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F–10 Sequence Foundation to Level 2

Foundation to Level 2 Description

Students become familiar with all handshapes, movements and locations of single signs. They are learning to produce simple positive and negative statements with some time marking, and to use plain verbs or unmodified indicating verbs. They learn to describe familiar objects, animals or people using simple lexical adjectives and to depict the movement of people, animals and means of transport...

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Foundation to Level 2 Content Descriptions

Communicating

Socialising Elaborations
  1. Participate in simple interactions with their peers and teachers using high-frequency signs, non-manual features and gestures to talk about self, family and class activities (VCASFC127)
    1. using greetings and farewells following modelled signs such as HELLO, HOW-ARE-YOU? SEE LATER, GOOD MORNING M-R J-O-N-E-S
    2. asking and answering questions that require an affirmative or negative response, for example:
      WANT PLAY HIDE-AND-SEEK?
      Do you want to play hide and seek?
      PRO2 ALIGHT?
      Are you alright?
      Auslan video
    3. asking and answering simple questions about family, friends and pets, such as:
      PRO2 BIRD HAVE PRO2?
      Do you have a bird?
      PRO1 DON’T-HAVE
      I don’t have one.
      SISTER-BROTHER HOW MANY?
      How many brothers and sisters do you have?
      2 BROTHER 1 SISTER
      Two brothers and one sister.
      Auslan video
    4. describing the appearance of people or objects using simple statements and supporting pictures or props, for example:
      PRO3 HAVE DS:curly-hair
      He has curly hair.
      THAT HORSE BIG
      The horse is big.
      Auslan video
    5. expressing likes and dislikes using simple statements such as:
      PRO1 LIKE SCHOOL
      I like school.
      FLOWER DON’T-LIKE
      I don’t like flowers.
      PRO1 HATE APPLES
      I hate apples.
      Auslan video
    6. expressing feelings using lexical signs and affective NMFs, for example:
      PRO1 HAPPY
      I’m happy.
      PRO3 GRUMPY
      She’s grumpy.
      Auslan video
    7. expressing wishes for particular occasions or events, for example, THANK-YOU, GOOD-LUCK or HAPPY BIRTHDAY
    8. making arrangements using simple time markers without numeral incorporation, for example, TODAY, TOMORROW, NEXT-WEEK
    9. referring to family members and classmates by fingerspelling a name or using a sign name
    10. describing what they are doing in class activities using plain verbs, for example, PRO1 RUN, PRO1 READ
  2. Participate in guided group activities such as signing games and simple tasks using repeated language structures, facial expressions and gestures (VCASFC128)
    1. participating in games or songs that involve the use of repeated phrases, expressions, actions and NMFs, for example, I went to market and I bought … The wheels on the bus …
    2. following instructions by locating or moving classroom objects in activities, for example, hiding a marker pen somewhere in the classroom, describing where and then signing from mild to exaggerated ‘cold to hot’ as the student tries to find it
    3. using appropriate signs and NMFs when taking turns in games such as 'Go Fish'
    4. participating in collaborative tasks that involve selecting, exchanging or classifying objects by attributes such as shape, colour or number
    5. using question signs and affirmative and negative answers when swapping or ‘buying’ objects
  3. Develop interaction and communication skills for participation in regular class routines and activities (VCASFC129)
    1. recognising and using fingerspelled names for roll call and games
    2. following instructions for class routines, such as:
      DS:line-up PLEASE
      Line up, please.
      LOOK-AT-me PRO1
      Eyes to the front.
      PLEASE WITH-2++
      Please find a partner.
      Auslan video
    3. asking for help or permission, for example:
      PLEASE HELP-me?
      Can you help me, please?
      PRO1-plural CAN SHARE?
      Can we share these?
      Auslan video
    4. gaining attention in appropriate ways, for example by waving or tapping a shoulder or table
    5. stopping activities and paying attention when lights are flashed or hands are waved
    6. using NMFs such as focused eye gaze, nodding and head shaking to show affirmation and negation
    7. using voice-off when possible while signing and keeping appropriate signing space between signers
    8. positioning seating to keep visual communication clear or sitting across from/opposite signers when communicating
    9. using visual applause to show enjoyment of entertainment or commendation
Informing Elaborations
  1. Identify specific points of information in simple Auslan texts relating to people, places and things and use the information to complete guided tasks (VCASFC130)
    1. responding to signed information such as class messages or short introductions, for example by identifying names, school locations, numbers or times
    2. identifying and applying specific information in Auslan texts to complete guided tasks such as colouring-in and craft activities
    3. gathering information from each other about topics such as family members, favourite foods, toys and games to report back to the class using familiar structures and modelled language, for example:
      SISTER-BROTHER HOW-MANY?
      How many brothers and sisters do you have?
      Auslan video
    4. identifying information in simple Auslan texts that relates to properties such as colour, number, size or shape, for example when interacting with materials and objects
    5. identifying and categorising a select range of signs according to handshape
    6. following an Auslan text to gain information needed to complete an action-based activity, such as an obstacle course
  2. Present information about self, family, school and significant objects, using modelled signs and formulaic phrases (VCASFC131)
    1. describing an object, animal or person using familiar lexical adjectives such as RED, TALL and SMALL
    2. contributing to a digital presentation such as a class video by signing a basic description of their family members
    3. labelling objects in the classroom with pictures of signs
    4. recounting a class excursion, sequencing events through the use of familiar signs, gestures and photos
    5. reporting aspects of their daily routines using modelled signs and visual prompts
    6. sequencing points of signed information needed to complete an action-based activity such as a treasure hunt
Creating Elaborations
  1. Participate in the shared viewing of recorded or live imaginative signed texts, responding through drawing, miming, gesture or familiar signs (VCASFC132)
    1. viewing recorded or live children’s stories and nursery rhymes in Auslan, for example National Simultaneous Storytime books, demonstrating understanding through drawing, gesture, modelled signs or voice
    2. responding to short expressive texts that involve the movement of people, animals and/or vehicles, using drawings, familiar signs or re-enactments with puppets or props
    3. playing with key elements of short signed stories, for example by mimicking facial expressions or repeated signs
    4. interacting with a signing puppet or doll in an imaginary setting, for example by signing simple questions such as:
      WHAT NAME PRO2?
      What is your name?
      WHAT LIKE D-O PRO2?
      What do you like to do?
      Auslan video
    5. participating in interactions in Auslan that involve imaginative responses to stimuli, using gestures, handshapes, facial expressions and simple signs
    6. engaging with different forms of Deaf art, such as handshape creations
    7. shadowing non-manual features in short Auslan poems or stories
  2. Express imaginative ideas and visual thinking through the use of familiar signs, mime and gestures, with a focus on emotions, appearance and actions (VCASFC133)
    1. using iconic signs to create variations to actions involved in familiar nursery rhymes, such as ‘Incy Wincy Spider’
    2. exploring emotions through the use of NMFs, for example by re-enacting a familiar scenario and modifying emotions each time, for example by switching from fear to excitement to anger
    3. depicting the movement of people, animals or means of transport by using handshapes in creative ways
    4. creating amusing sequences of signs using a fixed handshape, such as the index finger ‘point’,
      PRO2 THINK PRO1 SHY?
      Do you think I’m shy?
      Auslan video
    5. using gestures and modelled signs to create short skits that convey emotions and behaviours associated with characters from familiar stories or rhymes
    6. enacting the movements and characteristics of a particular animal through the use of constructed action
Translating Elaborations
  1. Translate words used in everyday contexts from Auslan into English and vice versa (VCASFC134)
    1. recognising that every language uses words or signs to make meaning
    2. identifying aspects of Auslan which are the same in English, such as the fingerspelled alphabet
    3. comparing and contrasting the iconicity of some simple signs in terms of their similarity to the object/referent, for example, drink, food, kangaroo, considering how this may help with translation between languages
    4. explaining to family and friends the meaning and use of simple signs and expressions, for example, DOG, CAT, BIRD
  2. Create simple print or digital texts such as labels, posters, wall charts or cards that use Auslan images and English words (VCASFC135)
    1. using images of Auslan signs to name and label familiar objects and classroom items, using posters, word cards with pictures or alphabet cards with images, for example, A is for apple with fingerspelled letter for A
    2. creating and using handshape images to represent signs and label with words, for example, flat hand = FISH
    3. making their own bilingual picture dictionaries with English labels, images of signs and simple descriptions of signs
Identity Elaborations
  1. Describe aspects of themselves, such as membership of family and their school/class and languages they use, considering how these different elements contribute to their sense of identity (VCASFC136)
    1. describing themselves and their family using supports such as pictures, photos and family trees
    2. identifying themselves as belonging to a family, class or peer group, representing these relationships through captioned pictures or photos or by creating simple digital presentations
    3. identifying friends, favourite places, objects or languages they know or are learning that contribute to their identity
Reflecting Elaborations
  1. Notice what is similar to or different from their own language and culture when interacting with stories, games and different forms of artistic expression in Auslan and from Deaf culture (VCASFC137)
    1. responding to teacher prompts in Auslan or English to capture their impressions when viewing images, video clips or stories in Auslan, for example:
      PRO2 LOOK VIDEO. LOOK WHAT?
      You saw the video. What did you notice?
      HAVE SAME? HAVE DIFFERENT? WHAT?
      What’s the same? What’s different?
      Auslan video
    2. comparing aspects of their own lives with those of deaf children represented in digital images, video clips and stories, for example, ways of playing games, telling stories or interacting at school, home and in the community
    3. describing how it feels to use Auslan to communicate or to watch Auslan being used by others, for example by responding to questions such as What are the main differences you notice when observing conversations between hearing people and between deaf people?
    4. discussing changes or adaptations they make to their communicative style when using Auslan, for example waiting until they have a deaf person’s visual attention before signing to them, maintaining eye contact when the other person is signing to them

Understanding

Systems of language Elaborations
  1. Recognise that meaning can be expressed through English words or Auslan signs and that signs have set handshapes, movements and locations, and identify and reproduce them independently (VCASFU138)
    1. realising that meaning is communicated through the use of signs, pictures, written or spoken words or miming
    2. identifying the handshape of a sign, for example, COCKATOO (hs:5) and SOCCER (hs:fist)
    3. recognising major types of path movements
    4. understanding that sounds in English words are like handshapes, movements and locations in Auslan in the sense that they are combined together to make signs
    5. noticing that in signed languages meaning can be expressed through whole signs or through fingerspelling
    6. recognising that some signs are iconic, linking to the appearance of a referent, for example, HOUSE, TREE, DRINK, ELEPHANT, and that some are not, such as SISTER, WHY, SIMPLE
    7. understanding that while English is spoken and heard as well as written and read, Auslan is usually uniquely ‘through the air’ and not written down
    8. experimenting with different ways of recording signs, including video, writing an English word or drawing pictures
  2. Recognise and restrict signing to the standard signing space, and understand that pronouns, depicting signs and verbs can be located meaningfully in that space (VCASFU139)
    1. describing the range of signing space in normal signed discourse
    2. comparing and contrasting Auslan and English pronouns
    3. noticing that the beginning and end locations of some verbs can be modified to show the referents involved, for example:
      PRO1 ASK PRO3 versus PRO1 ASK-her
      Auslan video
    4. identifying what sorts of things can be represented in a DS by handshape, for example, point can mean a person or tree or pole
  3. Recognise that groups of words are combined to make a clause and that Auslan has word classes such as nouns, adjectives or verbs, and distinguish between statements and questions (VCASFU140)
    1. categorising noun signs into those for people, animals, places or things
    2. learning that proper nouns can have a sign name or be fingerspelled
    3. knowing that adjectives describe nouns in different ways, such as how they look (BIG or RED), feel (SOFT or HOT), smell (SMELLY) or sound (LOUD)
    4. identifying verb signs (SIT, EAT, FEEL, WONDER, HAVE) and recognising that they are central to a clause
    5. noticing there is no equivalent of the verb ‘to be’ in Auslan, which is a significant difference to English
    6. understanding that a clause is one or more signs expressing a single idea and that a clause has at least one verb, but often one or more nouns as well, for example:
      CALL-him
      I called him.
      MAN THERE GO-TO POSS3 HOUSE
      That man went to his house.
      BIG MONSTER SCREAM
      A big monster screamed.
      Auslan video
    7. recognising different nouns in clauses, including those that are shown with a pointing sign, such as GIRL READ versus PRO3 READ, or VISIT FRIEND versus VISIT PRO3
    8. noticing that Auslan has more flexibility in word order than in English
    9. distinguishing between clauses that are statements and those that are questions
  4. Understand that texts are made up of units of meaning such as groups of words or sentences and that different types of texts have different features that help serve their purpose (VCASFU141)
    1. recognising that texts are created to achieve different purposes, for example some texts tell stories or entertain while others give information
    2. noticing differences in facial expressions of a signer when presenting different types of text, for example a procedure versus a narrative
Language variation and change Elaborations
  1. Understand that all languages including signed languages vary and borrow words and signs from each other (VCASFU142)
    1. understanding that there are two main Auslan dialects: the southern dialect used in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory; and the northern dialect used in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory
    2. viewing videoed examples of Auslan signers from different parts of Australia, identifying the different signs used in southern and northern dialects, for example, signs for colours and some numbers
    3. noticing that words such as proper nouns for names of people, places or schools are borrowed from English by fingerspelling and mouthing, but some also have sign names
    4. recognising that Auslan borrows from other languages just as English does, and collecting words and signs used in their everyday lives that come from different signed and spoken languages
    5. noticing the variation in ‘handedness’ between signers in relation to signs and fingerspelling: right handers using their right hand as their dominant (main) hand; left handers doing the opposite
Language awareness Elaborations
  1. Recognise that Auslan is a legitimate language, one of many languages used in Australia and around the world (VCASFU143)
    1. identifying different languages used by their classmates or members of their families, for example by creating a class profile or language map
    2. exploring similarities and differences between the many languages used in Australia and represented in the school, including spoken and signed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, and comparing the ways different languages use writing, sound/speech, gestures, drawings, art and signs to communicate
    3. recognising the unique nature of signed languages and understanding that there are many different signed languages in use around the world, including in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and that there is not one ‘universal’ signed language
    4. recognising that Auslan is a legitimate language, different from mime and gestures such as those used to accompany songs in spoken languages
    5. exploring why and how some people are deaf, and identifying different ways that they access language; and investigating the use of hearing aids, FM systems or cochlear implants
Role of language and culture Elaborations
  1. Notice that people use language in ways that reflect their culture, such as where and how they live, who they live with and what is important to them (VCASFU144)
    1. recognising that people from different places and backgrounds may use different languages and have ways of living and communicating that differ from their own
    2. appreciating that culture and cultural difference means that people may value different things or live differently, noticing observable examples of such difference, such as ways of greeting (bowing versus shaking hands) or conveying information (through words versus signs)
    3. exploring how learning Auslan involves entering into a visual world or culture, for example by exploring different connections with physical space, such as being able to communicate through windows, or from a distance
    4. exploring how deaf people live in ways that may be different from how hearing people live, for example by responding to stimulus questions such as How do deaf people ensure they can always see other people who are signing? How do deaf people watch movies or television programs?
    5. recognising the importance of facial expression, eye gaze and NMFs in conveying information in a visual-gestural language and culture
    6. recognising the importance of community and culture in relation to their own lives and communities and in relation to other language groups and their communities

Foundation to Level 2 Achievement Standard

By the end of Level 2, students interact with teachers and each other to talk about themselves, their families, friends and immediate environment. They follow instructions to complete action-based activities such as signing games or transactional activities, using repeated constructions, gestures and affective non-manual features (NMFs). They interact in familiar classroom routines by responding to requests, such as DS:line-up PLEASE, LOOK-AT-me PRO1. Students ask and respond to simple questions and distinguish between statements and questions. They express likes, dislikes and feelings using lexical signs and affective NMFs. They recognise and produce fingerspelled names for roll call and games and produce modelled signs, phrases and sentence patterns in familiar contexts. They use culturally appropriate protocols, such as maintaining eye contact and responding to and gaining attention by waving or tapping a shoulder or table. They identify specific information in signed texts, such as the properties of colour, number, size or shape, and describe people and objects, for example, PRO3 5-YEARS-OLD, PRO1 HAVE 2 BROTHER, or THAT BALL BIG.

Students demonstrate simple procedures using...

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F–10 Sequence Levels 3 and 4

Levels 3 and 4 Description

Students are increasingly aware of differences between Auslan and English. They are developing a wide range of vocabulary and can use simple clause structures to generate their own ideas in structured tasks. They use depicting signs to talk about simple movements and shapes, and with support can represent the viewpoint of a single participant through constructed action. They begin modifying...

