interjections or discourse markers
  • recognising that conditionals have a main and dependent clause and associated NMFs
  • identifying coordinated clauses showing causation and describing how it is shown, for example
    PRO3 STUDY-_hard BECAUSE WANT EXAM MARKS GOOD
    
  • recognising how emphasis in sentences can be changed by reordering clauses or parts of clauses
  • recognising that the presence of CA or DSs affects how a clause is structured

  VCASFU086 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU087

  Understand the interrelationship between text types, linguistic features, cohesive devices, audience, context and purpose

  Elaborations

  • analysing expository texts, identifying characteristic language elements and features
  • analysing a videoed class debate to identify how language is used to justify opinions and persuade others
  • analysing an Auslan text in depth, for example by identifying characteristic features of the particular text type and discussing how language choices are made to take account of a text’s intended audience and purpose
  • noticing how grammatical choices shade meaning, reflect perspective and establish relationship between text participants, for example choosing to be more or less English-like in a particular context or relationship
  • noticing how signers can compare or contrast ideas by locating things in the same or opposing sides of signing space
  • applying knowledge of ellipsis to achieve cohesion

  VCASFU087 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU084

  Understand the perceptual and articulatory reasons for the structure of signs, and analyse how iconicity can be used to create metaphors in Auslan and critically evaluate video annotation software as a means of transcribing and analysing Auslan

  Elaborations

  • understanding that the elements of a sign can be arbitrary (for example, the handshape or movement of the sign WHY), or meaningful, such as the movement and the handshape in the sign GIVE
  • exploring perceptual and articulatory reasons why some handshapes are more common than others
  • beginning to identify and describe metaphorical iconicity, for example, LOVE, AVOID/RESIST, and discussing how it relates to metaphors in English, for example the ‘time as space’ metaphor in both languages
  • applying knowledge of iconicity in signed languages, for example how the path movement of a verb can be a metaphor for the timing of an action, for example, PRO1 WAIT-_{for-a-long-time} PRO2, observing that English can do the same with changes to the length of phonemes, for example, I screeeeeeaaaaaamed!
  • using annotation software such as ELAN as a tool to transcribe and analyse signed languages

  VCASFU084 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU252

  Understand that Auslan and Deaf culture are interrelated, that they shape and are shaped by each other, that their relationship changes over time and across contexts, and that they may be differently interpreted by users of other languages

  Elaborations

  • appreciating distinctions between Deaf cultures and other cultural minorities, such as the fact that most deaf people are born to hearing parents and acquire Deaf culture in addition to the culture of their families of origin from peers and other Auslan users in school or adults in the Deaf community
  • exploring the nature and effect of culture, for example by comparing the cultural concept of Deaf identity with a medical model of deafness
  • analysing and discussing core cultural concepts reflected in Auslan, such as the collective nature of the Deaf community, respect for elders, the importance of reciprocity and responsibility, for example, the signing TAP-2h++ reflects the responsibility to share information and pass on knowledge
  • understanding that knowledge about past and present Deaf people and cultural values are embodied in and transmitted through Auslan, for example ways of producing the sign for SIGN embody cultural meaning regarding distinctions made and values placed on fluent or awkward signing
  • identifying cultural differences between the use of personal names in Auslan and in their own background language, for example, Auslan signers not using a person’s name sign when addressing them directly, in contrast to the practice in many spoken languages
  • considering cultural explanations for conversational strategies used by Auslan signers to avoid conflict and to maintain privacy, such as changing signing space and style, using indirect language such as signing lower or under the table, or fingerspelling instead of signing overtly
  • appreciating the cultural value and importance of festivals and events in the Deaf community, such as NWDP, as celebrations of language, history, culture and identity
  • recognising that Auslan signs change over time due to shifting cultural values and changing experiences, for example, the modification of the sign for APPRENTICE to refer to TAFE, and shifting values around the sign DEAF^DEAF as the sign for DEAF (culturally Deaf reference for deaf-mute) and unsuccessful attempts to reframe this with an audiological focus
  • reflecting on the ways that culture is interpreted by others, for example by identifying how stereotypes about deaf and hearing people influence perceptions
  • understanding that ‘sound’ is accessed differently in Deaf culture, that the meaning and importance of sound in deaf people’s lives is usually not the same as in hearing people’s experience
  • observing that concepts may be culture and language specific, for example in relation to time and space, as in the spatial mapping of timelines in Auslan

