Search results

Result list

• VCASFC190

  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

  Elaborations

  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • discussing the impact of language and culture on the shaping of identity and the sense of wellbeing
  • 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

  VCASFC190 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Identity

• VCASFC074

  Participate in actions and interactions involving advocacy and consideration of cultural diversity, perspective and experience

  Elaborations

  • managing shared learning experiences that require consideration of different views, opinions and cultural perspectives
  • designing and enacting hypothetical scenarios that address issues related to Deaf experience, for example in the domains of sport or education
  • collaborating with a partner to take action on an issue affecting the Deaf community, such as advocating for provision of captioning or funding for Deaf organisations
  • organising an awareness campaign that reflects or mediates views on issues of relevance to their peer group/community, for example, creating a positive promotional video about successful deaf people in their state, outlining strategies to support achievement
  • advocating for a change in particular school processes or practices, such as ensuring all public school performances (such as theatre or dance festivals) automatically have interpreters present, for example by meeting with the student council, principal or parent group to advocate

  VCASFC074 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCASFC110

  Participate in shared learning activities that involve planning, transacting and problem-solving, using simple signed statements, questions and directions

  Elaborations

  • negotiating roles and responsibilities in shared learning activities, using expressions such as:
    PRO2 TYPE PRO1 WRITE
    You type and I’ll write.
  • understanding and using expressions of support, encouragement or praise during shared activities, for example, EXCELLENT, THAT GREAT
  • playing games that involve detailed information exchange, such as a ‘murder mystery’ type game, asking for and supplying descriptions about the suspect, for example:
    PRO3 HAVE GLASSES?
    Does he have glasses?
  • working collaboratively to plan an event such as a handball competition, using expressions related to place, time and numbers, for example:
    BEST PLAY WHERE?
    Where will we play?
    TEAM+ HOW MANY?
    How many teams are there?
  • following and giving directions for outdoor activities such as an obstacle course
  • expressing preferences in relation to roles and responsibilities in shared learning activities, using NMFs and statements such as:
    HANDWRITING PRO1 DON’T-LIKE RATHER TYPING
    I don’t like handwriting; I prefer to type it
    
  • working with peers to plan for a visit from a Deaf community member, prioritising and sequencing tasks

  VCASFC110 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCASFU053

  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

  Elaborations

  • 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
  • investigating the signed languages used by deaf and hard of hearing members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
  • 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
  • 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
  • finding representations of signing deaf people in the media or in literary texts, and evaluating how they and the language are represented
  • 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
  • understanding the role and function of Auslan–English interpreters and Deaf interpreters and the access and opportunities they provide to language users
  • recognising that many languages are well-documented, strong, healthy and widely used by many people across generations while others are less documented and robust
  • 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
  • recognising language documentation as an important means of recording, maintaining, transmitting and revitalising a language
  • 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
  • describing how Auslan has been transmitted across generations and how it has been recorded, investigating reasons for the ‘oral’ tradition language transmission
  • 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

  VCASFU053 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Understanding | Language awareness

• VCASFU251

  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

  Elaborations

  • understanding that strong and healthy languages are those used by many people across generations in most domains to communicate about most topics
  • mapping the distribution of Auslan users across Australian states and demographics, using data from censuses and other sources to present findings in graph/visual representation forms
  • 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
  • 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
  • analysing the impact of migration and the settlement of deaf people from the UK and other countries on the development of Auslan
  • 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
  • exploring how Auslan is used by deafblind people and their role in the Deaf community
  • 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
  • reflecting on the role of Auslan interpreters in raising awareness and understanding of Auslan in the wider community, and considering ways in which they influence the function and nature of Auslan, for example by the introduction of neologisms
  • identifying language documentation as an important way of recording, transmitting and maintaining the vitality of languages
  • 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
  • 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
  • recognising that languages may be perceived as ‘weak’ or ‘strong’ based on community values and the existence of documentation and literature in the language
  • 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
  • considering ways that Auslan is evolving due to various influences, including the capacity for new technologies to store, record and share sign languages internationally
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • considering likely contemporary influences or pressures on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander signed languages and the possible impact on their future
  • understanding how and why some deaf children face challenges with communication in hearing families or in social settings
  • recognising the important role of deaf families and deaf schools in preserving and maintaining Auslan and cultural identity
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

  VCASFU251 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Language awareness

• VCASFC217

  Interact with peers and teachers to exchange information about self, family, friends and interests and to express feelings and preferences

  Elaborations

  • exchanging greetings, wishes, thanks and apologies, adjusting language to suit the situation, for example:
    HOW-ARE-YOU? SEE LATER, GOOD-LUCK, THANKS, SORRY INTERRUPT
  • 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.
  • 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.
    
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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?

  VCASFC217 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCASFC164

  Collaborate with peers to plan and conduct shared events or activities such as performances, presentations, demonstrations or transactions

  Elaborations

  • working collaboratively to plan a performance or presentation for a younger class, for example on aspects of Deaf culture or Auslan
  • 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.
    