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Levels 3 and 4 Content Descriptions

Communicating

Socialising Elaborations
  1. Communicate with each other and with teachers about aspects of their personal worlds, daily routines, preferences and pastimes (VCASFC145)
    1. asking each other about their daily routines, interests or pastimes, for example:
      PRO2 ARRIVE SCHOOL HOW? CAR TAXI WALK G:WELL?
      How do you get to school?
      PRO2 REGULAR GO-TO-BED WHAT TIME?
      What time do you go to bed?
      WEEKEND OR HOLIDAYS, WHAT D-O?
      What do you do in your free time?
      Auslan video
    2. recounting personal experiences using specific time-related signs and conjunctions, such as BEFORE, AFTER, LONG-TIME-AGO, for example:
      LONG-TIME-AGO PRO1 FLY NEW ZEALAND
      A long time ago I went on a plane to New Zealand.
      Auslan video
    3. recounting classroom events using some indicating, plain and depicting verbs
    4. describing activities they have completed, interests or favourite pastimes, using modifications to show manner, for example:
      PRO1 WORK LITTLE, LATER WORK-REALLY HARD
      I worked on it a little bit, then later I worked really hard on it.
      PRO1 SWIM-fast SWIM-slow
      I swam really fast till I got tired and slowed down.
      Auslan video
    5. expressing preferences in relation to people, places or things, for example:
      PRO1 LIKE THAT, THAT, BUT THAT BEST BOOK
      I like that one, and that one, but that one is the best book.
      Auslan video
    6. interacting with members of the Deaf community to share details of their personal worlds
    7. identifying significant people in their lives, such as family members or friends, describing their appearance, characteristics or personality, for example:
      PRINCIPAL YOU-KNOW LONG-HAIR GLASSES?
      You know the principal? She has long hair and wears glasses.
      POSS1 BROTHER OLD++ TALL REAL FUNNY
      My brother is older; he’s tall and really funny.
      Auslan video
  2. Participate in shared learning activities that involve planning, transacting and problem-solving, using simple signed statements, questions and directions (VCASFC146)
    1. working together in collaborative tasks such as cooking or craft activities, using interactional phrases such as:
      BOOK WHICH WANT MAKE WHICH? PICK.
      Which recipe do you want to make? You choose.
      PLEASE PRO2 BRING SCISSORS PLUS PAPER?
      Can you please bring scissors and paper?
      Auslan video
    2. following directions for activities such as a treasure hunt or creating a garden, using prepositions such as ON, UNDER, BEHIND and entity depicting signs, such as:
      DS:turn-left DEAD-END DS:turn-right.
      Go left, then at the end turn right.
      PLEASE BRING MILK FRIDGE DS:open-door POINT
      Please bring the milk; it’s at the bottom of the fridge door.
      Auslan video
    3. negotiating roles and responsibilities in shared learning activities, using expressions such as:
      PRO3 TYPE PRO1 WRITE PRO2 D-O WHAT?
      He will type, I’ll write, and what are you doing?
      Auslan video
    4. playing games that involve identifying and classifying specific points of information, for example, ‘Celebrity Heads’
    5. understanding and using expressions of support, encouragement or praise during shared activities, for example, GOOD, EXCELLENT, CONGRATULATIONS
  3. Respond to questions, directions and requests, using non-manual features and simple questions and statements to ask for help, to indicate understanding or agreement and to negotiate turn-taking (VCASFC147)
    1. responding to classroom instructions such as
      PLEASE WITH-2++ DS:sit-opposite
      Please find a partner and sit opposite each other.
      DS:line-up PLEASE
      Line up, please.
      LOOK-AT-me
      Look to the front.
      Auslan video
    2. attracting attention or asking for help, repetition or clarification, for example:
      PLEASE HELP-me?
      Can you help me, please?
      PLEASE AGAIN SIGN
      Please sign that again.
      PLEASE EXPLAIN-to self AGAIN
      Please explain that again.
      WHAT MEAN?
      What do you mean?
      PRO2 MEAN…?
      Do you mean …?
      Auslan video
    3. negotiating turn-taking, for example:
      PRO1 FIRST YOUR-TURN
      It’s my turn first, then your turn.
      Auslan video
    4. using back-channels, for example, head nodding to indicate understanding, or raised eyebrows or head shaking to indicate lack of understanding
    5. gaining the attention of a group or an individual, for example by flashing classroom lights, waving or multiple tapping or tapping or pointing to alert third parties
    6. maintaining eye contact when communicating
Informing Elaborations
  1. Organise and summarise key points of information obtained from different types of Auslan texts (VCASFC148)
    1. retelling key points of information used in classroom interactions and school activities, such as announcements or directions for a game or task
    2. watching Auslan texts that show people expressing likes and dislikes, and recording observations in table form
    3. watching a signed presentation by a teacher, peer or visitor and identifying specific points of information
    4. surveying peers in relation to their interests and preferences, summarising findings in formats such as profiles, charts or graphs
    5. following the steps of a signed demonstration or procedure such as baking/cooking or simple science experiments, checking with each other about ingredients and processes
    6. recounting in correct sequence the main points of a shared event such as an assembly performance or sports carnival
  2. Present information associated with their home, school and community activities and routines, using signed descriptions and visual prompts (VCASFC149)
    1. recounting to the class a personal or community experience such as a holiday or weekend event
    2. presenting routine class information, such as weather reports or daily schedules, using visual prompts and signed descriptions
    3. sharing selected points of information from their home or local community, such as family traditions or cultural events, conveying key points of information from visual infographics or diagrams
    4. providing information needed to complete an information-gap activity
    5. demonstrating a simple procedure using gestures, objects and list buoys
Creating Elaborations
  1. Engage with different types of imaginative texts, identifying favourite elements, characters and events and responding through modelled signing, actions and drawing (VCASFC150)
    1. viewing short Auslan stories and responding by identifying and comparing favourite elements, characters and events
    2. participating in Auslan games using simple clauses in creative ways, for example, playing the improvisation game ‘Space Jump’
    3. engaging with different kinds of Deaf expression such as handshape poems or art, indicating their response using lexical signs such as:
      LIKE THAT
      I like that one.
      DON’T LIKE
      I don’t like it.
      PRO1 HATE THAT
      I hate that.
      Auslan video
    4. comparing two signed versions of a story such as ‘The Hare and the Tortoise’ and indicating their preference for one version over the other
    5. retelling favourite elements of a signed story using modelled signing
    6. drawing a personal interpretation of a ‘visual vernacular’ description of a character’s appearance
  2. Create simple texts that demonstrate imagination and playfulness, using familiar signs, gestures, modelled language and visual supports (VCASFC151)
    1. assuming the role of a character from a story and responding to signed questions from classmates, such as:
      YOUR NOSE DS:long-nose WHY?
      Why is your nose so long, Pinocchio?
      Auslan video
    2. participating in storytelling games or imaginative activities, for example, the joint construction of a progressive story such as I went to market and bought …
    3. retelling a wordless animation, modifying NMFs and lexical signs to indicate manner, for example, walk, sprint, march
    4. creating a humorous skit using constructed action that involves interaction between two characters
    5. using a ‘visual vernacular’ description to create an imaginary character, incorporating physical attributes and personality traits
    6. working with classmates to use hands to visually represent an object or animal
Translating Elaborations
  1. Translate high-frequency signs/words and expressions in simple texts such as repeated lines in a story, noticing which ones are difficult to interpret (VCASFC152)
    1. participating in shared reading of texts such as the Auslan–English versions of ‘The Wrong Book’ and answering questions about unfamiliar signs and word/sign matches and mismatches in the text
    2. identifying and comparing key signs and words in Auslan and English versions of favourite stories, for example, ‘The Three Little Pigs’ and ‘The Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly’, noticing how signs can represent concepts which might not have a direct match in English
    3. translating popular children’s songs into Auslan, for example, ‘Happy Birthday’
    4. playing matching-pair games with Auslan sign-image flashcards and English flashcards, for example, matching cards associated with weather or animals in both languages
    5. collecting and noting a list of gestures commonly used by hearing people when speaking English that have similar meaning when used in Auslan, for example, head nodding, shoulder shrugging, pointing to watch
  2. Create bilingual versions of texts such as English captioned recordings of Auslan phrases (VCASFC153)
    1. creating captions in English for short recorded signed phrases
    2. creating bilingual texts for the classroom or school community, for example, posters, library displays or digital newsletter items, discussing how to represent meaning in each language for different audiences
    3. developing a simple handshape dictionary
    4. creating cards for use by younger children that include pictures, labels and signs, such as a transport-themed card game
Identity Elaborations
  1. Consider how their ways of communicating and responding to each other shape and reflect their sense of identity (VCASFC154)
    1. using visual representations such as concept maps, posters or captioned slide presentations to identify groups that they identify with, such as friends, family, sporting, interest and community groups
    2. creating a profile to capture their sense of self, for example through creating an avatar or montage, using key signs, fingerspelled letters or simple Auslan expressions in a digital file to identify significant characteristics, traits or experiences
    3. comparing their own and each other’s ways of communicating, identifying elements that reflect cultural differences or influences of other languages
    4. identifying markers of identity that may be important across all cultures and communities, for example, family membership, environment, language background, age or gender
Reflecting Elaborations
  1. Describe ways in which communicating and behaving when using Auslan are similar to or different from their use of their own language(s) and forms of cultural expression (VCASFC155)
    1. reflecting on similarities and differences between ways of communicating in Auslan and in their first language in different social situations, for example, when greeting/leave-taking; introducing people; and using body language, facial expression and eye contact
    2. comparing their own and each other’s reflections on the experience of learning and communicating in Auslan, and considering whether their attitudes or understandings have changed through this experience
    3. reflecting on similarities and differences in communication that reflect culture, such as visual ways of being among deaf people and ways of sharing storytelling or jokes
    4. reflecting on the need for sustained eye contact when using Auslan in order to understand a message and before teacher instructions can proceed
    5. reflecting on differences in forms of address in signed and spoken languages, for example, not using a person’s name when signing directly to them, unlike the common use of names in Australian English/other languages
    6. identifying assumptions that they bring to the experience of learning Auslan and considering how these may change through the learning experience

Understanding

Systems of language Elaborations
  1. Identify the movement and location of different signs and notice how they combine with handshape to form signs, and understand that Auslan can be videoed and transcribed to assist learning (VCASFU156)
    1. identifying the location of a sign on the body or in space
    2. noticing the five major locations of signs on the body or in space, and identifying signs associated with each, such as SEE (head/face), SAY (mouth/chin), WHY (chest), TALK (hand) and ONE (signing space)
    3. recognising that handshapes must be performed in a particular orientation
    4. identifying and demonstrating signs with a change in handshape, for example FIND or BEST
    5. identifying and demonstrating signs with a change in orientation, for example CAN-NOT or HOW
    6. understanding that NMFs can also be an element of a sign and can show emotional states such as a happy expression or grammatical information, for example, a frown to mark a negative
    7. identifying single, double and two-handed signs, and recognising which hand is dominant (the pen hand) and which is non-dominant (the paper hand) within two-handed signs
    8. comparing iconic signs that provide visual images of referents, such as DRINK, ELEPHANT with English words that map to the sound images of the referents, such as animal noises, or words for sounds such as bang
    9. learning to film themselves and analyse the video or to read simple glosses produced by the teacher, and understanding that the English word used is often not an exact match for the meaning of the sign
  2. Understand how space is used in Auslan to show who is involved in an event through the meaningful location of nouns and verbs, the use of depicting signs and enacting (VCASFU157)
    1. recognising that non-body-anchored nouns can be located in space and identifying instances of this
    2. discussing the functions of different pointing signs, such as pronouns, determiners and locatives
    3. 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)
    4. understanding that some verb forms in Auslan indicate who is involved in a verb by changing the direction of the movement or orientation of the handshape
    5. noticing the relationship between the location of referents in real space and the direction of some indicating verbs in a text
    6. identifying instances of DSs with appropriate support
    7. comparing English adjectives with SASS DSs
  3. Understand that clauses can be enriched through the use of adjectives and adverbs (when, where, how), often produced with non-manual features (VCASFU158)
    1. exploring different semantic types of verbs in a text, for example by showing how:
      • doing (WALK, WRITE) and saying (TELL, CALL-OUT ANNOUNCE?) verbs in narrative texts give information about a characters’ actions
      • sensing (SEE, THINK) or possessing (BELONG, OWN) verbs indicate what characters think, feel or own
      • relating verbs identify or describe a noun, for example, HAVE in PRO3 HAVE LONG-HAIR
    2. understanding how DSs and adverbs can give extra information about an activity
    3. noticing that some signs modify the meaning of verbs, such as READ CAREFUL and that these are called adverbs
    4. contributing examples of signs that tell
      • when a verb happens (IN-2-WEEKS PRO1 HOLIDAY or WANT LUNCH NOW)
      • where a verb happens (PRO3 RUN FAR or COME HERE)
      • how a verb happens (FAST or SLOW or PRO2 QUICK FINISH)
    5. understanding that, in terms of meaning, a basic clause represents: a happening or a state (verb), who or what is involved (noun or nouns) and the surrounding circumstances (adverb or adverbs)
    6. knowing that signing involves either telling with signs or showing with DSs and periods of CA
      MAN WALK SLOW
      DS(point):man-walks-slowly
      CA:man-swinging-arms-nonchalantly
      Auslan video
  4. Understand how signers make different language choices in different types of texts and compare this with English versions of text types, and notice how texts build cohesion (VCASFU159)
    1. recognising that texts are made up of one or more clauses, which have one or more signs in them and which together make meaning
    2. discussing and comparing the purposes of familiar texts such as class discussions or stories
    3. comparing a short text in Auslan with an equivalent English text, noticing similarities and differences in their structure and language features
    4. observing how texts build cohesion, for example by using different signs to refer to the same person
Language variation and change Elaborations
  1. Recognise that there is variation in Auslan use, for example in different locations or physical environments (VCASFU160)
    1. exploring similarities and differences in Auslan dialects through building webcam relationships with other schools or through identifying and collecting signs that differ in the northern (Qld and NSW) and southern (Vic., SA, WA and Tas.) dialects, such as DINNER or AFTERNOON
    2. recognising that variation also occurs in spoken languages and noticing some different words for the same thing in English, such as cossie/cozzie, togs or bathers
    3. identifying Auslan signs or informal home signs that might be different from signs used by other people
    4. considering adaptations to Auslan use when communicating in different physical environments, such as in video chats, across a large yard, or when one or both hands are occupied, for example, variations in vocabulary, size of signing space, clarity of signs, use of fingerspelling and NMFs
    5. recognising variation in adaptation of signing between different users of Auslan, for example, people who are deafblind use hand-over-hand signing and tactile fingerspelling
Language awareness Elaborations
  1. Develop awareness of the social and cultural nature and context of Auslan and other sign languages, of their different modes of expression and of the related issue of language vitality (VCASFU161)
    1. identifying different ways Deaf community members communicate with each other and with members of the wider hearing community, including face to face or via technology such as NRS or VRS, through social media, the use of English or the use of interpreters
    2. identifying how deaf people modify space to maximise visual attention, such as adjusting seating or removing visual obstacles
    3. exploring different expressions for gaining attention or signalling enjoyment, such as tapping, waving, stomping or using visual applause, and their suitability for visual language users
    4. recognising that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ use of signed languages is culturally determined and shaped by their beliefs and values
    5. understanding cultural values associated with the conferment of name signs to people, such as second language learners of Auslan who are joining the Deaf community
    6. exploring the vitality of Auslan and other spoken and signed languages, appreciating that a language with strong vitality is one used by many people in the home and other domains, across generations, to talk about most topics
    7. understanding how and why some deaf children face challenges with communication in hearing families or in social settings
    8. understanding that some languages used in Australia, such as English, have large numbers of users, while others, such as many spoken and signed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, are endangered or in the process of being revived or reclaimed
    9. recognising the important role of deaf families and deaf schools in preserving and maintaining Auslan and cultural identity
    10. understanding that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander signed languages arise from specific needs, for example, certain cultural restrictions on speech, or the presence of deaf people
    11. exploring relationships between place, space and people, considering why some places and spaces make deaf people feel comfortable and promote a sense of cultural belonging and pride
    12. identifying behaviours, rights, roles and responsibilities in relation to the ownership and maintenance of Auslan, and recognising that this ownership rests with the Deaf community and is determined by traditional social groupings/families, places, history and stories
Role of language and culture Elaborations
  1. Explore connections between identity and cultural values and beliefs and the expression of these connections in Auslan (VCASFU162)
    1. exploring culture as an essential part of human life, understanding that it is shared, passed on between generations and is closely connected to language and to identity
    2. understanding that culture is more than the visible aspects of people’s lives, that it also includes invisible elements such as beliefs and values, how people think about themselves and others, how they relate to their social and physical environments, and how this understanding applies to themselves as users of their first language and as learners of Auslan
    3. recognising that in each culture there are general rules for what to say and do, when, where and with whom, and that these rules differ from culture to culture, for example, the Deaf culture places greater importance on eye contact than cultures that communicate through spoken languages
    4. recognising that language reflects values and beliefs, for example in expressions of personal identity or in the recognition of others (sameness and difference), for example by identifying deaf family members as part of introductions, and by relaying cultural information about background and context and shared knowledge when interacting with others

Levels 3 and 4 Achievement Standard

By the end of Level 4, students participate in classroom routines and structured interactions with teachers and peers. They communicate about daily routines, interests and pastimes; recount personal experiences and classroom events; and describe people, experiences or activities using simple depicting signs, such as DS:run-around-oval THEN DS:sit-in-circle. They express preferences, follow directions and ask for clarification or help. They play games that involve making choices, exchanging information and negotiating turn-taking. They use non-manual features to indicate understanding, interest or lack of interest. They use culturally appropriate protocols, such as gaining attention by waving, tapping or pointing to alert third parties and maintain eye contact when communicating, for example PRO2 MEAN or … RIGHT PRO1? They identify, summarise/paraphrase and retell key points of information in signed texts such as announcements, directions for a game or presentations by visitors, for example PRO1 FIRST YOUR-TURN. They recount in correct sequence the main points of an event or favourite elements of a signed story, using modified indicating verbs, such as POSS1 FAVOURITE PART PRO3...

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F–10 Sequence Levels 5 and 6

Levels 5 and 6 Description

Students are expanding their knowledge of vocabulary and sentence construction. With support, they use constructed action to show participants in a narrative, modify indicating verbs for non-present referents with increasing accuracy across a text, and use more complex entity depicting signs. Students are developing a metalanguage for describing aspects of Auslan and how it is structured, such...

