Auslan: First Language Learner 7–10 Sequence / Levels 7 and 8 / Understanding / Language awareness
Content description
Develop awareness of the sociocultural context, nature and status of Auslan and of the Deaf community in Australia and the impact of this on language change
Elaborations
identifying where and when different people learnt to sign and whether they are from deaf or hearing families
exploring and providing possible explanations for variation in Auslan fluency among their classmates and members of the Deaf community
understanding the nature of the transmission of Auslan, for example, how in most cases Auslan is not passed on from parent to child, but from child to child (horizontal language transmission) or to children by deaf adults outside the family
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 accessibility and communication for members of the Deaf community
considering ways that Auslan is evolving due to different influences, including the capacity for new technologies to store, record and share sign languages
discussing the degree to which their classroom/school is an Auslan-accessible and Deaf-friendly environment, and how this might be further enhanced
investigating how Auslan and Deaf culture are promoted in the wider community, for example through the influence of organisations such as Deaf Australia, high-profile individuals such as activists or actors or events such as NWDP, Deaf festivals, Australian Deaf Games or Deaf art exhibitions