  • 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.
    
  • 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?
    
  • 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.
  • allocating responsibilities for the completion of shared tasks, such as following a recipe or building a model
  • carrying out simulated transactions in different contexts, for example, playing a ‘restaurant’ game, or a food shopping game

  VCASFC164 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCASFC236

  Engage in various collaborative tasks that involve making decisions, solving problems and evaluating progress

  Elaborations

  • 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
  • working with peers to solve problems, such as how to use video editing and/or captioning programs
  • 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
  • assuming the role of a chairperson managing a small group discussion and conducting decision-making processes
  • 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?

  VCASFC236 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCASFC119

  Reflect on the experience of learning and using Auslan in and out of school, and ways in which their understanding of intercultural communication has developed

  Elaborations

  • describing how it feels to use Auslan to communicate outside their inner circle or school, or to watch Auslan being used by others, responding to prompts such as What are the main differences you notice when observing a conversation between deaf people and one between hearing people?
  • reflecting on similarities and differences in language and communication access, such as the extent of incidental learning acquired by hearing children through interaction with their external environment, for example by overhearing conversations or news on the radio
  • reflecting on similarities and differences between signed language and spoken language users when joining interactions, taking turns, using names, or passing between people who are communicating with each other
  • identifying and comparing how various emotions and different attitudes such as respect, shyness, exuberance or embarrassment are expressed across different languages and cultures
  • reflecting on the experience of interacting with hearing people in various domains online or face to face, such as after-school sports clubs, analysing these experiences in terms of their own perceptions, understandings or attitudes
  • reflecting on social attitudes and on their own reactions to observed responses to differences in behaviours or communicative styles, such as their feelings when hearing people fail to make eye contact with them during interactions in the wider community
  • reflecting on how their own ways of communicating may be interpreted when interacting with hearing people, and on how they may need to modify elements of their behaviour, such as the use of eye contact, facial expression or body language, and to consider other communication strategies such as the use of notes or gestures

  VCASFC119 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Reflecting

• VCASFU067

  Distinguish between character and observer space, categorise different verb types and identify constructed action in a text

  Elaborations

  • noticing that meaning is created in Auslan from fully-lexical signs, partly-lexical signs and non-lexical CA and gesture
  • 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)
  • recognising that in character space, signers can use locations for present referents, non-present referents, or abstract referents that do not exist in space
  • recognising that signers can give information about how a verb happens over time by changing the movement, for example, signing WATCH versus WATCH -_{for-a-long-time}, or with lexical signs such as WATCH AGAIN++
  • recognising that nouns can be pluralised by locating them repeatedly regardless of their original location
  • categorising the type of depicting sign being used by a signer
  • distinguishing between directional and locational indicating verbs
  • observing examples of CA in an Auslan text and discussing how it was marked

  VCASFU067 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFC224

  Translate and interpret short texts from Auslan to English and vice versa, noticing which concepts translate easily and which do not

  Elaborations

  • recognising that every language uses words or signs to make meaning
  • identifying aspects of Auslan which are the same in English, such as the fingerspelled alphabet
  • 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
  • shadowing a story in Auslan as a pre-interpreting skill, noticing which phrases and concepts need more unpacking
  • 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
  • translating simple filmed texts in Auslan into written English captions
  • sight translating short English texts such as news articles or short speeches into Auslan for review by their peers
  • considering the bimodal nature of Auslan–English interpreting and discussing the possibility of consecutive and simultaneous interpreting of information in communicative exchanges

  VCASFC224 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Translating

• VCASFU035

  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

  Elaborations

  • 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
  • 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
  • recognising that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ use of signed languages is culturally determined and shaped by their beliefs and values
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • identifying behaviours, rights, roles and responsibilities in relation to the ownership and maintenance of Auslan, and identifying how this ownership rests with the Deaf community and is determined by traditional social groupings/families, place, history and stories

  VCASFU035 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Understanding | Language awareness

• VCASFU124

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

  Elaborations

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

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

• VCASFU089

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

  Elaborations

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

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

• VCASFU072

  Reflect on how language use is influenced by communities’ world views and sense of identity and on how language and culture influence each other