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Levels 5 and 6 Content Descriptions

Communicating

Socialising Elaborations
  1. Share ideas and feelings about people they know, their daily lives, social activities and the school community (VCASFC163)
    1. describing experiences and how they made them feel, for example:
      DEAF PERSON WILL VISIT SCHOOL PRO1 EXCITED MEET
      I am excited to meet the deaf visitor.
      POSS1 FRIEND CHANGE OTHER SCHOOL PRO1 SAD
      I was sad when my friend moved away.
      Auslan video
    2. discussing aspects of their school experience, using familiar lexicalised fingerspelled signs to talk about shared places or people they know, for example:
      M-O-N M-R S-M-I-T-H GIVE-me BOOK THAT NEW
      On Monday Mr Smith gave me a new book.
      Auslan video
    3. comparing weekend or holiday routines, interests and activities, using signs associated with time, sequence and location, for example:
      REGULAR SUMMER PRO1-plural GROUP-MOVE-TO BEACH STAY++ THREE WEEK
      We go to the beach for three weeks in summer.
      WEEKEND PRO1 GO-TO-AND-BACK++ CAMP
      I go camping on weekends.
      Auslan video
    4. discussing shared experiences of school events, using appropriate interactional strategies when communicating in pairs or in groups, for example, using NMFs and eye gaze to gain, hold or finish a turn, for example:
      THEATRE GOOD, LONG-really
      I liked the theatre performance but it was soo long.
      SCHOOL SWIMMING RACE, GOOD BAD, PRO2 THINK WHAT?
      What did you think about the swimming carnival?
      Auslan video
    5. describing relationships between members of their families or between classmates, for example:
      PRO3 POSS1 COUSIN WE2 GOOD FRIEND.
      She’s my cousin; we’re good friends.
      Auslan video
    6. comparing attributes or characteristics of classmates or classroom objects, for example:
      S-A-M RUN FAST C-H-R-I-S WORSE FAST SPEED
      Sam runs fast but Chris runs the fastest.
      THAT BEST COMPUTER
      That’s the best computer.
      Auslan video
  2. Collaborate with peers to plan and conduct shared events or activities such as performances, presentations, demonstrations or transactions (VCASFC164)
    1. working collaboratively to plan a performance or presentation for a younger class, for example on aspects of Deaf culture or Auslan
    2. expressing preferences in relation to roles and responsibilities in shared learning activities, using statements such as:
      PRO1 HANDWRITING PRO1 DON’T-LIKE RATHER TYPING
      I don’t like handwriting; I prefer to type it.
      PRO1 DON’T-WANT DRAW, PRO1 WANT TAKE-PHOTO++
      I don’t want to do the drawing; I’d rather take photos.
      Auslan video
    3. negotiating with a partner to prioritise or sequence tasks when planning a learning activity, using language such as:
      PRO2 THINK BEST THIS FIRST, FINISH, NEXT
      Do you think we should do this first and when that’s done, next
      THAT FIRST IMPORTANT THAT SECOND
      That’s more important than this.
      Auslan video
    4. organising activities such as excursions or talent shows, using expressions related to place, time and numbers, for example:
      THAT THEATRE WHEN WHAT DAY?
      What date is the show?
      HOW-MANY PEOPLE WILL DS:many-move?
      How many people will be there?
      Auslan video
    5. playing games that involve detailed information exchange, such as ‘Guess Who?’, asking for and supplying descriptions, for example:
      POINT HAVE GLASSES?
      Does yours have glasses?
      DON’T-HAVE
      No.
    6. allocating responsibilities for the completion of shared tasks, such as following a recipe or building a model
    7. carrying out simulated transactions in different contexts, for example, playing a ‘restaurant’ game, or a food shopping game
  3. Communicate appropriately while involved in shared learning activities by asking and responding to questions, managing interactions, indicating understanding and monitoring learning (VCASFC165)
    1. responding to signed class and school announcements such as assembly procedures
    2. showing agreement or disagreement or asking for clarification, for example:
      PRO1 AGREE
      I agree.
      PRO1 AGREE-NOT
      I don’t agree …
      THAT RIGHT THAT?
      Is that right?
      …RIGHT PRO1?
      … am I right?
      Auslan video
    3. using discourse markers in conversation to indicate understanding, attention or consideration, for example:
      SURPRISE
      oooh (with appropriate intonation)
      INCREDIBLE
      No way!
      WOW
      Wow!
      UM
      um
      Auslan video
    4. respecting protocols for interrupting conversations, for example by walking between signers, waiting for eye contact and pauses in signing and using language such as EXCUSE or SORRY INTERRUPT
    5. monitoring their own and each other’s learning, for example by making comments such as:
      SURPRISE KNOW-NOT PRO1
      I didn’t know that …
      THANKYOU PRO2 EXPLAIN CLEAR
      Thank you – that was really clear.
      Auslan video
    6. following appropriate protocols when interacting with interpreters, for example not standing between the interpreter and the deaf person
    7. using non-auditory ways of signalling enjoyment, support or encouragement in large group or audience activities, for example, by foot stomping at a deaf basketball game
Informing Elaborations
  1. Collect, classify and paraphrase information from a variety of Auslan texts used in school and community contexts (VCASFC166)
    1. identifying specific points of information in procedural or descriptive Auslan texts, responding to signed comprehension questions
    2. paraphrasing the content of selected Auslan texts such as community announcements and relaying the information to others
    3. using information collected from peers about home and school routines, presenting findings to the class using visual supports/graphic organisers
    4. viewing Auslan texts from other content areas, using depicting signs to explain concepts such as states of matter or climate variation
    5. forming and signing questions to request information from a deaf organisation or person needed to produce a digital text such as a brochure or program
    6. interviewing Deaf peers or other Auslan users and noting unfamiliar signs, recoding and classifying these in their personal sign dictionaries
  2. Convey information in different formats to suit different audiences and contexts (VCASFC167)
    1. assembling an information pack about their school to support newly arrived deaf students, including a signed glossary of key people and places and simple directions to navigate the school
    2. creating a rehearsed digital report/reflection in Auslan for a school website on the experience of interacting with Deaf visitors
    3. presenting information for Deaf visitors at a school open day about significant school or community events, such as festivals or sports carnivals
    4. presenting information using visual support to engage the interest of the wider school community in a selected Deaf organisation or community activity
    5. explaining a favourite game that can be played in Auslan or English, highlighting key Auslan terms and supporting information with pictures, gestures and demonstrations
    6. planning, rehearsing and delivering short presentations about their use of Auslan in different contexts, taking into account context, purpose and audience
    7. explaining a procedural text to the class, such as a recipe
Creating Elaborations
  1. Engage with a range of creative and imaginative texts, identifying and discussing ideas and characters and making connections with their own experiences (VCASFC168)
    1. viewing a signed narrative text and responding by drawing a storyboard that identifies and sequences key events
    2. viewing a theatre performance designed for a deaf audience and sharing their reactions to the experience of viewing a theatre performance designed for a deaf audience
    3. comparing their reactions to imaginative texts that evoke positive or negative emotional responses, making connections with experiences in their own lives that have produced similar feelings
    4. engaging with different examples of Deaf humour, such as Deaf jokes, and comparing them with examples of humour in spoken English or in silent films or mime
    5. shadowing signed elements of theatrical or cinematographic texts that use handshapes, such as the scene with hand-faces in the film Labyrinth
    6. tracking and reflecting on the experiences of deaf dancers and choreographers, for example as contestants in shows such as So You Think You Can Dance
  2. Create or reinterpret simple imaginative texts that involve favourite characters or humorous situations, using a range of signs, gestures and supporting props to convey events, characters or settings (VCASFC169)
    1. creating and performing an adaptation of a humorous story with two or more characters, using elements of constructed action such as eye gaze change, body shift and head orientation change
    2. retelling a story to compare characters’ perspectives using referents
    3. working collaboratively to create a visual representation of a face, using the hands and bodies of at least two classmates
    4. using ‘visual vernacular’ to create a humorous skit for a younger group of Auslan learners
    5. creating the next scene, a new character or an alternative ending for a signed fable, short story or cartoon
    6. choreographing and performing music-less dance, focusing on matching timing, beat and rhythm
    7. creating and performing a story from the viewpoint of a single character or narrator
Translating Elaborations
  1. Translate familiar texts from Auslan to English and vice versa, noticing which words or phrases require interpretation or explanation (VCASFC170)
    1. finding and using phrases that have direct translations between Auslan and English, for example, Goodnight, Happy birthday
    2. shadowing a story in Auslan as a pre-interpreting skill, noticing which phrases and concepts need more unpacking
    3. demonstrating the use of a bilingual online dictionary (Signbank), for example by looking up various meanings of the word run and comparing variation in signs for the concept in different contexts, and using it to translate Auslan texts into English and vice versa
    4. using resources such as Signbank to identify words which might not have a direct sign equivalent, for example, jewellery, pets and other collective nouns
    5. translating segments from popular children’s texts such as fairytales or short stories into Auslan, considering why some elements cannot be translated literally
  2. Create their own bilingual texts and learning resources such as electronic displays, websites or digital newsletters (VCASFC171)
    1. composing bilingual texts for class or school assembly performances, events or displays, for example, National Week of Deaf People announcements
    2. constructing and co-maintaining a bilingual website with a Deaf school
    3. creating bilingual texts for younger children, such as an online Auslan–English dictionary of school-specific vocabulary
Identity Elaborations
  1. Demonstrate understanding of the nature of identity in relation to themselves and to members of the Deaf community (VCASFC172)
    1. describing key milestones or important influences in their lives, including people, events, experiences, community traditions or travel experiences, explaining how these have helped shape their sense of identity and their perspectives
    2. viewing a series of Auslan identity stories, such as those found in the Griffith University Introduction to Deaf Studies Unit 1 set, comparing their own experiences to those described by deaf children and adults in the footage
    3. making and sharing ‘hand identity charts’ to illustrate similarities and differences in how students define themselves or may be defined by others, using sketches of signs or gloss in the fingers of the chart and views of others outside the handshape
    4. identifying Deaf community identities associated with significant places, such as Martha Overend Wilson and the sites of the former Queensland Adult Deaf and Dumb Mission, or Eugene Salas and the original South Australian Deaf Society/Mission building
Reflecting Elaborations
  1. Reflect on how language and cultural background influence perceptions of other languages and communities, and on their experience of learning and communicating in Auslan (VCASFC173)
    1. examining misconceptions held by some hearing people about deaf people, Auslan and Deaf culture, such as the idea that all deaf people can hear with hearing aids, or that deaf people may not drive
    2. considering possible explanations for assumptions deaf people might make about hearing people or about spoken languages
    3. observing and documenting their development as learners of Auslan, for example, by recording learning experiences and reflections in blogs, learning logs or journals, considering whether their sense of identity changes when communicating in this language
    4. reflecting on similarities and differences between spoken language and signed language users, for example, behaviours when joining interactions, taking turns, using name signs, or passing between people who are communicating with each other
    5. identifying and comparing how various emotions and different attitudes, such as respect, shyness, exuberance or embarrassment, are expressed in and responded to by different languages and cultures
    6. exploring ideas about identity in journal writing, for example by documenting challenges and rewards relating to second language learning and any changes in relation to their sense of identity

Understanding

Systems of language Elaborations
  1. Identify and describe elements of sign production, including handshape and its orientation, movement, location and non-manual features, and explore the processes of annotating Auslan videos or reading and transcribing glossed texts (VCASFU174)
    1. noticing that in a stretch of connected signing a sign will often be produced differently to the way it is shown in a dictionary
    2. identifying some NMFs in a signed text
    3. recognising that some signs can occur with a standard mouth gesture and that these are sometimes called multi-channel signs
    4. thinking of body-anchored signs, such as head or why, and signs that are not body anchored, such as HAVE or STOP, and recognising that non-body anchored signs can be located in space around the signer
    5. identifying some iconic signs and considering how they are iconic
    6. exploring with support software such as ELAN to annotate signed texts with some grammatical marking such as NMFs
    7. ‘reading’ and transcribing glossed texts, including indicating understanding that there are markings to show NMFs and spatial locations
  2. Understand that signs can include different information, including a gestural overlay, identify types of depicting signs and how signers establish spatial locations and show constructed action (VCASFU175)
    1. 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 they change their form each time they are signed, such as DSs
    2. 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
    3. identifying where a signer has established a location in space (for example, through points, non-body-anchored signs, fingerspelled words or verb movement changes)
    4. recognising that signers must make explicit which referent is associated with a location
    5. identifying examples of each type of DS in an Auslan text: entity DSs, handling DSs and SASS DSs
    6. learning that the function of CA is to represent the words, thoughts or actions of a protagonist in a text, either themselves or another
    7. 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
  3. Develop understanding of the important role of non-manual features in adverbs and joining clauses, and know that spatial relationships in Auslan are typically expressed with depicting signs (VCASFU176)
    1. recognising that quantifiers such as FEW or THREE are also types of adjective signs
    2. noticing that sometimes Auslan signers have information about how a verb happens through NMFs not separate signs (for example, WRITE-carelessly)
    3. 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, PLEASE-really, TALL-really
    4. 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)
    5. recognising how conjunctions such as plus, if or but are used to join clauses and create cohesion
    6. 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++
    7. recognising that typically signers use DSs to show spatial relationships, not separate signs such as ON or UNDER
    8. recognising that some nouns are not signed overtly in a clause, for example in the clauses below, the noun (the swimmer) is given in the first clause but not repeated in the second
      PRO2 SWIM DETERMINED SWIM, NOT WIN
      You swam really hard but you didn’t win.
      Auslan video
    9. noticing that clauses are elaborated and made more vivid by adding adjectives and adverbs and by enacting or using DSs, and that they can be joined by conjunctions to make longer sentences
    10. noticing that parts of a sentence can be signed simultaneously in Auslan, making it hard to establish word order
    11. recognising that the element of a sentence that a signer wants most focus on is sometimes signed first and that this process of topicalisation involves particular NMFs
  4. Identify and use language features of different types of Auslan texts and understand that texts are made cohesive through language choices (VCASFU177)
    1. identifying structures and characteristic features of particular types of text that suit the purpose of the text, for example, selecting language that expresses emotion in a narrative text compared to more factual language used for objective reporting in an information report
    2. analysing samples of particular types of text, noticing choices signers have made in the production of their text, for example the amount of CA they have used
    3. identifying the many ways signers can refer to the same referent in a text, for example by using DSs, points, list buoys, and how such strategies support understanding
Language variation and change Elaborations
  1. Explore variation in terms of the impact of other languages on Auslan across contexts and over time (VCASFU178)
    1. noticing different ways that English words are borrowed into Auslan, for example, the use of fully fingerspelled words, such as D-U-E, N-O-U-N, the fingerspelling of the first letter of corresponding English words, for example TOILET, FATHER, or abbreviations of English words, for example, state names: S-A, N-S-W, V-I-C, T-A-S, and organisation names: N-A-B-S, W-A-A-D, N-S-W-A-D, D-C-S-S-A
    2. creating lists of fingerspelled words which have become lexicalised, for example, #HOW, #BUT, #ABOUT or #FOR and looking at how this process has changed the form of words over time
    3. recognising that Auslan includes loan signs from Signed English, some of which were invented for Signed English (for example, TOY or DAD) and some that were from the southern dialect and incorporated into Signed English, for example, YELLOW
    4. looking at style shifts in domains where English is in closer contact with Auslan, such as the use of more English-like structures in formal and educational settings
    5. explaining the influence of other signed languages such as BSL, ISL and ASL on Auslan over different periods of time and discussing reasons for such influence
Language awareness Elaborations
  1. Explore the current status and profile of Auslan and of the Deaf community in contemporary Australian society, considering issues such as language transmission, usage and documentation (VCASFU179)
    1. describing the visibility and use of Auslan in the wider community, for example in television programs, on the news, at community events, sporting fixtures and in emergency announcements
    2. discussing the diversity of Auslan users in the Australian community, including people who are deaf, those who are hard of hearing and hearing people such as CODAs and interpreters
    3. investigating the signed languages used by deaf and hard of hearing members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
    4. exploring variation in Auslan fluency among classmates and members of the Deaf community, considering the relevance of factors such as where and when individual users learnt to sign and whether they are from a Deaf or hearing family
    5. mapping sign language use around the world using data from Ethnologue, for example by identifying and labelling countries with correct naming of the sign language used, such as France = LSF: Langue des Signes Française; Germany = DGS: Deutsche Gebärdensprache
    6. finding representations of signing deaf people in the media or in literary texts, and evaluating how they and the language are represented
    7. investigating the profile and distribution of members of the Deaf community, for example across states of Australia or by age or gender, using data from censuses and other sources to summarise and represent information in graph/visual forms, and to suggest possible explanations of patterns or statistics
    8. understanding the role and function of Auslan–English interpreters and Deaf interpreters and the access and opportunities they provide to language users
    9. recognising that many languages are well-documented, strong, healthy and widely used by many people across generations while others are less well-documented and robust
    10. recognising that some languages have no written form and have historically been passed on face to face/orally, which means that they are less well recorded or documented
    11. recognising language documentation as an important means of recording, maintaining, transmitting and revitalising a language
    12. understanding the nature of transmission of Auslan, for example, that in most cases Auslan is not passed on from parent to child but from peers, or is learnt by children from adults outside the family, and that some Deaf people learn Auslan later in early adulthood
    13. describing how Auslan has been transmitted across generations and how it has been recorded, investigating reasons for the ‘oral’ tradition language transmission
    14. using the UNESCO atlas to map the world’s minority languages and those that are in critical endangerment and to document the vitality of signed languages
    15. exploring how different technologies are used by deaf people to support social networks and strengthen their community and language
    16. explaining the significance of stories linked to Deaf social history and the responsibility of the Deaf community to convey shared experiences that relate to Deaf history and significant sites, for example by sharing stories about school days in the past
    17. identifying examples of deaf people who have been recognised for different reasons in wider Australian society, for example, Alastair McEwin or Drisana Levitzke-Gray, and discussing how such recognition contributes to broader awareness of Auslan in Australia
Role of language and culture Elaborations
  1. Reflect on how communities’ ways of using languages are shaped by, reflect and strengthen cultural values and beliefs and how these may be differently interpreted by users of other languages (VCASFU180)
    1. explaining the role of Auslan and Deaf culture in maintaining, reflecting and strengthening the Deaf community and its networks and significant places
    2. understanding that knowledge about past and present Deaf people and cultural experience and values is embodied in and transmitted through Auslan, for example ways of producing the sign for SIGN reflect cultural values placed on fluency
    3. identifying the cultural importance of elements of communication such as the use of signing space and proxemics by Auslan users, particularly in relation to a person passing between two signers, or to the positioning of communication partners
    4. identifying cultural differences in the use of personal names in Auslan and their own background language, such as the fact that Auslan signers do not use a person’s name sign when addressing them directly as do users of many spoken languages
    5. recognising that different types of expressive and imaginative performance in Auslan carry cultural as well as linguistic information, for example, a film or theatrical performance that represents typical miscommunication experiences between deaf and hearing people
    6. reflecting on the ways culture is interpreted by others, for example by identifying how stereotypes about deaf and hearing people influence perceptions
    7. understanding that ‘sound’ is accessed differently in Deaf culture, that the meaning and importance of sound in deaf people’s lives is not the same as in hearing people’s experience

Levels 5 and 6 Achievement Standard

By the end of Level 6, students discuss aspects of their daily lives, social activities and school experience and respond to each other’s comments. They describe relationships and characteristics of people and objects and express feelings and preferences, for example, POSS1 FRIEND CHANGE OTHER SCHOOL PRO1 SAD. They negotiate with each other to plan, organise and complete learning tasks and activities, using statements such as PRO1 DON’T-WANT DRAW, PRO1 WANT TAKE-PHOTO, THANKYOU PRO2 EXPLAIN CLEAR, or THAT FIRST IMPORTANT THAT SECOND. They follow more complex instructions and directions involving several steps. They compare experiences, routines, interests and activities, using signs associated with time, sequence and location. They follow protocols when interacting with each other or with interpreters or visitors to the classroom, for example by interrupting conversations appropriately or providing context for a new participant joining a conversation. They paraphrase the content of selected signed texts, such as community announcements, and relay the information to others. They plan, rehearse and deliver short presentations, taking into account context, purpose and audience....