  VCASFU252 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Role of language and culture

• VCASFU211

  Understand and use signing space, including making distinctions between character and observer space for constructing different types of texts

  Elaborations

  • recognising that signers can set up referents in the signing space as if they are part of that space (character space, for example, using a bC handshape (use of non-dominant hand) to indicate putting a glass on a table) or as if they are outside it (observer, for example, using 5claw in two locations to represent two houses)
  • appreciating the possible production of reciprocal forms of some indicating signs, such as LOOK, GIVE, INVITE
  • independently identifying instances of DSs and their type
  • analysing a video of a signed narrative and identifying where and how signers are using CA, for example by eye gaze change

  VCASFU211 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU090

  Understand that Auslan and Deaf culture are interrelated, that they shape and are shaped by each other and that their relationship changes over time and across contexts

  Elaborations

  • exploring the relationship between language and culture, for example by analysing language used in pathological and sociocultural models of deafness and the impact that each philosophy and the language used to express it may have in regard to services for deaf people
  • appreciating the complexity of the relationship between language and culture, for example by discussing distinctions between Deaf cultures and other cultural minorities, such as the fact that most deaf people are born to hearing parents and typically access and experience Deaf culture through communicating with peers and other Auslan users in and out of school, in addition to their cultural experience in their families of origin
  • recognising the cultural significance of symbols and language features used in Auslan, for example the use of light and darkness in stories, poetry and performance, as in gaslight stories
  • considering cultural explanations for conversational strategies used by Auslan signers to avoid conflict and to maintain privacy, such as changing signing space and style, using indirect language such as signing lower or under the table, fingerspelling instead of signing overtly, or modifying a sign choice such as menstruation to suit the context
  • understanding that Auslan plays an important role in the expression and maintenance of Deaf culture, that each deaf person has a right to learn and use Auslan as part of their birthright and as a key element of their membership of the Deaf community, and that they become custodians and owners of the language
  • appreciating the cultural value and importance of festivals and events in the Deaf community, such as NWDP, as celebrations of language, history, culture and identity
  • analysing ways in which deaf people interpret and exploit the possibilities and cultural meanings of sound, for example, in games and stories which incorporate signs for sound and reactions to sound, for example, a door slamming
  • recognising that Auslan signs change over time due to shifting cultural values and changing experiences, for example, the sign for APPRENTICE modified to refer to TAFE, the shifting values around the sign DEAF^DEAF (culturally Deaf reference for deaf-mute), and unsuccessful attempts to reframe this with an audiological focus
  • reflecting on the ways culture is interpreted by others, for example by identifying how stereotypes about deaf and hearing people influence perceptions
  • recognising that cultural beliefs and behaviours are embedded in Auslan, for example, recounts by deaf people of interactions with hearing people might include language that reflects beliefs about English and ‘hearing-ness’, for example, an anecdote about a frustrating interaction might be concluded with hearing, their way
  • reflecting on the labels ‘deaf’ and ‘hearing’, considering what they mean to different people and their implications in terms of status, access, opportunity and privilege
  • analysing ways in which deaf people’s jokes and humorous narratives reflect cultural values about deaf/hearing relationships and how deaf people navigate the world, for example the ‘Bob’s House’ commercial
  • exploring how advocacy strategies can reflect deaf people’s cultural practices and values, for example the ‘TTY-in’ used to advocate for the National Relay Service

  VCASFU090 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Role of language and culture

• VCASFU124

  Explore the concept of language flexibility, variation and change in relation to the use of Auslan across different contexts and times