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F–10 Sequence Levels 7 and 8

Levels 7 and 8 Description

Students are extending their grammatical knowledge, such as how language structures and features are used in texts. They are using more elaborate sentence structures, including conjoining clauses, and are increasingly making their texts cohesive by setting up and maintaining referents in signing space.

Students are exploring non-manual features (NMFs) and their relationship with clause types, and are beginning to use constructed action to represent multiple participants in a text. They are increasingly aware of connections between language and culture, comparing them to concepts in their own language and culture. They are learning to reflect on their own language and culture and on how identity impacts on intercultural experiences.

Levels 7 and 8 Content Descriptions

Communicating

Socialising Elaborations
  1. Interact appropriately with people in different contexts, sharing experiences, interests and opinions about current events or school and community experience (VCASFC181)
    1. using signs to agree or disagree on relevant topics, such as:
      AGREE YES HOMEWORK SHOULD
      Yes, I agree we should do homework.
      PRO1 KNOW WHAT MEAN, BUT….
      I know what you mean, but …
      PRO1 DOUBT
      I’m not sure.
      AGREE-NOT, PRO1 THINK…
      I don’t agree; I think …
      Auslan video
    2. participating in videoconferencing exchanges with deaf children or other Auslan students from another state to compare and contrast aspects of their school and learning experiences
    3. contributing to online videoconferencing with other Auslan users to compare and contrast aspects of their school and learning experiences
    4. using appropriate NMFs when turn-taking, for example:
      HOLD
      Hold that thought.
      QUICK INTERRUPT
      Can I just interrupt you quickly?
      WAIT….COME
      Can you just wait a moment … Right, what did you want?
      Auslan video
    5. clarifying meaning, for example by using fingerspelling to explain unfamiliar vocabulary, as in, PRO2 MEAN [fingerspell word]?
    6. using appropriate protocols to join or leave conversations, for example, waiting for eye gaze or for the signer to finish and not asking for a full recount
    7. engaging with deaf visitors from different groups and backgrounds and creating a vlog about the visits
  2. Engage in different processes of collaborative learning, including planning, problem-solving, task completion and evaluation (VCASFC182)
    1. working in pairs or small groups to design and create visual resources that promote Auslan as an important area of study
    2. brainstorming, planning and working together to advertise and present an intercultural event for their year-level peers
    3. working collaboratively to create instructional or procedural texts for younger learners
    4. preparing for the visit of a member of the Deaf community, discussing how to ensure effective communication between the visitor and deaf and hearing members of the class
    5. providing feedback on completed events or activities, exchanging reflections such as:
      FIRST PRO1 DOUBT I-F WILL GO-WELL, HAVE-A-LOOK GO-ALONG GOOD
      At the start, I wasn’t sure it would work, but after a while I thought it went well.
      PRO1 WRONG NEVER AGAIN DO SAME
      I won’t do that ever again.
      Auslan video
    6. problem-solving around collaborative activities such as website design, science experiments or model-building, using wh- questions such as:
      WHY FAIL WHY?
      Why isn’t it working?
      WHO THINK CAN FIX?
      Who thinks they can fix it?
      FINISH, NEXT WHAT?
      What do we do next after we finish this?
      Auslan video
    7. giving directions for outdoor activities such as an obstacle course or bushwalk, including expressions such as:
      HAVE DS:round-oval FIRST RUN DS:draw-line THEN STOP. NEXT CLIMB DS:climb-over DS:land-on-feet THEN CRAWL DS:crawl-under-flat-thing
      There’s a big oval. First you will run along one side of it. Then stop at the wall. Next you will climb over the wall then crawl under the net.
      Auslan video
  3. Participate in extended interactions by explaining and clarifying answers, responding to others’ contributions, asking follow-up questions and observing protocols in and beyond the classroom (VCASFC183)
    1. contributing to discussion and debate by expressing opinions, responding to others’ perspectives and using reflective language, such as:
      NEVER THOUGHT YEAH-RIGHT
      Oh yeah, I hadn’t thought of that before.
      Auslan video
    2. responding to signed class and school announcements with more elaborated responses, for example:
      YES I CAN COME-TO-YOU HELP BUT CAN-NOT THURS
      Yes, I can help you with that, but not on Thursday.
      Auslan video
    3. commenting on information provided by others to indicate or to clarify understanding, for example:
      NOD INTERESTING
      Mmm, interesting.
      TRUE WHAT ABOUT…?
      True, but what about …?
      Auslan video
    4. extending discussion or debate by asking follow-up questions, clarifying their own contributions or suggesting relevant comparisons
    5. organising standing or seated positions and ‘signing space’ when talking to one or more people, and adjusting the physical environment to be well-lit and without glare to enable effective communication
    6. adjusting styles of communication according to situation, for example, getting someone’s attention for a non-urgent matter versus an emergency situation
    7. investigating appropriate ways to join or take leave of a group interacting in Auslan and following appropriate protocols in interpreting situations outside the classroom, for example in the playground
    8. sharing responsibility for providing information and context for a new participant joining a conversation
Informing Elaborations
  1. Collate and analyse information accessed through a variety of signed texts to present an overview or develop a position on issues or interests (VCASFC184)
    1. viewing signed texts such as media reports on activities such as deaf sports, and providing an overview of different perspectives
    2. researching signed texts such as magazine features, interviews or web posts to select information needed to prepare a signed presentation on a particular event or person
    3. interviewing a member of the Deaf community about a historical or cultural event and using information provided to create and present a signed review
    4. evaluating information obtained from signed media reports, posters, websites and brochures that involve different representations of deafness
    5. surveying friends and family members about views on learning Auslan, analysing findings in terms of variations in understanding and attitudes
    6. obtaining information about high-profile members of the international Deaf community to create profiles for an e-magazine
  2. Present information on different events or experiences to inform, report, promote, instruct or invite action (VCASFC185)
    1. creating signed announcements to inform members of the school community about events such as a Deaf theatre performance or National Week of Deaf People
    2. reporting on their own and others’ experiences of shared events, such as school camps, holidays or concerts
    3. developing a signed news report or public announcement to inform or alert an imagined audience of a recent or impending natural disaster
    4. providing instructions in an engaging or entertaining style to create interest in a group activity such as a maths game or signing choir
    5. creating digital clips or social media posts designed to persuade, inform or invite response on an issue of relevance to young people of their age
Creating Elaborations
  1. Interpret different types of texts that involve the expression of feelings or experiences and the representation of imagined people, places and scenarios, sharing and comparing their responses to different elements (VCASFC186)
    1. viewing and responding to sign poetry from around the world, for example by comparing differences and similarities in ‘visual vernacular’
    2. recognising how a character’s feelings and attitudes are expressed through NMFs and manner
    3. evaluating Deaf performances or art forms that use technology such as camera and lighting techniques to expressive effect, for example performances by Ian Sanborn
    4. describing and comparing responses to the use of colour and images by deaf artists such as Juan Fernández Navarrete or Nancy Rourke
    5. identifying and profiling Deaf artists who make use of music, for example members of the Deaf Performing Arts Network
    6. exploring how cultural values and the expression of identity are reflected in different forms of artistic expression, such as poetry performances by Walter Kadiki or John Wilson’s ‘Home’
    7. comparing visual elements of signed media texts with those of equivalent texts produced for a hearing audience, for example, the teen drama Switched at Birth with teen dramas from BSL Zone
    8. exploring the concept of metaphorical iconicity used in poems and narratives, for example by shadowing selected elements
    9. analysing how elements of theatre performance such as emotional nuance are communicated through interpreters in a live setting
  2. Create and present entertaining individual or collaborative texts that reflect real or imagined people, places or experiences (VCASFC187)
    1. creating a performance for a class or school talent show, such as a signed song, skit or humorous retelling of an anecdote
    2. participating in improvisation games, such as spontaneous responses to a stimulus, for example, Sixty seconds to make the audience laugh, cry …
    3. working collaboratively to create a static scene or diorama using the hands and bodies of at least two signers
    4. playing with light and shadow as a means of highlighting handshapes and movement, for example in shadow puppet performances
    5. re-creating a theatre set from a two-dimensional image using signed space
    6. role-playing an imagined interview, incorporating elements of tension or emotion
    7. creating a handshape poem on a selected theme, such as friendship, home or fear
Translating Elaborations
  1. Translate and interpret less familiar short texts and compare their translations to those of their classmates, considering why there might be differences in interpretation and how language reflects elements of culture and experience (VCASFC188)
    1. interpreting Auslan phrases and expressions that do not translate literally, identifying similar English expressions and considering possible consequences of lack of equivalence in terms of intercultural communication
    2. translating simple filmed texts in Auslan into written English captions
    3. sight translating short English texts such as news articles or short speeches into Auslan for review by their peers
    4. translating an Auslan version of a well-known text, such as a song or story, considering why some words or expressions require freer translation than others to achieve equivalence
    5. comparing their own translations of short texts from Auslan to English and vice versa with those of their classmates, noting any variations and discussing possible reasons for these
    6. interpreting very simple interactions between deaf students or guests and non-signers, such as a hearing teacher, librarian or canteen manager
    7. discussing the fact that some words and expressions cannot be translated and are used in their original form in other languages, and considering the impact of such word or sign borrowing on the style and effect of communication
    8. considering the bimodal nature of Auslan–English interpreting, and discussing the possibility for both consecutive and simultaneous interpreting of information in communicative exchanges
  2. Create bilingual texts to use in the wider school community, identifying words/signs or expressions that carry specific cultural meaning in either language (VCASFC189)
    1. capturing and presenting stories recorded from interviews in Auslan with members of the Deaf community, captioning the interviews in English
    2. captioning examples of classmates’ work in Auslan, such as short stories or poems
    3. creating translations of song lyrics for performance in Auslan
    4. making a short documentary in Auslan about a topical issue, moving through the processes of drafting, translating, editing and captioning, trialling alternative captioning tools
    5. captioning and providing voice-over for student-generated filmed Auslan texts, such as fairytales created for a young deaf audience
    6. creating bilingual versions of short, simple texts such as instructions for a game or procedures for a recipe
Identity Elaborations
  1. Consider their own and each other’s cultural experiences and ways of expressing identity and reflect on the role of Auslan in building and expressing identity for Deaf people (VCASFC190)
    1. exploring how their own biography shapes their sense of identity and ways of communicating, for example by considering elements such as family origins, traditions, beliefs, practices, interests and experiences
    2. noticing and comparing how they use signs or expressions when communicating in English or Auslan and considering which feel closest to their sense of identity
    3. comparing and reflecting on how identity is expressed across cultures and languages, for example by considering the idea of ‘belonging’ as expressed in different languages and cultures
    4. discussing how their upbringing and personal experience impact on assumptions or attitudes that they bring to interactions with people who have different backgrounds or experiences, considering concepts such as communication, personality, family and community
    5. discussing the impact of language and culture on the shaping of identity and the sense of wellbeing
    6. considering connections and shared identity between local, regional and national communities of deaf people, for example by inviting a deaf guest to share their experiences of travel or international contact
Reflecting Elaborations
  1. Reflect on their intercultural interactions and experiences, for example by considering their responses when engaging with Auslan users or digital resources, and on how these responses reflect their own languages and cultures (VCASFC191)
    1. reflecting on their interactions in Auslan and with Deaf culture, for example, through face-to-face or online interactions with other Auslan learners or deaf people, visits to Deaf community places and events or interactions with visitors to the school, analysing these experiences in terms of their previous or existing perceptions, understandings or attitudes
    2. analysing cultural assumptions they made prior to learning Auslan and considering if these have changed through the experience of learning the language and interacting with deaf people
    3. reflecting on the labels deaf and hearing, what these may mean to different people and their implications in terms of status, access, opportunity and privilege
    4. reflecting on the concepts of insider and outsider views of the Deaf community and on their own position as second language learners of Auslan
    5. reflecting and reporting on how learning Auslan provides general insights into the nature of language and culture and on how their assumptions about deaf people and ways of reading the world are changing as a result of intercultural language learning
    6. reflecting on general social attitudes and responses to differences in behaviours or communicative styles, such as those that characterise communication in Auslan
    7. reflecting on their identity as ‘second language learners’ and considering whether the experience of learning an additional language/culture impacts on their aspirations, career considerations or social-networking opportunities
    8. reflecting on how their own ways of communicating may be interpreted when interacting with deaf people, and on the need to modify elements of their behaviour, for example in relation to the use of eye contact, facial expression or body language

Understanding

Systems of language Elaborations
  1. Identify different types of non-manual features and characteristics of signs, including iconicity, and explore the use of software to transcribe and annotate signed texts (VCASFU192)
    1. identifying, demonstrating and describing the various types of NMFs: movements of the eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, shoulders and body, and describing their function
    2. understanding that signs can be iconic in a number of ways, such as representing a whole object or part of an object
    3. identifying signs with different levels of iconicity, for example, those that are fully transparent, translucent or arbitrary
    4. recognising that signed languages involve more iconicity because they are visual not auditory, with most referents having visual features
    5. identify and classify examples of spatial modifications of nouns and verbs in a video text using video annotation software, for example, ELAN
    6. ‘reading’ and transcribing glossed texts, including interpreting the markings that show how a sign is modified in space, NMFs, DSs and examples of CA
  2. Develop knowledge of additional elements of the Auslan grammatical system, analysing indicating verbs, depicting signs and constructed action (VCASFU193)
    1. noticing that meaning is created in Auslan from fully-lexical signs, partly-lexical signs and non-lexical CA and gesture
    2. recognising that signers can use locations for present referents, non-present referents, or abstract referents that do not exist in space
    3. recognising that nouns can be pluralised by locating them repeatedly regardless of their original location
    4. distinguishing between directional and locational indicating verbs
    5. recognising that handshape and movement represent different things in each type of DS, for example:

      • entity DSs: the handshape is an object or person, and the movement is the movement or location of that object or person
      • handling DSs: the handshape represents a person’s hands touching or moving another object, and the movement shows how the hands move
      • SASS DSs: the handshape and movement outline the shape or size of something
    6. observing instances of CA in a text and discussing how it was marked
  3. Understand and control additional elements of Auslan grammar, such as the use of non-manual features for negation or conditional forms, and understand how signers use constructed action and depicting signs in composite utterances (VCASFU194)
    1. recognising the nature and function of word classes and understanding that the context of the sign is important and Auslan signs will not always have the same word class as an English word, for example, adjectives can act like verbs in Auslan
    2. recognising that signers may include linguistic and gestural elements in a clause, that is, signers can tell, show or do both simultaneously
    3. noticing, with support, when signers are using composite utterances, that is, those that have elements of CA, DSs, points and fully-lexical signs in the same utterance
    4. understanding the different functions of a range of NMFs, such as those used for questions, topicalisation, negation or conditional forms
    5. distinguishing between yes/no questions and wh- questions and statements and their corresponding NMFs
    6. recognising that clauses can be joined by conjunctions to make longer sentences and these conjunctions can be shown with separate signs, such as PLUS, or THEN or NMFs, for example by pausing between clauses
    7. recognising that clauses can be linked equally or unequally where one clause depends on another
  4. Expand understanding of grammatical features and cohesive devices used in a range of personal, informative and imaginative texts designed to suit different audiences, contexts and purposes (VCASFU195)
    1. noticing that differing purposes in text creation result in differing types and amounts of signing, for example, the amount of fingerspelling used in a public lecture compared to in a private conversation
    2. identifying linguistic structures and features typically associated with texts such as casual conversations, for example the use of back-channels or hesitations
    3. applying knowledge of the choices a signer can make in texts, for example by comparing two signers’ texts about the same topic and evaluating the different choices they have made in terms of enacting through DSs or CA
    4. analysing the effect of a signer’s use of pausing in a description or information report
    5. noticing how signers construct cohesive and coherent texts through the use of text connectives such as BUT and G:WELL to create links between clauses
Language variation and change Elaborations
  1. Understand that Auslan has evolved and developed through different periods of influence and cultural and societal change (VCASFU196)
    1. researching how BSL from the 1800s evolved into Auslan, NZSL and modern BSL, for example by finding and classifying examples from Auslan, NZSL and BSL signbanks
    2. understanding that while the structure of individual signs can change over time in regular ways, there is little information about this process in signed languages due to lack of historic records of signing
    3. 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
    4. 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/FS:HOH, DEAF^WORLD/DEAF^COMMUNITY, HUMAM^RIGHT
    5. 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)
    6. 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, FS:PC, SELFIE
Language awareness Elaborations
  1. Understand historical and contemporary factors that impact on awareness, support and use of Auslan and its vitality in contemporary Australia, comparing it with that of other signed languages around the world (VCASFU197)
    1. considering the impact of international historical events such as the Milan Congress (1880) and the linguistic recognition and documentation of signed languages (1960s and 1970s) on the use of signed languages in education and deaf people’s feelings of ownership and pride in their languages
    2. analysing the impact of migration and settlement of deaf people from the UK and other countries in Australia, on the development of Auslan
    3. investigating the geographical location, origins and history of deaf schools in Australia and the impact of these institutions on the transmission, use and status of Auslan
    4. considering the contemporary influences and pressures on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander signed languages and how these may affect their vitality
    5. describing the role religion has played in influencing Auslan in terms of usage and spread, for example, by religious orders, early Deaf Societies and Bible translation projects
    6. exploring the history and acceptance of signed languages and Deaf community and culture around the world, for example by creating a timeline or a research poster
    7. exploring multilingualism in the Deaf community, including the use of Auslan, English and other signed and spoken languages such as Irish-Australian sign language, and how and when users typically switch between languages and dialects
    8. investigating the use and impact of generic digital technology and specific forms of communication by Auslan users, for example, video chat, social media, SMS/texting, and NRS and VRS
    9. reflecting on the role of Auslan interpreters in raising awareness and understanding of Auslan in the wider community and in influencing the function and nature of Auslan, for example by the introduction of new signs for temporary use in certain contexts
    10. exploring the role of deafblind people in the Deaf community
    11. investigating historical patterns of employment of deaf people in certain trades and fields of work, and the impact of these traditional employment domains on Auslan development
    12. considering ways that Auslan is evolving due to influences such as globalisation and the capacity for new technology to store, record and share sign languages internationally
    13. comparing levels of endangerment of different sign languages, such as NZSL, village sign languages, ASL, Scandinavian, South American sign languages and Auslan, for example by using UNESCO data by reviewing the iSLanDS survey findings
    14. understanding the challenges faced by Auslan and other signed languages due to intergenerational disjunction in language transmission
    15. investigating how new or specialised language associated with domains such as technology, engineering, cooking or fashion are used but not documented in the Deaf community, and how such language impacts on language vitality
    16. identifying contexts and circumstances that support increased usage and acceptance of newly coined Auslan terms, for example, a workplace with several deaf employees
    17. recognising reasons for the shared sense of identity of sign language users and the notion of reciprocity in the Deaf community
    18. researching the role of the World Federation of the Deaf in mapping and monitoring the vitality of sign languages around the world and in protecting sign language diversity
    19. analysing ways in which Deaf people design and adapt spaces in cultural ways (‘Deaf space’) in order to use a visual language, for example, by eliminating visual obstacles to signed communication; using circles or semicircles for meeting and learning spaces; and using open-plan areas, lighting and window placement to maximise visual access to information, with reference to Gallaudet University’s Deaf space design principles
Role of language and culture Elaborations
  1. Reflect on how language use is influenced by communities’ world views and sense of identity and on how language and culture influence each other (VCASFU198)
    1. exploring the nature of culture and how it is related to ways of thinking and using language, for example by comparing the cultural concept of Deaf identity with a medical model of deafness
    2. reflecting on ways that Auslan describes and reflects Deaf culture, comparing this to the relationship between their own hearing/background language and culture
    3. analysing how concepts related to cultural practices are expressed through language, for example, by identifying elements of naming systems such as the use of pointing, NMFs and name signs, as in the case of number name signs of older deaf people who attended the Victorian School for Deaf Children
    4. identifying and discussing core cultural concepts reflected in Auslan, such as the collective nature of the Deaf community, the importance of respect for elders and of reciprocity and responsibility, for example, how signing TAP-2h++ reflects the shared understanding of responsibility to share information and pass on knowledge, or greater use of the ‘flat hand’ rather than the ‘point hand’ and use of full titles in acknowledgements and forms of address when introducing an esteemed elder
    5. identifying culturally significant attitudes and beliefs conveyed through Auslan that relate to history, significant individuals, places or events, for example, frustration with the use of ‘voice’ in front of deaf signers can be traced to the historical oppression of signed languages
    6. comparing elements of communication in different contexts and exchanges that are culturally specific, such as back-channelling, the use of silence or eye contact, head nodding to indicate understanding rather than agreement, and the implications of such cultural variability in contexts such as in courts of law
    7. observing that concepts may be culture and language specific, for example, in relation to time and space, as in the spatial mapping for timelines in Auslan
    8. exploring ways in which production and affect related to the sign for COCHLEAR IMPLANT have evolved due to shifting values and perceptions within the Deaf community in relation to the implant, noting, for example, the transition from a negative affect to more neutral production of the sign

Levels 7 and 8 Achievement Standard

By the end of Level 8, students use Auslan to interact and to exchange information, experiences, interests and opinions with teachers, peers and others. They initiate and maintain conversations and use strategies such as fingerspelling to replace unknown signs to support continued interaction, such as PRO2 MEAN [FINGERSPELL]? They engage in different processes of collaborative learning, including planning, negotiating, and problem-solving, using familiar and some spontaneous language, for example PRO1 AGREE-NOT, PRO1 THINK DIFFERENT.

Students participate in class discussions, explaining and clarifying positions, asking follow-up questions, using non-manual features (NMFs) for topicalisation or negation. They use appropriate protocols to join or leave conversations, for example, waiting for eye gaze or for the signer to finish, not asking for a full recount when arriving mid-conversation, and providing context for a new participant joining a conversation.

Students locate, interpret and analyse information from a variety of texts, such as signed announcements, interviews or media reports, using context and familiar language to work out unfamiliar meaning. They demonstrate understanding...

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F–10 Sequence Levels 9 and 10

Levels 9 and 10 Description

Students extend their grammatical knowledge and metalanguage while beginning to explore more nuanced features of Auslan. They use strategies to initiate and sustain conversations, using more elaborate sentence structures such as embedding clauses. They can identify and describe some metaphorical iconicity. They can create more detailed narratives with appropriate use of non-manual features (NMFs) to express characters and perspectives, understanding and using both character and observer space. They consider connections between language and culture, and make comparisons with their own language and culture. They consider language variation, for example through exposure to other dialects in the BANZSL family.

Levels 9 and 10 Content Descriptions

Communicating

Socialising Elaborations
  1. Interact with peers at school and contacts in the wider community to build relationships, engage in debate and to discuss aspirations or social issues (VCASFC199)
    1. explaining or justifying positions in discussion or debate, for example, by using space and NMFs to contrast views
    2. elaborating on opinions in relation to social, community or educational matters, for example, exchanging views on a newspaper article about eugenics and deaf people
    3. using researched information to contribute to formal group interactions, for example, panel discussions on issues such as the roles and responsibilities of interpreters
    4. creating hypothetical situations to contextualise a discussion or debate, for example:
      PRETEND PRO2 DEAF….
      Pretend that you’re deaf …
      I-F PRO2 BOSS WILL CHANGE WHAT?
      What would you change if you were boss?
    5. communicating via video calls or social media platforms using Auslan in different online contexts to build relationships and share views
    6. using strategies to initiate and support discussion, for example by providing the context of a conversation to a new participant:
      PRO3 SAY…
      She was saying that …
      Auslan video
    7. demonstrating awareness of social sensitivities or conventions, for example by using euphemistic signs or allusions, such as TOILET, BIRTH
    8. using complex sentence structures to discuss current affairs or to justify a position in relation to issues of interest to their group, for example, gender equity, conservation or social media
  2. Engage in activities that involve interactions, transactions, negotiations and management of different opinions and social/cultural behaviours (VCASFC200)
    1. managing shared learning experiences that involve differences in opinion or cultural perspectives
    2. navigating multistep directions and decisions in learning activities that offer alternatives or choices, such as computer programming or theatre production
    3. negotiating hypothetical scenarios involving members of the Deaf community to highlight issues associated with diversity, culture and identity, for example, experience in domains such as education or sport
    4. planning and promoting cultural events such as Deaf festivals or the National Week of Deaf People
    5. planning action on an issue affecting the Deaf community, such as captioning and funding support for Deaf organisations
    6. organising real or simulated transactions that involve financial or service exchanges, for example, catering for a class celebration or ordering books/digital resources for the school library
  3. Interact with peers and others in and out of the classroom through reflection, discussion and participation in shared experiences (VCASFC201)
    1. making connections between ideas, actions and effects, using reflective language such as:
      SOMETIMES POSSIBLE HAPPEN++ WHY I-F PRO2 PAST THINK-ABOUT WILL TRUE HAPPEN
      Sometimes things happen because you think they will, so it comes true.
      CAR CRASH BECAUSE TEXTING.
      The car crashed because he was texting.
      Auslan video
    2. extending their repertoire of sign vocabulary through independent use of social media and digital resources to support more extended discussion
    3. demonstrating culturally appropriate behaviours such as nominating themselves as interpreters in role-play interactions between deaf and hearing friends
    4. demonstrating culturally appropriate behaviours when engaging with unfamiliar members of the Deaf community, for example, waiting to be introduced to new people, knowing how to introduce themselves as L2 Auslan learners
    5. identifying and comparing learning strategies that support their Auslan learning experience
Informing Elaborations
  1. Investigate, synthesise and evaluate information from a range of perspectives and signed sources, identifying how culture and context affect how information is presented (VCASFC202)
    1. summarising key ideas/information provided by a guest speaker and identifying how context and culture shape opinions and perspectives
    2. reviewing signed texts about a social or cultural issue of relevance to their peer group, and creating questions to prompt evaluative responses from their peers
    3. finding information from a variety of signed sources to inform class discussions on issues of current debate within the Deaf community, such as the medical versus cultural view of deafness
    4. researching and comparing signed information about significant movements associated with deaf rights across different times and contexts, such as the Milan Congress and Deaf President Now
    5. identifying excerpts of signed documentaries or signed interviews or speeches that demonstrate how culture and context affect the presentation of information
    6. critically analysing information contained in different signed texts produced by or about the Deaf community, identifying examples of bias and distinguishing between fact and opinion
    7. researching information related to topical events or issues that affect the Deaf community, for example the provision of captions across different media
  2. Contribute to presentations, reports, reviews, discussions and debates that focus on selected social and cultural issues (VCASFC203)
    1. working in groups to create multimedia texts that invite consideration of social or cultural questions, such as the medical versus cultural view of deafness
    2. creating persuasive texts such as vlogs or advertisements to convince others of the value and relevance of learning Auslan
    3. creating a video report of a significant event in Deaf history, such as the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to contribute to an e-book resource for other learners of Auslan
    4. providing appropriate explanations for a younger audience of concepts associated with other curriculum areas, such as global warming or social justice
    5. contributing to discussions that consider critically different perspectives on selected issues, for example, differences in views on Deaf education or the influence of social media on their lives
    6. creating and presenting explanations about simple biological or mechanical phenomena or processes, such as how the ear, hearing aids and cochlear implants work
    7. presenting a critical review of media representation, for example by analysing media profiles of respected/high-profile members of the Deaf community
    8. presenting a summary of information on a selected topic, for example, by interpreting graphs and statistics relating to the Deaf community, discussing findings and making predictions about future changes or patterns
Creating Elaborations
  1. Respond to different types of imaginative and creative texts that invite consideration of values, themes and ideas and involve different modes of expression (VCASFC204)
    1. responding to forms of Deaf art that challenge perceptions and stimulate discussion, such as the work of Christine Sun Kim or members of the Australian Theatre of the Deaf
    2. searching the internet for examples of work by Deaf dancers, musicians or performers of physical theatre that they find particularly effective or moving, for example, performances by Bernard Bragg, Evelyn Glennie or members of the Deaf Arts Network
    3. comparing responses to creative texts that present personal or controversial points of view in powerful ways, for example, Deaf slam poetry
    4. exploring the use of technology in Deaf art, film or performance, for example to help build mood or emotional expression
    5. responding to signed poems that use extended metaphor to communicate values and ideas or to express emotional experience, for example, ‘Butterfly Hands’ by Walter Kadiki
    6. reflecting on reactions of hearing audiences to deaf performances, for example by evaluating comments made by judges on reality/talent television shows
    7. discussing the complexity of live theatre performance interpretation and the use of deaf interpreters and consultants
    8. responding to animations created by or about deaf people and discussing the effectiveness of conveying all parameters of signing, for example, The Long Knife, or Gallaudet: The Film by Braam Jordaan
  2. Creating a variety of imaginative and expressive texts that draw from elements of their own life experience or of their experience as Auslan learners (VCASFC205)
    1. creating a piece of art such as a sculpture, collage or film clip that reflects their experience of moving between Deaf and hearing worlds
    2. creating a website to showcase performances that incorporate elements such as comedy, satire or drama
    3. creating a short film in Auslan using and explaining video techniques that are particularly appropriate for a Deaf audience
    4. creating a signed interpretation of a wordless animation
    5. selecting a signed narrative text that has an extended metaphor and reworking it to take the story in a different direction
    6. creating a signed poem that reflects elements of their own emotional response to particular personal experience
Translating Elaborations
  1. Consider the dynamic nature of translating and interpreting and the role of culture when transferring meaning from one language to another (VCASFC206)
    1. experimenting with literal Auslan translations of popular English idioms, noticing when this creates confusion (for example, ‘raining cats and dogs’) and recognising the nature and function of cultural elements of communication and their impact on language use
    2. comparing different translations of online Auslan and English public announcements or government policy/information texts in terms of approaches to translation, for example, free versus literal translation
    3. using different resources, including online dictionaries and footage, to assist in translation, for example by comparing individual translations, back-translations and reviewing useful references
    4. viewing and discussing the quality of online Auslan translations, such as the Catching Fire series of safety videos
    5. recognising the need to sometimes recast language, and considering why one language may use more words/signs than another to communicate a particular meaning or concept, for example, Auslan uses spatial concepts or depicting signs to describe the scene of a car crash, which will take longer to explicate in a linear spoken language
    6. translating small chunks of unfamiliar English text such as a news update from an autocue or poster card into Auslan in consecutive mode
    7. providing annotated examples of translations of poems or other text types, identifying challenges involved in transferring meaning, expression, culture or mood
    8. translating songs, poems or short stories from English into Auslan, for example, ‘I Am Australian’
    9. exploring the role and function of Deaf interpreters and differences between Deaf interpreters and Auslan–English interpreters
    10. researching aspects of available interpreting services in the area, for example, qualifications required for employment, ethical considerations, and issues of interpreting and translating in specialised contexts such as health, education, legal settings
    11. developing guidelines on culturally appropriate and ethical behaviour when interpreting and translating, for example explaining ways people should act in interpreting contexts, considering potential consequences of inaccurate interpreting
    12. role-playing interpreting in a range of contexts, for example, in a shop or at a sports match
    13. participating in an excursion to an interpreted theatre event, with prior knowledge of the text/story and attending to the interpretation for discussion later in class
  2. Create glossaries and classifications in English to interpret cultural aspects of Auslan texts (VCASFC207)
    1. collecting and explaining to non-Auslan users expressions and culturally specific terms encountered in Auslan texts, for example, ‘hearing’, ‘residential school’
    2. creating collaborative translations of Auslan texts in spoken English or captions of selected signed texts and vice versa
    3. collecting and recording various Auslan phrases and expressions used by native Deaf signers, attaching English captions with appropriate translations, for example, pah! = finally, talk = communicate in speech or Auslan, chat = talk in Auslan
    4. creating a bilingual virtual tour of the school for use on a school website
    5. developing a signed and captioned film presentation about the role of interpreters in school
Identity Elaborations
  1. Recognise the complex and multifaceted nature of identity and how exploration of cultural identity in relation to a different language can provide insights and different perspectives to a first culture and language (VCASFC208)
    1. using photographs or digital images to create stories using elements of identity such as gender, ethnicity, social justice, disability or difference
    2. reflecting on a range of filmed texts to identify examples of inclusive or exclusionary language that might impact on a person’s sense of identity, for example, the representation of deaf teenagers in the TV program Switched at Birth or the documentaries Welcome 2 My Deaf World or Deaf Teens: Hearing World, comparing these representations to their own experiences as teenagers
    3. viewing and evaluating documentaries such as Audism Unveiled or commentaries by well-known members of the Deaf community on their sense of identity development in relation to growing up deaf, considering the impact of additional factors in individual stories, such as gender or race
    4. creating vlogs or filmed texts to explore aspects of Deaf/hearing identity and to encourage consideration of common views among hearing communities on Auslan and the Deaf community and to reflect on what it means to be deaf, hard of hearing or hearing
    5. viewing signed news and other media texts, such as episodes of See Hear or SignPost, to identify examples of discrimination, oppression or rejection experienced by deaf people, and considering how these may shape identity or affect societal perceptions of the Deaf community
    6. surveying deaf people about their perspectives on the significance of Deaf places that contribute to a shared sense of identity, for example, the Deaf Club, Deaf schools or sites of historic significance such as original Deaf Society/Mission buildings or other former meeting places
    7. making comparisons between different international Deaf communities in relation to perceptions/representations of Deaf identity and changing values of place and space, for example, the loss of Deaf clubs or closure of deaf schools, considering the implications of such changes on the development of Deaf identity
    8. analysing notions of ‘Deaf gain’, Deafhood and audism, and sharing their response to these concepts as second language learners of Auslan
Reflecting Elaborations
  1. Reflect on the experience of learning and using Auslan, considering how intercultural communication involves shared responsibility for making meaning (VCASFC209)
    1. reflecting on how learning Auslan provides a distinctive and additional means of understanding the world in which they live
    2. reflecting on the relationship that exists between language, culture and issues of access, identity and audism, and considering issues of discrimination, inclusion and exclusion
    3. keeping a journal of their experiences (humorous, satisfying or challenging) associated with learning and using Auslan in different contexts, noting changes in their responses and reflections over time, and comparing insights gained into their own languages and cultures
    4. considering the layers of complexity and depth that characterise the Deaf community experience, for example in relation to implicit hierarchical structures such as deaf members of deaf families
    5. sharing and comparing cultural and intercultural experiences and capabilities in different languages including Auslan, and exchanging views on benefits associated with using more than one language, such as a larger repertoire of communication skills and strategies, additional insights and perspectives and opportunities for new experiences
    6. reflecting on the experience of communicating in a visual world and on challenges they have experienced in relying on visual cues
    7. considering how intercultural communication is a two-way process which involves shared responsibility for meaning-making and ensuring understanding