  Elaborations

  • recognising that there is a greater degree of flexibility and variability in ‘oral’ languages such as Auslan that only exist in face-to-face form, compared to spoken languages that are written down and that are passed on from parents to children
  • understanding that other signed languages such as BSL, ISL and ASL have influenced Auslan over different periods of time
  • recognising that languages constantly expand to include new words, signs and expressions due to influences such as changing technologies and digital media, for example, COMPUTER, COMPUTER-MOUSE, INTERNET, FACEBOOK, WIFI, SELFIE
  • interviewing older members of Deaf families or Deaf communities and reporting back to the class about any differences in signing they noticed, such as more use of fingerspelled words, less use of NMFs and depicting signs, or the use of different signs, such as FILM (old sign), TOILET (old sign)
  • understanding that greater contact between signers internationally has led to increased borrowing between sign languages, for example, signs that refer to different nation states and cities around the globe, or the vehicle handshape in depicting signs

  VCASFU124 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCASFU126

  Understand that Auslan and Deaf culture are interrelated, that they shape and are shaped by each other, that their relationship changes over time and across contexts, and that they may be differently interpreted by users of other languages

  Elaborations

  • appreciating distinctions between Deaf cultures and other cultural minorities, such as the fact that most deaf people are born to hearing parents and acquire Deaf culture in addition to the culture of their families of origin from peers and other Auslan users in school or as adults in the Deaf community
  • exploring ways in which language choices reflect attitudes towards certain topics, such as oralism or cochlear implants, identifying examples of sign choices that reflect particular attitudes or views
  • understanding that knowledge about past and present Deaf people and about Deaf cultural values is embodied in and transmitted through Auslan, for example, ways of producing the sign for SIGN embody cultural meaning, regarding distinctions made and values placed on fluent or awkward signing
  • identifying differences between the use of personal names in Auslan and in other languages, for example, Auslan signers not using a person’s name sign when addressing them directly, in contrast to the practice in many spoken languages
  • considering cultural explanations for conversational strategies used by Auslan signers to avoid conflict and to maintain privacy, such as changing signing space and style, and using indirect language such as signing lower or under the table, or fingerspelling instead of signing overtly
  • appreciating the cultural value and importance of festivals and other events in the Deaf community, such as NWDP, as celebrations of language, history, culture and identity
  • reflecting on the ways that culture is interpreted by others, for example by identifying how stereotypes about deaf and hearing people influence perceptions among members of either community
  • understanding that ‘sound’ is accessed differently in Deaf culture, that the meaning and importance of sound in deaf people’s lives is usually not the same as in hearing people’s experience

  VCASFU126 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Role of language and culture

• VCASFU249

  Explore the relationship between particular text types, audience, purpose and context and analyse language features used by signers to create cohesion and achieve the purpose of the text

  Elaborations

  • analysing a videoed class debate to see how language is used to justify opinions and to persuade others
  • conducting an in-depth analysis of a selected sign text, taking into account audience, purpose and topic to explain language choices made by the signer
  • expanding understanding of textual conventions, for example by explaining why signers choose alternatives to actor-verb-undergoer in a real text to topicalise the important point
  • noticing how signers can compare or contrast ideas by locating things in the same or opposing sides of signing space
  • noticing how signers construct cohesive and coherent texts through the use of text connectives such as lexical signs THEN or G:WELL or NMFs and pausing
  • identifying all the ways a signer refers to the same referent throughout a text to create cohesion

  VCASFU249 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU216

  Understand that Auslan and Deaf culture are interrelated, that they shape and are shaped by each other and that their relationship changes over time and across contexts