Understanding

Systems of language Elaborations
  1. Understand the perceptual and articulatory reasons for the structure of signs, consider limitations of glossing and explore how video annotation software can improve transcription (VCASFU210)
    1. noticing limitations on perception of signed languages, such as the more limited space for signed communication compared to space for mime
    2. exploring perceptual and articulatory reasons why some handshapes are more common than others
    3. 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
    4. 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
    5. 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!
    6. evaluating video annotation software such as ELAN as a tool to assist in the transcription and analysis of signed languages
    7. glossing a text, including identifying which signs are used, and transcribing DSs and periods of CA
  2. Understand and use signing space, including making distinctions between character and observer space for constructing different types of texts (VCASFU211)
    1. 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)
    2. appreciating the possible production of reciprocal forms of some indicating signs, such as LOOK, GIVE, INVITE
    3. independently identifying instances of DSs and their type
    4. analysing a video of a signed narrative and identifying where and how signers are using CA, for example by eye gaze change
  3. 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 (VCASFU212)
    1. recognising signs that function as interjections or discourse markers
    2. understanding the difference between definite and indefinite reference and how Auslan shows this distinction
    3. noticing how to use modal verbs and NMFs to express possibility, obligation and ability (MIGHT, SHOULD)
    4. recognising that conditional forms have a main and dependent clause and associated NMFs
    5. identifying coordinated clauses showing causation and describing how it is shown, for example:
      PRO3 STUDY-hard BECAUSE WANT EXAM MARKS GOOD
    6. recognising how emphasis in sentences can be changed by reordering clauses or parts of clauses
    7. recognising that the presence of CA or DSs affects how a clause is structured
  4. 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 (VCASFU213)
    1. analysing specific types of text by identifying characteristic language features
    2. analysing a videoed class debate to see how language is used to justify opinions and persuade others
    3. 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
    4. noticing how grammatical choices can shade meaning, determine perspective and establish relationship, for example the effect of choosing to be more or less English-like
    5. expanding understanding of textual conventions, for example by explaining why signers choose alternatives to actor-verb-undergoer in a real text to topicalise an important point
    6. noticing how signers can compare or contrast ideas by locating things in the same or opposing sides of signing space
    7. analysing the ways in which Auslan uses NMFs to link clauses and achieve textual cohesion
Language variation and change Elaborations
  1. Investigate and analyse the nature of and community attitudes to variation in the use of Auslan (VCASFU214)
    1. 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
    2. 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
    3. 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
    4. considering the effect that expanding sign language interpreter services might have on standardising Auslan, especially in the areas of education and medicine.
    5. 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
    6. 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
Language awareness Elaborations
  1. 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 (VCASFU215)
    1. 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
    2. researching the nature of International Sign, including its relationship to national signed languages and its use by deaf people
    3. 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
    4. 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
    5. analysing the status and use of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander signed languages and comparing these to Auslan
    6. 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
    7. analysing representations of deaf people and sign language in the Australian media and wider community, making comparisons with representations of other languages and cultures
    8. exploring the role of the Deaf ecosystem in language and cultural maintenance
    9. 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
    10. considering how processes of language building and evolution may expand existing Auslan linguistic and cultural resources in the Australian community
    11. 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
    12. appreciating the importance of documenting and promoting Auslan in raising community awareness of the richness and value of signed languages
    13. 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
    14. 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
    15. 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
    16. 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
    17. 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
    18. 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
    19. 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
    20. 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)
Role of language and culture Elaborations
  1. 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 (VCASFU216)
    1. 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
    2. 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
    3. 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
    4. 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
    5. 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
    6. 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
    7. 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
    8. 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

Levels 9 and 10 Achievement Standard

By the end of Level 10, students use Auslan to build relationships and to initiate, sustain and extend interactions with teachers, peers and contacts in the wider community. They engage in debate and discuss aspirations and social issues, explaining and justifying positions and elaborating opinions using expressions such as NEVER THOUGHT YEAH-RIGHT. Students use strategies to support discussion, such as self-correction, rephrasing or elaborating if not understood. They use smooth and fluent fingerspelling. They use spontaneous language to participate in activities and learning experiences that involve collaborating, planning, organising, negotiating and taking action. They use modal verbs and non-manual features (NMFs) to express possibility, obligation and ability, such as PRO1 MAYBE SEE THAT MOVIE or PRETEND PRO2 DEAF…. Students use culturally appropriate norms, skills and protocols when engaging with and learning from Deaf people and the Deaf community, for example, waiting to be introduced to new people and knowing how to introduce themselves as second language Auslan learners. They analyse, synthesise and evaluate information from a range of signed sources, summarising key...

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7–10 Sequence Levels 7 and 8

Levels 7 and 8 Description

Students are able to produce all handshapes, movements and locations of single signs. They can independently produce simple positive and negative statements with some time marking, and use plain verbs, indicating verbs modified for present referents and simple and familiar depicting verbs. They describe familiar objects, animals or people using lexical adjectives and some SASS depicting signs...

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Levels 7 and 8 Content Descriptions

Communicating

Socialising Elaborations
  1. Interact with peers and teachers to exchange information about self, family, friends and interests and to express feelings and preferences (VCASFC217)
    1. exchanging greetings, wishes, thanks and apologies, adjusting language to suit the situation, for example:
      HOW-ARE-YOU? SEE LATER, GOOD-LUCK, THANKS, SORRY INTERRUPT
    2. describing and comparing people and objects using SASS depicting signs, for example:
      POSS1 MATH TEACHER TALL DS:long-wavy-hair
      My maths teacher has long wavy hair.
      SCHOOL UNIFORM HAVE DS:long-thin-tie
      The school uniform has a long thin tie.
    3. comparing routines, interests and leisure activities, using, for example, adverbial phrases of time, frequency and place, such as:
      REGULAR SUMMER PRO1-plural GROUP-MOVE-TO BEACH STAY++ THREE WEEK.
      We go to the beach for three weeks in summer.
      WEEKEND PRO1 GO-TO-AND-BACK++ CAMP
      I go camping on weekends.
      Auslan video
    4. stating likes, dislikes and preferences using associated NMFs, for example:
      PRO1 LIKE WATERMELON. DON’T-LIKE ORANGE
      I like watermelon; I don’t like oranges.
      ART MUSIC? RATHER ART
      I prefer art to music.
    5. introducing themselves and their family members and explaining relationships using personal and possessive pronouns, for example:
      HAVE ONE SISTER ONE BROTHER
      I have a brother and a sister.
      THAT BABY HER SISTER
      That baby is her sister.
    6. asking and responding to questions about a familiar topic, such as a shared school experience, for example:
      PRO2 LIKE AUSLAN?
      Do you like Auslan?
      PRO2, SUBJECT WHAT STUDY WHAT?
      And you, what subjects do you study?
      SCHOOL LIKE YOU?
      Do you like school?
  2. Collaborate with peers to plan and conduct shared events or activities such as presentations, demonstrations or transactions (VCASFC218)
    1. participating in games and activities such as enacting scenarios involving being lost and asking for or giving directions
    2. following and giving instructions in groups on topics such as how to use video chat, Signbank or Auslan dictionaries
    3. working collaboratively on learning activities that involve organising, negotiating and prioritising tasks, for example, in devising an activity or game for the class
    4. working collaboratively on tasks that involve assigning and reviewing roles and responsibilities, offering feedback, support and encouragement, for example:
      PRO2 TYPE PRO1 WRITE
      You type and I’ll write.
      GOOD TYPING-hard WORK-hard
      Great typing up; looks like lots of work.
      G:FLOP-HAND DOESN’T MATTER NOT WORRY
      Oh, it doesn’t matter, don’t worry about it.
    5. giving, accepting or declining invitations, including making excuses to avoid causing offence or embarrassment, such as:
      SORRY PRO1 STUCK, BASKETBALL TRAINING
      Sorry, I can’t go because I have basketball training.
    6. participating in hypothetical scenarios that involve transactions, for example, preparing for or participating in a Deaf World workshop
  3. Communicate appropriately and clearly with the teaching team and peers using appropriate Auslan protocols for classroom interaction (VCASFC219)
    1. following classroom protocols specific to an Auslan context, such as:
      • responding to flashing lights and waving for class attention
      • tapping, pointing and waving for peer attention
      • maintaining eye gaze
      • back-channelling such as nodding
      • limiting the use of voice
      • maintaining a clear line of sight
    2. following and using classroom language such as instructions for class routines, for example:
      PLAY GAME. PLEASE STAND UP
      We’re going to play a game; please stand up.
      LOOK-AT-me PRO1
      Eyes to the front.
      PLEASE WITH-2++
      Please find a partner.
    3. using language to facilitate clear communication, such as asking for help or permission, for example:
      PLEASE HELP-me?
      Can you help me, please?
      G:HANDS-UP PLEASE PRO1 NEED TOILET
      Can I go to the toilet please?
    4. showing agreement/disagreement, for example, respectful manner, for example:
      AGREE YES or PRO1 AGREE
      Yes, I agree.
      PRO1 KNOW WHAT MEAN, BUT…
      I know what you mean, but …
      DOUBT
      I’m not sure.
      AGREE-NOT
      I don’t agree …
    5. indicating understanding, for example by nodding, or signing SURPRISE, or KNOW++
    6. apologising and thanking, for example:
      THANK-YOU HELP-me
      Thank you for helping me.
      SORRY PRO1 FORGOT
      I’m sorry; it was an accident.
    7. asking for repetition or clarification, for example:
      PLEASE SLOW SIGN
      Could you sign that slowly please?
      PRO2 SAY BEFORE WHAT?
      What did you just say, sorry?
    8. negotiating turn-taking, for example:
      PRO1 FIRST YOUR-TURN
      It’s my turn first, then your turn.
      Auslan video
Informing Elaborations
  1. Identify gist and some points of factual information from a range of signed texts about familiar topics and use the information in new ways (VCASFC220)
    1. gathering information from their peers in relation to their interests and preferences or home and school routines and summarising findings in formats such as tables or graphs
    2. observing informative signed texts such as weather reports or simple public announcements about events and celebrations, identifying key points of information to exchange with a partner in a barrier/information-gap game
    3. collecting information from signed texts about people, time or activities and using the information in new ways, for example, by creating a timeline, diary or timetable to show a sequence of activities
    4. viewing and following procedural signed texts such as cooking demonstrations or craft activities
    5. watching/viewing a signed text and identifying specific points of information such as locations, for example, by labelling key locations on a school map
    6. viewing and responding appropriately to simple class and school announcements and directions
    7. watching short Auslan texts about topics such as hobbies or sports, and recording key points of information using tables or graphic organisers
    8. paraphrasing content of selected community texts, such as public service or promotional announcements on the Deaf Emergency Info website
  2. Present and explain factual information about a range of topics of interest (VCASFC221)
    1. describing in the correct sequence home and school routines such as weekend activities or their school timetable
    2. reporting to the class about a shared school event, such as Deaf Sports Day or a school camp
    3. creating signed texts to explain a hobby or interest, using visual supports such as photos or props
    4. presenting descriptions of items of school equipment such as those used in woodwork, science or sports, and giving simple signed explanations of how they work
    5. instructing the class in a procedural text such as a simple recipe or instruction guide, using list buoys
    6. sharing selected points of information from their home or local community, such as family traditions or cultural events, conveying key points of information from visual infographics or diagrams
    7. working in groups to create an informative video or display about their school
    8. assembling an information pack about their school to support newly arrived deaf students, including a signed glossary of key people and places and simple directions to navigate the school
    9. explaining a favourite game that can be played in Auslan or English, highlighting key Auslan terms and supporting information with pictures, gestures and demonstrations
Creating Elaborations
  1. Engage with different types of creative texts, identifying and discussing ideas, characters, events and personal responses (VCASFC222)
    1. participating in Auslan games and activities using simple clauses in creative ways, for example, ‘Sign Circle’, or passing on a sign shape, for example a rectangle is signed as a door then by the next person as a jewellery box and the next person as a computer keyboard, and so on
    2. viewing creative Auslan stories, poems and theatre performances and identifying ideas, characters and events, for example, by accessing Auslan Storybooks, and work by the Australian Theatre of the Deaf
    3. viewing and responding to creative visual texts such as handshape art and art produced by and about Deaf people, Deaf culture or signed languages, for example, paintings by Nancy Rourke and animations by Braam Jordaan
    4. comparing different versions of imaginative signed texts and indicating which they prefer, for example, different Auslan versions of ‘The Timber Joke’, or fairytales
    5. viewing and comparing personal responses to representations of deaf people in different creative texts, performative or entertainment texts, for example, reality television shows with deaf contestants or participants
    6. responding to signed poems and ‘visual vernacular’ descriptions of a character’s appearance by shadowing, mimicking and drawing, for example, work by Frédéric Vaghi
    7. responding to performances of Deaf poetry that evoke emotions such as sadness, fear or excitement, for example by indicating enjoyment or different personal feelings
  2. Express imaginative ideas and visual thinking through the use of familiar modelled signs, mime, gestures, drawing and visual supports, with a focus on emotions, appearance and actions (VCASFC223)
    1. participating in games and imaginative activities that involve representation of the appearance, characteristics and relationships between different people, animals or objects
    2. working collaboratively to create and present signed skits or poems to entertain younger learners
    3. re-enacting short stories or wordless animations that include two characters and their interactions through the use of constructed action
    4. reinterpreting creative texts for specific effect, for example by changing emotions or movements through the use of NMFs and manner
    5. using ‘visual vernacular’ to create and enact a short scenario about an imaginary character and a particular object, using SASS, entity and handling depicting signs and constructed action
    6. creating amusing sequences of signs using a fixed handshape, such as the index finger ‘point’:
      PRO2 THINK PRO1 SHY?
      Do you think I’m shy?
      Auslan video
Translating Elaborations
  1. Translate and interpret short texts from Auslan to English and vice versa, noticing which concepts translate easily and which do not (VCASFC224)
    1. recognising that every language uses words or signs to make meaning
    2. identifying aspects of Auslan which are the same in English, such as the fingerspelled alphabet
    3. identifying and comparing key signs and words in Auslan and English versions of familiar texts such as short stories or fairytales on the Auslan Storybooks website, noticing how signs can convey rich, multilayered meaning which might not have a direct match in English
    4. shadowing a story in Auslan as a pre-interpreting skill, noticing which phrases and concepts need more unpacking
    5. demonstrating the use of Signbank, for example by using it to look up various meanings of the word ‘run’, comparing variations in signs for the concept in different contexts, and using it to translate Auslan into English and vice versa
    6. translating simple filmed texts in Auslan into written English captions
    7. sight translating short English texts such as news articles or short speeches into Auslan for review by their peers
    8. considering the bimodal nature of Auslan–English interpreting and discussing the possibility of consecutive and simultaneous interpreting of information in communicative exchanges
  2. Create bilingual texts and learning resources to use in the classroom (VCASFC225)
    1. creating English captions for short recorded phrases in Auslan
    2. creating digital glossaries of new sign vocabulary, which can be used to share their personal learning with family members
    3. recording and transcribing into English some simple Auslan ‘identity stories’ filmed with members of the Deaf community
    4. captioning examples of classmates’ work in Auslan, for example, simple short stories
    5. creating translations of song lyrics for performance in Auslan
    6. translating short, simple written or spoken texts into Auslan, for example, instructions for a game or procedures such as recipes
Identity Elaborations
  1. Demonstrate understanding of the nature of identity in relation to themselves, the Deaf community and the wider hearing community (VCASFC226)
    1. using visual representations such as concept maps, posters or captioned slide presentations to identify groups that they each identify with, for example, friends, family, sporting, interest and community groups, discussing how these group associations contribute to their sense of identity
    2. discussing how their upbringing and personal experience impact on assumptions or attitudes that they bring to interactions with people who have different backgrounds or experiences, considering concepts such as communication, personality, family and community
    3. noticing and comparing their own and each other’s ways of communicating and interacting, identifying elements that reflect cultural differences or influences of other languages
    4. viewing a series of Auslan identity stories, such as those found in the Griffith University Introduction to Deaf Studies Unit 1 set, comparing their experiences to those described by deaf children and adults in the footage
    5. investigating the identity of deafblind people and their connection to the Deaf community by inviting deafblind guests into the classroom to share their personal journeys
    6. exploring ideas about identity through journal writing, documenting challenges and rewards related to second language learning and identity change
    7. analysing ways in which Deaf people design and adapt spaces in cultural ways (‘Deaf space’), for example, by eliminating visual obstacles to signed communication, using circles or semicircles for meeting and learning spaces, using open-plan areas, lighting and window placement to maximise visual access to information, for example, Gallaudet University’s deaf space design principles
    8. surveying deaf people about their experiences and perspectives on the importance and significance of Deaf places that contribute to a shared sense of identity, for example, the Deaf Club, Deaf schools or sites of historic significance such as original Deaf Society/Mission buildings or other former meeting places
    9. identifying and researching Deaf community identities associated with significant historical places, such as William Thomson establishing the first deaf school in WA
Reflecting Elaborations
  1. Reflect on ways in which Auslan and associated communicative and cultural behaviours are similar to or different from their own language(s) and forms of cultural expression (VCASFC227)
    1. describing how it feels to use Auslan to communicate, or to watch Auslan being used by others, for example by responding to prompts such as What are the main differences you notice when observing conversations between hearing people and deaf people?
    2. discussing changes or adaptations they have to make to their communicative style when using Auslan, for example waiting until they have a deaf person’s visual attention before signing to them, and maintaining eye contact
    3. examining similarities and differences between ways of communicating in Auslan and in Australian English in different social situations, for example, in relation to ways of greeting/leave-taking, introducing people and using body language, facial expression and eye contact
    4. reflecting on the need for sustained eye contact when using Auslan in order to understand a message and before teacher instructions can proceed
    5. noticing differences in forms of address in signed and spoken languages, for example, not using a person’s name when signing directly to them, unlike in Australian English
    6. examining general misconceptions held by hearing people about deaf people, Auslan and Deaf culture, for example, that all deaf people can hear with hearing aids, or that deaf people may not drive
    7. reflecting on and providing possible explanations for assumptions deaf people might have about hearing people or about spoken languages

Understanding

Systems of language Elaborations
  1. Identify and describe all elements of sign production, including handshape and its orientation, movement, location and non-manual features, and look at the link between signs and their referents in terms of iconicity (VCASFU228)
    1. realising that meaning is communicated through the use of signs, pictures, written or spoken words or miming
    2. identifying a sign's handshape and its orientation, for example, COCKATOO (hs:5, palm left) and SOCCER (hs:fist)
    3. identifying and demonstrating signs with a change in handshape, for example FIND or BEST
    4. identifying and demonstrating signs with a change in orientation, for example CAN-NOT or HOW
    5. noticing the path movement of a particular sign and identifying signs associated with the major types of path movements, for example, THROUGH (forwards) or FULL (down to up)
    6. noticing the five major locations of signs on the body or in space, and identifying signs associated with each, such as SEE (head/face), SAY (mouth/chin), WHY (chest), TALK (hand) and ONE (signing space)
    7. thinking of body-anchored signs, such as HEAD or WHY, and signs that are not body anchored, such as HAVE or STOP, and recognising that non-body anchored signs can be located in space around the signer
    8. understanding that NMFs can also be an element of a sign and can show emotional states such as a happy expression, or grammatical information, for example, a frown to mark a negative, and identifying examples of NMFs in a text
    9. noticing that in a stretch of connected signing a sign will often be produced differently to the way it is shown in a dictionary
    10. distinguishing between single, double and two-handed signs, and identifying which hand is dominant and which is non-dominant in two-handed signs
    11. noticing that in signed languages meaning can be expressed through whole signs or through fingerspelling
    12. comparing iconic signs that provide visual images of referents, such as DRINK, ELEPHANT with English words that map to the sound images of the referents, such as animal noises, or words for sounds such as bang or woof woof
    13. identifying signs with different levels of iconicity, for example, those that are fully transparent, translucent or arbitrary
    14. experimenting with different methods of capturing signed languages, such as: a class-invented script, drawing pictures, videoing, English glosses or ASL-phabet
  2. Recognise and restrict signing to the standard signing space, and understand that pronouns, depicting signs and verbs can be located meaningfully in that space to show participants in a process (VCASFU229)
    1. describing the range of signing space in normal signed discourse
    2. recognising that non-body-anchored nouns can be located in space and identifying instances of this
    3. comparing and contrasting Auslan and English pronouns, in particular noticing that Auslan pronouns don’t show gender but they can show location and a specific number of referents, for example, WE2 (inclusive) and WE3 (inclusive) or WE2-NOT-INCLUDING-YOU (exclusive)
    4. discussing the functions of different pointing signs, such as pronouns, determiners, locatives
    5. noticing that enacting a role or modifying the beginning and end locations of some verbs can show the referents involved, for example:
      PRO1 ASK PRO3 versus PRO1 ASK-her
      PRO3 ASK-me CA:I-was-shocked
      Auslan video
    6. identifying what sorts of things can be represented in a DS by a particular handshape, for example a distant person, pole or tree can be represented by a point handshape, and a cylinder can be traced by a C handshape
    7. identifying examples of DSs in an Auslan text, and recognising that handshape and movement represent different things in each type of DS, for example:
      • entity DSs: the handshape is an object or person, and the movement is the movement or location of that object or person
      • handling DSs: the handshape represents a person’s hands touching or moving another object, and the movement shows how the hands move
      • SASS DSs: the handshape and movement outline the shape or size of something
  3. Recognise and use elements of clause structure, such as noun groups/phrases or verb groups/phrases and using conjunctions to join clauses (VCASFU230)
    1. categorising noun signs into those for people, animals, places or things
    2. learning that proper nouns can have a sign name or be fingerspelled
    3. recognising different nouns in clauses, including those that are shown with a pointing sign, such as GIRL READ versus PRO3 READ, or VISIT FRIEND versus VISIT PRO3
    4. knowing that adjectives describe nouns in different ways, such as how they look (BIG or RED), feel (SOFT or HOT), smell (SMELLY) or sound (LOUD)
    5. recognising that a noun group is a group of signs that relate to a person, place or thing that can include elements such as adjectives or numbers
    6. recognising that expanding a noun into a noun group enriches meaning
    7. identifying verb signs (SIT, EAT, FEEL, WONDER, HAVE) and recognising that they are central to a clause
    8. noticing there is no verb ‘to be’ in Auslan, which is a significant difference to English
    9. exploring different semantic types of verbs in a text, for example by showing how:
      • doing (WALK, WRITE) and saying (TELL, CALL-OUT, ANNOUNCE) verbs in narrative texts give information about a characters’ actions
      • sensing (SEE, THINK) or possessing (THAT’S-TYPICAL-OF-THEM, OWN) verbs indicate what characters think, feel or own
    10. relating verbs identify or describe a noun (for example, HAVE in PRO3 HAVE LONG-HAIR)
    11. noticing that some signs modify the meaning of verbs, such as READ CAREFUL and that these are called adverbs
    12. contributing examples of signs that tell:
      • when a verb happens (IN-2-WEEKS PRO1 HOLIDAY or WANT LUNCH NOW)
      • where a verb happens (PRO3 RUN FAR or COME HERE)
      • how a verb happens (FAST or SLOW or PRO2 QUICK FINISH)
    13. noticing that sometimes Auslan signers have information about how a verb happens through NMFs not separate signs (for example, WRITE-carelessly)
    14. recognising that a verb group is a group of words built up around a verb that may include adverbs which modify the meaning of verbs and that adverbs and DSs can enrich a verb group
    15. understanding that a clause is one or more signs expressing a single idea and that a clause has at least one verb, but often one or more nouns as well, for example:
      CALL-him
      I called him.
      MAN THERE GO-TO POSS3 HOUSE
      That man went to his house.
      BIG MONSTER SCREAM
      A big monster screamed.
      Auslan video
    16. noticing that while word order in sentences is often important for meaning, there is flexibility in word order in Auslan and that because parts of a sentence can be signed simultaneously in Auslan, it is hard to establish word order
    17. distinguishing between yes/no questions, wh- questions and statements and their corresponding NMFs
  4. Recognise similarities and differences in language features of different types of texts and in Auslan and English texts of a similar type, and notice how texts build cohesion (VCASFU231)
    1. recognising that texts are made up of one or more clauses, which have one or more signs in them, which together make meaning
    2. comparing a short text in Auslan with an equivalent type of English text (for example, a recount in both languages) and noticing similarities and differences in structure and language features
    3. examining different examples of an Auslan text on the same topic, or telling the same story, and identifying different choices signers made in the production of the text, for example the amount of fingerspelling or CA they used
    4. analysing linguistic structures and features associated with more dynamic texts, such as back-channels and hesitations used in casual conversations
    5. identifying examples of signers pointing to an established location to refer to a non-present referent
    6. identifying how signers use space to make clear the actor or undergoer of a verb through a text, for example by pointing back to an established location to refer to a noun referent
    7. identifying the many ways signers can refer to the same referent in a text, for example by using DSs, points or list buoys, and how such strategies help maintain interest and support understanding
Language variation and change Elaborations
  1. Explore different dimensions of variation in the structure, development and use of Auslan, including how it has been influenced by English and other signed languages (VCASFU232)
    1. exploring similarities and differences in the two main Auslan dialects, the northern dialect, used in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory, and the southern dialect, used in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, for example through building webcam relationships with other schools or by identifying and collecting signs that differ in the two forms
    2. researching how BSL from the 1800s evolved into Auslan, NZSL and modern BSL, for example by finding and classifying examples from Auslan, NZSL and BSL signbanks
    3. understanding that while the structure of individual signs can change over time in regular ways, there is little information about this process in signed languages due to lack of historical records of signing
    4. 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 why this is the case
    5. noticing different ways that English words are borrowed into Auslan, for example, the use of fully fingerspelled words, such as D-U-E, N-O-U-N, the fingerspelling of the first letter of corresponding English words, for example TOILET, FATHER, or abbreviations of English words, for example, state names: S-A, N-S-W, V-I-C, T-A-S, and organisation names: N-A-B-S, W-A-A-D, N-S-W-A-D, D-C-S-S-A, and lexicalised fingerspelling, such as HOW, BUT, ABOUT, FOR
    6. recognising that Auslan includes loan signs from Signed English, such as TOY or DAD, and understanding why some older deaf people are uncomfortable with these changes
    7. looking at style shifts in domains where English is in closer contact with Auslan, such as the use of more English-like structures in formal and educational settings
    8. considering adaptations to Auslan use when communicating in different physical environments, such as in video chats, across a large yard, or when one or both hands are occupied, for example, variations in vocabulary, size of signing space, clarity of signs, use of fingerspelling and NMFs
    9. noticing the variation in ‘handedness’ between signers in relation to both signs and to fingerspelling: right handers using their right hand as their dominant (main) hand; left handers doing the opposite
Language awareness Elaborations
  1. Develop awareness of the sociocultural context, nature and status of Auslan and of the Deaf community in multilingual Australia (VCASFU233)
    1. identifying the importance of place and space in the Deaf community, exploring why some places and spaces ensure that a visual language is more accessible to deaf people and promotes a sense of cultural belonging, for example by identifying factors that make a classroom ‘Deaf friendly’, such as U-shape seating, minimisation of window glare/reflection, good lighting and acoustics, flashing lights, suitable interpreter location
    2. identifying examples of deaf people’s visual orientation towards the world, such as using visual applause or being astute in reading body language
    3. describing how and why deaf people use vibrating devices to alert them to alarms or information, or have flashing lights for the door, phone, alarm clock, baby cry alarm and other systems
    4. understanding cultural values associated with the conferring of name signs on those such as second language learners of Auslan who are joining the Deaf community
    5. explaining the role and function of Auslan–English interpreters and Deaf interpreters and the access and opportunities they provide
    6. identifying and describing physical markers of identity among deaf people, including the use of sign language and/or hearing devices such as hearing aids, cochlear implants and FM systems
    7. exploring variation in Auslan fluency among their classmates and members of the Deaf community, identifying the influence of variables such as where and when people learnt to sign and whether they are from a deaf or hearing family
    8. investigating how Auslan and Deaf culture are promoted in the wider community, for example through the influence of organisations such as Deaf Australia; the work of high-profile individuals such as activists or actors; or through events such as NWDP Deaf Festival, Australian Deaf Games or Deaf art exhibitions
    9. understanding the nature of the transmission of Auslan, for example how in most cases Auslan is not passed on from parent to child but often from child to child, or to children by adults outside the family, and knowing that some Deaf people learn Auslan as a late acquired language in early adulthood
    10. exploring the nature of multilingualism in the Deaf community, including the use of Auslan, English and other signed and spoken languages, considering how and when people typically switch between languages and dialects
    11. investigating the use of digital technology/communication by Auslan users, for example, social media, SMS/texting and NRS and VRS, discussing how these modes of communication impact on issues such as accessibility and communication between members of the Deaf community
    12. investigating communication methods used by deaf and hard of hearing members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
    13. discussing behaviour associated with cultural practices, language and traditions, for example, by discussing the concept of reciprocity as a manifestation of how community members share responsibility for each other’s wellbeing, or the value placed on the use of sign language for shared understanding and trust
Role of language and culture Elaborations
  1. Explore connections between language, identity and cultural practices, values and beliefs and the expression of these connections in Auslan (VCASFU234)
    1. recognising that people from different places and backgrounds may use different languages and have ways of living and communicating that differ from their own
    2. appreciating that culture and cultural difference means that people may value different things or live differently, noticing observable examples of such difference, such as ways of greeting (bowing versus shaking hands) or conveying information (through words versus signs)
    3. exploring how deaf people live in ways that may be different from how hearing people live and that they are primarily visual, for example by responding to stimulus questions such as How do deaf people ensure they can always see other people who are signing?
    4. recognising the importance of facial expression, eye gaze and non-manual features in conveying information in a visual-gestural language and culture
    5. exploring the nature of culture as an essential part of human life, understanding that it is shared, passed on between generations and is closely connected to language and identity
    6. understanding that culture is more than the visible aspects of people’s lives; that it also includes invisible elements such as beliefs and values, how people think about themselves and others, how they relate to their social and physical environments; and considering how this understanding applies to users of Auslan
    7. recognising that in each culture there are general rules for what to say and do, when, where and with whom, and that these rules differ from culture to culture, for example, the Deaf culture places greater importance on eye contact than cultures that communicate through spoken languages
    8. identifying the importance of signing space and proxemics in Auslan, particularly in relation to a person passing between two signers, or to the positioning of communication partners
    9. recognising that shared experiences shape cultural values in Auslan as in other cultures, for example the experience of deaf children being excluded from family and social discourse during dinner table conversations or social events gives rise to the value placed in the Deaf community on ensuring inclusivity and sharing information with each other
    10. recognising the importance of community and culture in relation to their own lives and communities and in relation to other language groups and their communities
    11. recognising the role of the Deaf community and its networks and significant places in maintaining, reflecting and strengthening Auslan and Deaf culture

Levels 7 and 8 Achievement Standard

By the end of Level 8, students use Auslan to share information, experiences, interests, thoughts and feelings about their personal and immediate worlds. They use modelled constructions, ask for repetition or clarification, such as please slow sign, and use strategies such as fingerspelling to replace unknown signs to support continued interaction. They use lexical signs, gestures and affective non-manual features (NMFs) to indicate understanding, interest or lack of interest, for example, AGREE YES or PRO1 AGREE or PRO1 KNOW WHAT MEAN, BUT…. They ask and respond to familiar questions and directions and distinguish between statements and questions using grammatical NMFs.

Students use familiar language to collaboratively plan and conduct shared events or activities, such as presentations, demonstrations or transactions, for example, PRO2 TYPE PRO1 WRITE. They describe people, animals and objects using lexical adjectives and familiar SASS depicting signs and appropriate classifier handshapes, for example, POSS1 MATH TEACHER TALL DS:long-wavy-hair or SCHOOL UNIFORM HAVE DS:long-thin-tie. They compare routines, interests and leisure activities, using signs for timing and frequency...

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7–10 Sequence Levels 9 and 10

Levels 9 and 10 Description

Students are increasingly aware of differences between Auslan and English. They are expanding their knowledge of vocabulary and sentence construction. With support, they use constructed action to show participants in a text, modify indicating verbs for non-present referents with increasing accuracy across a text, and use more complex entity depicting signs. They are learning to use NMFs to mark...

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Levels 9 and 10 Content Descriptions