  Elaborations

  • analysing language used in pathological and sociocultural models of deafness, and the impact that each model, the philosophy that frames it and the language used to express it may have in regard to services for deaf people
  • appreciating the complexity of the relationship between language and culture, for example by discussing distinctions between Deaf cultures and other cultural minorities, such as the fact that most deaf people are born to hearing parents and typically access and experience Deaf culture through communicating with peers and other Auslan users in and out of school, in addition to their cultural experience in their families of origin
  • recognising the cultural significance of symbols and language features used in Auslan, for example the use of light and darkness in stories, poetry and performance, as in stories featuring gaslight
  • considering cultural explanations for conversational strategies used by Auslan signers to avoid conflict and to maintain privacy, such as changing signing space and style, using indirect language such as signing lower or under the table, or fingerspelling instead of signing overtly
  • understanding that Auslan plays an important role in the expression and maintenance of Deaf culture, that each deaf person has the right to learn and use Auslan as part of their birthright, along with their membership of the Deaf community, and that they become custodians and owners of the language
  • appreciating the cultural value and importance of festivals and events in the Deaf community, such as NWDP, as celebrations of language, history, culture and identity
  • understanding that sign language literatures recount significant journeys and events associated with the beginnings of Deaf education and the development of Deaf communities, and that they embody history and values of Deaf culture, for example, the Gallaudet and Clerc meeting or US Civil War stories that validate and reference shared Deaf identity, culture, language and experience
  • recognising that Auslan signs change over time due to shifting cultural values and experiences, for example, the modification of the sign for APPRENTICE to refer to TAFE, and shifting values around the sign DEAF^DEAF as the sign for DEAF (culturally Deaf reference for deaf-mute) and unsuccessful attempts to reframe this with an audiological focus

  VCASFU216 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Role of language and culture

• VCASFU212

  Understand and describe complex grammatical structures combining depicting signs, constructed action and various clauses for a range of language functions, such as interaction, narration or description

  Elaborations

  • recognising signs that function as interjections or discourse markers
  • understanding the difference between definite and indefinite reference and how Auslan shows this distinction
  • noticing how to use modal verbs and NMFs to express possibility, obligation and ability (MIGHT, SHOULD)
  • recognising that conditional forms have a main and dependent clause and associated NMFs
  • identifying coordinated clauses showing causation and describing how it is shown, for example:
    PRO3 STUDY-_hard BECAUSE WANT EXAM MARKS GOOD
  • recognising how emphasis in sentences can be changed by reordering clauses or parts of clauses
  • recognising that the presence of CA or DSs affects how a clause is structured

  VCASFU212 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU120

  Explore various types of non-manual features, types of iconicity in signs and the use of software to transcribe signs

  Elaborations

  • understanding that NMFs are important in sign language for marking forms such as questions
  • identifying, demonstrating and describing the various types of NMFs: movements of the eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, shoulders and body
  • identifying the NMFs in statements, yes/no questions, wh- questions, and negatives
  • noticing that in signed languages meaning can be expressed through signs or through fingerspelling
  • understanding that signs can be iconic in a number of ways, such as representing a whole object or part of an object
  • identifying signs with different levels of iconicity, for example, those that are fully transparent, translucent or arbitrary
  • exploring, with support, software such as ELAN to annotate signed texts

  VCASFU120 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU248

  Understand and control additional elements of Auslan grammar, such as the use of non-manual features for topicalisation, negation or conditional forms, and develop awareness of how signers use constructed action and depicting signs in composite utterances

  Elaborations

  • observing that some noun groups are not signed overtly, particularly if maintaining the same referent rather than introducing a new one
  • distinguishing between the citation form of a sign and the adverbial NMF overlaid and what meaning each part carries, for example: MAN SPRINT (base form), MAN SPRINT-_fast (manner added)
  • recognising that signers can give information about how a verb happens over time by changing the movement, for example, signing WATCH versus WATCH-_{for-a-long-time}, or with lexical signs such as WATCH AGAIN++
  • recognising that some adverbs modify adjectives, not verbs, for example VERY, and that these modifications to adjectives can also be expressed with NMFs, for example changes in mouth patterns and movement of signs can intensify adjectives, for example, RED-_really, PLEASED-_really, TALL-_really
  • recognising that typically signers use DSs to show spatial relationships, not separate signs such as ON or UNDER
  • recognising how conjunctions such as PLUS, IF or BUT are used to join clauses and create cohesion
  • recognising that clauses can also be joined through particular NMFs
  • noticing that clauses can be linked equally or unequally, where one clause depends on another
  • recognising that the element of a clause that a signer wants to focus on most in Auslan is sometimes moved to be signed first and that this process of topicalisation involves particular NMFs
  • noticing that clauses are elaborated and made more vivid by adding adjectives and adverbs and by enacting or using DSs
  • realising that in many clauses signers ‘tell’ with fully-lexical signs at the same time as ‘show’ with DS, periods of CA and other gestural elements
  • noticing when signers are using composite utterances, for example those that include elements of CA, DSs, points and lexical signs, and how that affects the structure of a clause

  VCASFU248 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU250

  Understand that Auslan has evolved and developed through different periods of influence and cultural and societal change

  Elaborations

  • recognising that there is a greater degree of flexibility and variability in ‘oral’, face-to-face languages such as Auslan compared to spoken/written languages passed on from parents to children, for example, less standardisation and minimal ‘frozen texts’, and considering reasons for such differences
  • researching different aspects of variation in the use of Auslan, considering influences such as geographical location, social groupings, history, educational experience, age of learning, family background and contact with Signed English or other languages
  • considering the effect that expanding sign language interpreter services might have on standardising Auslan, especially in the areas of education and medicine
  • interviewing older members of Deaf families or Deaf communities and reporting back to the class about any differences in signing they noticed, such as more use of fingerspelled words, less use of NMFs and depicting signs, or the use of different signs, such as FILM (old sign), TOILET (old sign)
  • recognising that languages constantly expand to include new words, signs and expressions due to influences such as changing technologies and digital media, for example, COMPUTER, COMPUTER-MOUSE, INTERNET, FACEBOOK, WIFI, SELFIE
  • understanding that greater contact between signers internationally has led to increased borrowing between sign languages, for example, signs that refer to different nation states and cities around the globe (for example, the old Auslan sign for America versus the current sign), or the ASL vehicle handshape in DSs
  • identifying changes to Auslan that reflect changes in social relationships and community attitudes, for example in relation to words/signs such as DEAF^DUMB, DISABILITY, HEARING^IMPAIRED/H-O-H, DEAF^WORLD/DEAF^COMMUNITY, HUMAN^RIGHT

  VCASFU250 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCASFU085

  Analyse signed texts in terms of spatial frames of reference used, and explain how signers show periods of constructed action

  Elaborations

  • analysing a signed text for examples of character and observer space and describing why the signer has chosen that viewpoint
  • appreciating the production of reciprocal forms of some indicating signs, such as LOOK, GIVE, INVITE
  • identifying some of the aspectual modifications to verbs in an Auslan text, such as WORK-_{for-a-long-time} or GO-TO-_repeatedly
  • analysing a video of a signed narrative and identifying the moments in which a signer shifts into a different role in CA, and how they show that, for example, eye gaze change

  VCASFU085 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU215

  Investigate and compare the nature and status of Auslan and other signed languages, considering issues such as language and education policies, language rights, representation and processes of language preservation and language building

  Elaborations

  • identifying historical events, government policies and educational initiatives that have impacted on the status of Auslan and the identity of the Deaf community, such as ALLP, DDA, the mainstreaming of deaf students
  • researching the nature of International Sign, including its relationship to national signed languages and its use by deaf people
  • exploring how deaf people around the world build shared group identity, for example through gathering formally as national and international communities through activities such as Deaf film festivals, performing arts or sporting events such as Deaf Way, Australian Deaf Games, Deaflympics, and how these contribute to language building, language preservation and greater awareness of signed languages
  • analysing subjective measures of language vitality, such as societal attitudes towards Auslan or the perceived strength of the language identity group, and identifying challenges facing Auslan in terms of societal attitudes, provision of resources, access, education systems and social networks
  • analysing the status and use of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander signed languages and comparing these to Auslan
  • appreciating the impact of the use of Auslan in settings such as education, health care and different workplace settings in terms of the evolution of the language and specialised terminology
  • analysing representations of deaf people and sign language in the Australian media and wider community, making comparisons with representations of other languages and cultures
  • exploring the role of the Deaf ecosystem in language and cultural maintenance
  • investigating how Auslan and Deaf culture are promoted in the wider community, for example, through the influence of organisations such as Deaf Australia, of high-profile individuals such as activists or actors and of events such as NWDP Deaf Festival, Australian Deaf Games or Deaf art exhibitions
  • considering how processes of language building and evolution may expand existing Auslan linguistic and cultural resources in the Australian community
  • investigating programs and initiatives that maintain and strengthen Auslan use, such as school language programs; bilingual education and research programs; recording, archiving and documentation of the language; and the establishment of websites and databases
  • appreciating the importance of documenting and promoting Auslan in raising community awareness of the richness and value of signed languages
  • recognising that Auslan requires maintenance, development and documentation, considering historical and contemporary circumstances which have either contributed to or impeded these processes, for example the use of technology such as ELAN for capturing and documenting the language
  • considering domains where Auslan may grow in the future, and contributing to localised Auslan signbanks on specific topics, for example, creating a bank/dictionary of signs used by deaf students and interpreters in Year 9 Science
  • researching the status and recognition of signed languages in other countries, for example, New Zealand, the USA, the UK, the Scandinavian nations, considering issues such as language rights, documentation and development efforts
  • identifying the changing status of sites of significance in different international Deaf communities, for example, the loss of Deaf clubs or closure of deaf schools in some countries, comparing this to the Australian context, and reflecting on the implications of these changes over time for the Deaf community and for the status of Auslan
  • recognising different philosophical and social views about deafness, considering the impact of varying attitudes on a deaf person’s understanding of their rights and how they are represented and perceived in wider society
  • explaining the influence of other signed languages such as BSL, ISL and ASL on Auslan over different periods of time and in different domains of language use, and discussing reasons for such influence
  • looking at style shifts in domains where English is in closer contact with Auslan, such as the use of more English-like structures in educational settings
  • discussing the concept of ‘language health’ and how it applies to Auslan, for example by designing a chart of relevant factors such as status (social, economic, historical), demography (number and distribution of users) and institutional support (media, government, education, religion, industry, culture)