Communicating

Socialising Elaborations
  1. Socialise and exchange views on selected issues using different communication strategies, language structures and techniques (VCASFC235)
    1. explaining or justifying a position in relation to personal and social issues, such as the inclusion of deaf jury members, using simple clauses and more complex constructions, such as statements, if…then… or when constructions, for example:
      IF DS:place-person DEAF TEACHER MEANS DEAF HEARING STUDENTS EQUAL-all
      If there were a deaf teacher in the class as well, then all the students would be equal.
    2. debating issues such as whether schools should have a school uniform, using a range of conjunctions and complex clauses, for example:
      SPORT, PRO1 THINK GOOD BECAUSE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE GO-OUT MEET-VARIOUS PEOPLE
      I think sport is great because it encourages people to go out and meet others.
      PRO1 THINK SCHOOL UNIFORM GOOD BECAUSE ALL STUDENT SAME-all DOESN’T MATTER RICH POOR SAME-all
      I think school uniforms are good because they keep students equal, and it doesn’t matter if they are rich or poor.
    3. participating in conversations with their peers using strategies to sustain interactions, such as turn-taking and asking for repetition, clarification or confirmation, for example:
      WHAT? PLEASE AGAIN
      Could you repeat that, please?
      STILL GO-AHEAD
      Go ahead …
      RIGHT PRO2 SAY PRO1 FIX THAT?
      So, you want me to fix that?
    4. communicating with other Auslan users via digital media to exchange views or to express personal opinion on topics such as co-educational or single-sex schools
    5. adjusting their language to socialise with different audiences, such as primary school Auslan users, using appropriate code-switching techniques
  2. Engage in various collaborative tasks that involve making decisions, solving problems and evaluating progress (VCASFC236)
    1. participating in visits to a Deaf club or organisation and sharing responsibility for individual elements of a report that highlights key features of the experience
    2. working with peers to solve problems, such as how to use video editing and/or captioning programs
    3. working with a team to plan a fundraising event or a promotional display for Auslan at an open day/night and evaluating the experience to improve subsequent planning and organisation
    4. assuming the role of a chairperson managing a small group discussion and conducting decision-making processes
    5. contributing to the solving of hypothetical scenarios using conditionals, for example designing questions for a job interview such as:
      PRETEND SOMEONE DS:one-person-approach-other BLAST, PRO2 D-O WHAT?
      Pretend someone approaches you and tells you off; what will you do?
      I-F PRO2 BOSS PRO2 WILL CHANGE WHAT?
      What would you change if you were boss?
  3. Interact appropriately with the teaching team, peers and members of the Deaf community, adjusting language when necessary and demonstrating understanding of appropriate protocols in and out of the classroom (VCASFC237)
    1. demonstrating use of appropriate protocols within and beyond the classroom, such as gaining group attention through flashing lights, tapping, foot stomping and waving, and maintaining eye gaze, back-channelling and limiting the use of voice when interacting with unfamiliar Auslan users
    2. adjusting the physical environment, including people and objects, to enable communication in a well-lit environment without glare or obstructions
    3. demonstrating culturally appropriate behaviours when using or accessing an interpreter, such as not interrupting or blocking the line of sight
    4. using appropriate discourse markers and NMFs to facilitate clear communication, for example:
      SURPRISE
      Oooh (with appropriate intonation)
      INCREDIBLE
      No way!
      WOW
      Wow!
      UM
      um …
      HOLD…
      Hang on a minute …
    5. clarifying information, such as:
      WHAT? PLEASE AGAIN
      Could you repeat that, please?
      RIGHT PRO2 SAY PRO1 FIX THAT?
      So, you want me to fix that?
      PLEASE SLOW SIGN
      Could you sign that slowly, please?
      PRO2 SAY BEFORE WHAT?
      What did you just say, sorry?
    6. asking for elaboration of information by adding comments, for example:
      RIGHT-YEAH INTERESTING BUT I WANT ADD COMMENT
      Well, yes, that’s interesting but I’d like to add something.
      STILL GO-AHEAD
      Go ahead …
Informing Elaborations
  1. Engage with a range of signed texts to locate and evaluate information, infer or interpret meaning and to present key points in new forms (VCASFC238)
    1. interviewing an Auslan user, using prepared questions to find out about their experiences or opinions on selected topics, such as early language learning for deaf babies or their experience of education, selecting key elements of their commentary to produce a digital profile to share with the class
    2. observing informative signed texts from the Deaf community and deaf-related organisations, such as emergency or advocacy texts, and rephrasing key points in a form suitable for a younger audience
    3. collecting information from a variety of signed sources to inform class discussions on current affairs, for example the prevalent use of social media by young people, and access to this by deaf students
    4. following more complex procedural signed texts, such as directions to follow in an unfamiliar environment, such as a school camp or excursion
    5. watching and summarising information provided by a guest speaker and comparing their noted ideas and opinions with those of their peers
    6. viewing texts such as interviews, news reports or vlogs and selecting points of information or details to use in their own texts or opinion pieces
    7. viewing Auslan texts from other content areas, using depicting signs to explain key concepts, such as states of matter or climate variation
    8. forming and signing questions to request information from a deaf organisation or person, in order to produce a digital information text such as a brochure or web page
    9. obtaining information about high-profile members of the international Deaf community to create profiles for an e-magazine
  2. Preparing and presenting information on different issues, events, people, procedures or experiences, using signed descriptions and visual prompts to inform, report, promote, explain or invite action (VCASFC239)
    1. presenting a biographical report on a prominent deaf person, using visual prompts such as a slideshow to describe their life and achievements, incorporating some commentary and personal opinion
    2. contributing an item of information for a collaborative e-book to describe views on different aspects of Deaf culture, such as community and protocols associated with signing
    3. explaining to each other a selected procedure or practice, for example, a recipe, the rules of a sport or board game, or instructions on caring for animals
    4. researching, composing and presenting a persuasive speech designed to invite action or support on a selected issue, such as a Deaf political matter
    5. using visual props and signed explanation to describe a biological or mechanical process to the class, such as how the ear or a cochlear implant works
    6. developing a signed news report or public announcement to inform or alert an imagined audience of a recent or impending natural disaster
    7. creating signed announcements to inform members of the school community about events such as a Deaf theatre performance or National Week of Deaf People activities
    8. creating digital clips or social media posts designed to persuade, inform or invite response on an issue of relevance to young people of their age
    9. providing instructions in an engaging or entertaining style to create interest in a group activity, such as a maths game or signing choir
Creating Elaborations
  1. Respond to different types of creative texts that involve the expression of feelings or experiences, comparing their responses to different elements and making connections with their own experience (VCASFC240)
    1. viewing and responding to creative texts such as television programs, poems and theatre performances that are used to represent the Deaf experience, for example the television program Switched at Birth
    2. recognising how a character’s feelings and attitudes are expressed through NMFs, and expressing their own feelings or attitudes in similar contexts or situations
    3. responding to different types of creative and imaginative texts, such as signed poetry, short stories or songs, identifying and discussing the artistic signed choices and making connections with their own experiences
    4. exploring how cultural values and the expression of identity are reflected in different forms of artistic expression, such as poems by Walter Kadiki or John Wilson
    5. evaluating Deaf performances or art forms that manipulate technology and the use of colour and light to create special effects, for example, in performances by Ian Sanborn
    6. analysing how elements of creative performance such as emotional nuance are communicated through interpreters in a live setting
    7. identifying and profiling deaf artists who make use of music, for example, members of the Deaf Performing Arts Network
    8. engaging with examples of Deaf humour, such as Deaf jokes, and comparing them with examples of humour in spoken English or in silent films or mime
    9. viewing and comparing expressions of Deaf experience through different visual art forms, such as painting, photography or sculpture, comparing with their own use of visual forms of expression of feelings and experience
  2. Create and present entertaining individual or collaborative texts that reflect imagined people, places or experiences and draw from elements of their own life experience (VCASFC241)
    1. participating in improvisation games that require spontaneous and imaginative responses to a stimulus such as Sixty seconds to make the audience laugh or cry …
    2. working collaboratively to create a performance such as a skit or humorous story for a class talent show
    3. role-playing an imagined interview, incorporating elements of tension, humour or emotion
    4. creating and presenting a handshape or signed poem on a selected theme, such as friendship or love
    5. creating and presenting to their peers a signed interpretation of a wordless animation, comparing their different performances
    6. creating a short film that incorporates camera techniques appropriate for a deaf audience
    7. working collaboratively to create a static scene or diorama using the hands and bodies of at least two signers
    8. creating the next scene, a new character or an alternative ending for a signed fable, short story or cartoon
Translating Elaborations
  1. Translate and interpret different types of familiar texts and consider the effectiveness of examples of different translations, considering the role of culture when transferring meaning from one language to another (VCASFC242)
    1. viewing and discussing online Auslan translations, such as the Catching Fire series of safety videos
    2. experimenting with literal Auslan translations of popular English idioms, noticing when this creates confusion (for example, raining cats and dogs) and recognising the nature and function of cultural elements of communication and how these influence language use
    3. comparing different translations of online Auslan and English public announcements and government policy/information texts in terms of approaches to translation, for example in relation to free versus literal
    4. comparing their own translations of short texts from Auslan to English and vice versa with those of their classmates, noting variations and discussing possible reasons for these
    5. recognising the need to sometimes recast language and considering why one language may use more words/signs than another to communicate a particular meaning, for example, when Auslan uses spatial concepts or depicting signs to describe an event such as the scene of a car crash, which will take longer to explicate in a linear spoken language
    6. translating poems, short stories or songs such as ‘I Am Australian’ from English into Auslan
    7. exploring the role and function of Deaf interpreters and differences between Deaf interpreters and Auslan–English interpreters
    8. researching aspects of available interpreting services in their area, for example, qualifications required for employment, and issues of interpreting and translating in specialised contexts such as health, education or legal settings
    9. developing guidelines on culturally appropriate and ethical behaviour when interpreting and translating, for example explaining ways people should act in interpreting contexts and considering potential consequences of inaccurate interpreting
    10. interpreting very simple interactions or role-plays between deaf students or guests and non-signers, such as a hearing teacher, librarian or canteen manager
    11. participating in an excursion to an interpreted theatre event, with prior knowledge of the text/story, attending to the interpretation for discussion later in class
  2. Create, develop and resource bilingual texts for use in the wider school community (VCASFC243)
    1. creating bilingual texts for the school community, for example, posters, library displays or digital newsletter items, discussing how to represent meaning in two languages for different audiences
    2. developing collaborative translations of selected signed texts into spoken English or caption form
    3. collecting and recording various Auslan phrases and expressions used by native Deaf signers, attaching English captions with appropriate translations, for example, PAH! = finally, TALK = communicate in speech or Auslan, CHAT = talk in Auslan
    4. creating Auslan clips with English captions for the school website of items of interest to the school community
    5. composing bilingual texts for class or school assembly performances, events or displays, for example, NWDP announcements
Identity Elaborations
  1. Recognise that the concept of identity is complex, dynamic and diverse, and consider how students learn more about their own identity through the exploration of other languages and cultures (VCASFC244)
    1. reflecting on how identity is expressed across cultures and through languages, for example by considering the idea of ‘belonging’ as expressed in different languages
    2. investigating how particular policies and practices may affect the sense of identity of deaf people, for example, through the prohibition of the use of Auslan in schools in the past
    3. viewing excerpts of different footage in Auslan or other signed languages and identifying language or behaviour that appears to be either inclusive or exclusionary and could impact on identity development, for example, the representation of deaf teenagers in the TV program Switched at Birth or in documentaries such as Welcome 2 My Deaf World and Deaf Teens: Hearing World, making connections or comparisons with their own experiences as teenagers
    4. evaluating documentary footage of famous members of the Deaf community discussing identity and the experience of growing up deaf, comparing their commentaries with their own experience, paying attention to identified factors that can influence identity, such as gender or race
    5. creating vlogs or filmed texts designed to share their understanding or views about Deaf/hearing identity and to prompt the intended audience to reflect on their own views of Auslan and the Deaf community and of what it means to be ‘hearing’
    6. viewing signed news and other media texts, such as episodes of See Hear or SignPost, and discussing examples of discrimination, oppression or rejection experienced by deaf people, reflecting on how these may shape or reflect mainstream society’s perception of the Deaf community
    7. considering the concepts of ‘Deaf gain’, Deafhood and audism, and comparing their response to these concepts as second language learners of Auslan
    8. discussing the impact of language and culture on the shaping of identity and a sense of wellbeing
    9. considering connections and shared identity between local, regional and national communities of deaf people for example, by inviting a deaf guest to share their experiences of travel or international contact
Reflecting Elaborations
  1. Reflect on the experience of learning and using Auslan and how the experience is influenced by their own languages and cultures, and consider how intercultural communication involves shared responsibility for making meaning (VCASFC245)
    1. reflecting on how learning Auslan provides a distinctive and additional means of understanding the world in which they live and the relationship that exists between language, culture and identity
    2. considering issues of access, identity and audism, and also issues of discrimination, inclusion and exclusion in respect to different language and cultural communities
    3. keeping a journal of experiences (humorous, satisfying or challenging) associated with learning and using Auslan in various contexts, noting changes in their personal responses and reflections over time, and comparing insights gained into their own languages and cultures
    4. analysing their own cultural assumptions prior to learning Auslan, and considering if these have changed through the learning experience
    5. reflecting on similarities and differences between spoken language and signed language users, for example when joining interactions, taking turns, using name signs or passing between people who are communicating with each other
    6. reflecting on the labels deaf and hearing, considering what these mean to different people and their implications in terms of status, access, opportunity and privilege
    7. exploring the concepts of insider and outsider views of the Deaf community and their own position in relation to these terms as second language learners of Auslan
    8. considering how intercultural communication is a two-way process which involves shared responsibility for making meaning and for ensuring understanding

Understanding

Systems of language Elaborations
  1. Explore various types of non-manual features and the types of iconicity in signs, and gain confidence in using software to transcribe signs (VCASFU246)
    1. identifying, demonstrating and describing the various types of NMFs: movements of the eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, shoulders and body
    2. identifying and describing the function of various NMFs in a signed text
    3. 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
    4. recognising that some signs can occur with a standard mouth gesture and that these are sometimes called multi-channel signs
    5. understanding that signs can be iconic in a number of ways, such as representing a whole object or part of an object
    6. 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
    7. transcribing part of a text using either annotation software such as ELAN or glossing, and recording what signs were used, spatial locations and NMFs
  2. 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 (VCASFU247)
    1. 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
    2. 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
    3. 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
    4. 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)
    5. 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
    6. 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
    7. 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)
    8. recognising that in viewer space, signers can use locations for present referents, non-present referents, or abstract referents that do not exist in space
    9. identifying instances of DSs and their type independently
    10. comparing English adjectives with SASS DSs
    11. learning that the function of CA is to represent the words, thoughts or actions of a protagonist in a text, either themselves or another
    12. 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
  3. 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 (VCASFU248)
    1. observing that some noun groups are not signed overtly, particularly if maintaining the same referent rather than introducing a new one
    2. 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)
    3. 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++
    4. 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
    5. recognising that typically signers use DSs to show spatial relationships, not separate signs such as ON or UNDER
    6. recognising how conjunctions such as PLUS, IF or BUT are used to join clauses and create cohesion
    7. recognising that clauses can also be joined through particular NMFs
    8. noticing that clauses can be linked equally or unequally, where one clause depends on another
    9. 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
    10. noticing that clauses are elaborated and made more vivid by adding adjectives and adverbs and by enacting or using DSs
    11. 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
    12. 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
  4. 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 (VCASFU249)
    1. analysing a videoed class debate to see how language is used to justify opinions and to persuade others
    2. 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
    3. 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
    4. noticing how signers can compare or contrast ideas by locating things in the same or opposing sides of signing space
    5. 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
    6. identifying all the ways a signer refers to the same referent throughout a text to create cohesion
Language variation and change Elaborations
  1. Understand that Auslan has evolved and developed through different periods of influence and cultural and societal change (VCASFU250)
    1. 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
    2. 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
    3. considering the effect that expanding sign language interpreter services might have on standardising Auslan, especially in the areas of education and medicine
    4. 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)
    5. 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
    6. 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
    7. 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
Language awareness Elaborations
  1. 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 other spoken and signed languages used around the world (VCASFU251)
    1. understanding that strong and healthy languages are those used by many people across generations in most domains to communicate about most topics
    2. 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
    3. 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
    4. considering the impact of historical international events such as the Milan Congress (1880) and the linguistic recognition and documentation of signed languages in the1960s and 1970s on the use of signed languages in education, and on deaf people’s feelings of ownership and pride in their languages
    5. analysing the impact of migration and the settlement of deaf people from the UK and other countries on the development of Auslan
    6. investigating the geographical location, origins and history of deaf schools in Australia and the impact of these institutions on the transmission, use and status of Auslan
    7. exploring how Auslan is used by deafblind people and their role in the Deaf community
    8. investigating historical patterns of employment of deaf people in certain trades and fields of employment, and the impact these traditional domains have on the development of Auslan
    9. 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
    10. identifying language documentation as an important way of recording, transmitting and maintaining the vitality of languages
    11. recognising that some languages have no written form and have historically been passed on face to face/orally, and so are less well recorded and documented
    12. understanding that some languages used in Australia, such as English, have large numbers of users, while others, such as many spoken and signed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, are endangered or in the process of being revived or reclaimed
    13. recognising that languages may be perceived as ‘weak’ or ‘strong’ based on community values and the existence of documentation and literature in the language
    14. 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
    15. considering ways that Auslan is evolving due to various influences, including the capacity for new technologies to store, record and share sign languages internationally
    16. exploring the role of globalisation in terms of what technology offers signed languages in terms of maintaining their vitality, for example, the use of ELAN for capturing and documenting Auslan
    17. understanding the importance of advocating for Deaf rights to address existing gaps in services, for example in relation to issues such as the increased provision of Auslan interpreters, Deaf interpreters or captioning
    18. responding to Deaf elders' guidance on how cultural values, beliefs and traditions are connected through shared life experience, language and visual ways of being, and how they are demonstrated in community behaviour and interactions with the wider community
    19. comparing strategies used by deaf and hearing adults to negotiate physical environments, for example, different behaviours at a bank of lifts, and identifying how deaf people draw on additional perceptual resources in ways hearing people are unaware of
    20. exploring technologies such as videoconferencing apps used by deaf people to communicate visually, to support social networks, to strengthen a sense of individual or shared identity as sign language users and to promote language vitality
    21. considering likely contemporary influences or pressures on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander signed languages and the possible impact on their future
    22. understanding how and why some deaf children face challenges with communication in hearing families or in social settings
    23. recognising the important role of deaf families and deaf schools in preserving and maintaining Auslan and cultural identity
    24. identifying behaviours, rights, roles and responsibilities in relation to the ownership and maintenance of Auslan and how such ownership rests with the Deaf community and is determined by traditional social groupings/families, significant places, history and stories
    25. describing the visibility and use of Auslan in the wider community, for example in television programs, on the news, at community events, sporting fixtures and in emergency announcements
    26. discussing the diversity of Auslan users in the Australian community, including people who are deaf, those who are hard of hearing and hearing people such as CODAs and interpreters
    27. identifying examples of deaf people who have been recognised for different reasons in wider Australian society, for example, Alastair McEwin or Drisana Levitzke-Gray, and discussing how such recognition contributes to broader awareness of Auslan in Australia
    28. researching the status and recognition of signed languages in other countries, for example, New Zealand, the USA, the UK or the Scandinavian nations, considering issues such as language rights, language documentation and development efforts
    29. identifying the changing status of significant sites in different international Deaf communities, for example, the loss of Deaf clubs or the closure of deaf schools in some countries, comparing this to the Australian context and reflecting on how such changes impact over time on Deaf communities and on Auslan
    30. 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
Role of language and culture Elaborations
  1. 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 (VCASFU252)
    1. 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
    2. exploring the nature and effect of culture, for example by comparing the cultural concept of Deaf identity with a medical model of deafness
    3. 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
    4. 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
    5. 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
    6. 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
    7. 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
    8. 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
    9. reflecting on the ways that culture is interpreted by others, for example by identifying how stereotypes about deaf and hearing people influence perceptions
    10. 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
    11. 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

Levels 9 and 10 Achievement Standard

By the end of Level 10, students interact with peers, teachers and others using Auslan to communicate about personal interests and broader issues relating to the Deaf community. They participate in class discussions, explaining and clarifying positions, asking follow-up questions, using non-manual features for topicalisation or negation and responding to each other’s comments, for example IF DS:place-person DEAF TEACHER MEANS DEAF HEARING STUDENT EQUAL-all. They initiate and sustain interactions; ask for repetition, clarification or confirmation; use more elaborate sentence structures, such as embedding clauses; and use discourse markers such as SURPRISE, INCREDIBLE, WOW or UM. They engage in different processes of collaborative learning, including planning, negotiating and problem-solving, using familiar and some spontaneous language. They follow protocols when interacting with each other or with interpreters or Deaf visitors to the classroom, for example by interrupting conversations appropriately, waiting for eye gaze or for the signer to finish, or by providing context for a new participant joining a conversation.

Students locate, interpret and analyse information from a variety...

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