  VCASFU215 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Language awareness

• VCASFU214

  Investigate and analyse the nature of and community attitudes to variation in the use of Auslan

  Elaborations

  • recognising that there is a greater degree of flexibility and variability in ‘oral’, face-to-face languages such as Auslan compared to spoken/written languages passed on from parents to children, for example, less standardisation and minimal ‘frozen texts’, and considering reasons for such differences
  • researching different aspects of variation in the use of Auslan, considering influences such as geographical location, social groupings, history, educational experience, age of learning, family background and contact with Signed English or other languages
  • debating the merits and disadvantages of creating a standard form of Auslan, for example the benefits of mutual comprehensibility versus the practical problems involved in who decides on the standard and how to get signers to comply
  • considering the effect that expanding sign language interpreter services might have on standardising Auslan, especially in the areas of education and medicine.
  • noticing ways people might adapt language according to situation of use, such as when signing to a large audience, the use of one hand or two, clarity of sign production, size of signing space, pace, NMFs, pauses and amount of fingerspelling
  • considering how Auslan has been influenced by the use of Signed English in education settings (especially from the 1970s to 1990s) and cultural attitudes towards Signed English

  VCASFU214 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCASFU125

  Understand the range of factors that influence the profile, diversity and distribution of Auslan use in the wider Australian society, and consider the concept of Auslan vitality in comparison with that of other languages

  Elaborations

  • understanding that strong and healthy languages are those used by many people across generations in most domains to communicate about most topics
  • mapping the distribution of Auslan users across Australian states and demographics, using data from censuses and other sources to present findings in graph/visual representation forms
  • exploring the vitality of different languages by obtaining information from the UNESCO interactive online atlas and/or Ethnologue to compare numbers of speakers/signers of different languages
  • recognising that some languages have no written form and have historically been passed on face to face/orally, making them less well recorded and documented
  • understanding that some languages used in Australia, such as English, have large numbers of users, while others, such as many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, are endangered or in the process of being revived or reclaimed
  • describing the role religion has played in influencing the usage and spread of Auslan, for example, through religious orders, early Deaf Societies and Bible translation projects
  • reflecting on the role of Auslan interpreters in raising awareness and understanding of Auslan in the wider community, and considering ways in which they influence the function and nature of Auslan, for example by the introduction of neologisms
  • identifying language documentation tools, such as ELAN, as important ways of recording, transmitting and maintaining the vitality of a language
  • recognising that languages may be perceived as ‘weak’ or ‘strong’ based on community values and the existence of documentation and literature in the language

  VCASFU125 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Language awareness