  Elaborations

  • 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
  • exploring ways in which language choices, such as sign choices, reflect attitudes towards certain topics, for example, oralism
  • analysing how concepts related to cultural practices are expressed through language, for example, by identifying particular 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
  • 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-MANY, TAP-2H++ reflects 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 Deaf elder
  • investigating how Auslan users interact with their social and physical environment, for example, locating other signers, gravitating to spaces that are visually accessible
  • identifying culturally significant attitudes and beliefs conveyed through Auslan that relate to history, significant individuals, places or events, for example, attitudes to spoken language that reflect the history of suppression of signed languages, as in the use of signs that reference tensions between oral and signing deaf people or between hearing and deaf people, such as the sign for communication breakdown which infers lack of awareness or understanding of cultural values, beliefs and language on the part of the other party
  • 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 courts of law
  • 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
  • understanding how developing sign language literatures which recount significant journeys and events associated with the beginnings of Deaf education and the development of Deaf communities not only map history but also embody values and mores of Deaf cultures, for example, accounts of the Gallaudet and Clerc reciprocal relationship, or the US Civil War deaf soldiers’ story as told by Ben Bahan
  • exploring ways in which the production and affect related to the sign for COCHLEAR-IMPLANT have evolved over time due to shifting values and perceptions of the Deaf community in relation to the implant, noting, for example, the transition from a negative affect to more neutral production of the sign
  • researching examples of deaf leaders who have established organisations or services which met the cultural needs of their community, for example, Dorothy Shaw and Deaf Action Books, Nola Colefax and the Australian Theatre of the Deaf

  VCASFU072 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Role of language and culture

• VCASFC100

  Explore the concepts of identity, social groupings, relationships, community and place and space, and deaf people’s visual ways of being and negotiating these networks

  Elaborations

  • identifying themselves as members of different groups and describing their relationships with deaf, hard of hearing and hearing students, family members, the larger Deaf community and wider ‘hearing’ world
  • identifying and describing physical markers of identity among deaf people, such as the use of sign language and/or hearing devices such as hearing aids, cochlear implants and FM systems
  • creating a poster depicting their own family and labelling immediate and extended family members as deaf/hearing
  • identifying and discussing family names, given name/s and name signs for themselves and for others
  • exchanging views on how their individual biographies, including family origins, traditions, beliefs, communicative practices, interests and experiences, shape their sense of identity and impact on their ways of communicating
  • building an understanding of the concept of Deafhood and how each individual’s journey of identity development contributes to social relationships and to the formation of community, for example, by creating an individual identity map or a hand map
  • discussing visual ways of being, including interacting, transmitting and receiving information and behaving according to Deaf cultural values, and how these influence group learning and information sharing among Deaf people
  • investigating Deaf cultures around the world and how they shape visual ways of being, for example by considering how Deaf people from different countries and ethnic groups express shared group identity through practices such as gathering formally as a national or international community via opportunities such as Deaf film festivals; performing arts events, for example, Deaf Way; theatrical events; art exhibitions; or sporting events such as ADG, Deaflympics
  • responding to deaf people from different groups and backgrounds who visit and present about their education, families, social networks and sense of community/identity, for example by discussing similarities and differences between visitors’ reported experiences and their own lives
  • identifying the importance of place and space in the Deaf community, exploring why some places and spaces make deaf people feel comfortable or promote a sense of 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
  • identifying examples of deaf people’s visual orientation towards the world (‘people of the eye’), such as waving in space or using flashing lights to gain attention, visual applause
  • identifying their own stories, history, roles, responsibilities and links to the Deaf community and considering how these relate to their sense of identity
  • recognising that signed language is a birthright which establishes their identity with respect to the Deaf community and its traditions
  • viewing and creating accounts of their own and each other’s experience and roles in the Deaf community and identifying examples of the different ways of being deaf that they describe
  • discussing behaviour associated with cultural practices and traditions, for example, by discussing the concept of reciprocity as a manifestation of how community members share responsibility for each other’s wellbeing

  VCASFC100 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Identity

• VCASFC199

  Interact with peers at school and contacts in the wider community to build relationships, engage in debate and to discuss aspirations or social issues

  Elaborations

  • explaining or justifying positions in discussion or debate, for example, by using space and NMFs to contrast views
  • elaborating on opinions in relation to social, community or educational matters, for example, exchanging views on a newspaper article about eugenics and deaf people
  • using researched information to contribute to formal group interactions, for example, panel discussions on issues such as the roles and responsibilities of interpreters
  • 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?
  • communicating via video calls or social media platforms using Auslan in different online contexts to build relationships and share views
  • 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 …
    
  • demonstrating awareness of social sensitivities or conventions, for example by using euphemistic signs or allusions, such as TOILET, BIRTH
  • 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

  VCASFC199 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCASFU196

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

  Elaborations

  • 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
  • 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
  • understanding that greater contact between signers internationally has led to increased borrowing between sign languages, for example, signs that refer to different nation states and cities around the globe, for example, the old Auslan sign for America versus the current sign, or the ASL vehicle handshape in DSs
  • identifying changes to Auslan that reflect changes in social relationships and community attitudes, for example in relation to words/signs such as DEAF^DUMB, DISABILITY, HEARING^IMPAIRED/FS:HOH, DEAF^WORLD/DEAF^COMMUNITY, HUMAM^RIGHT
  • interviewing older members of Deaf families or Deaf communities and reporting back to the class about any differences in signing they noticed, such as more use of fingerspelled words, less use of NMFs and depicting signs, or the use of different signs, such as FILM (old sign), TOILET (old sign)
  • recognising that languages constantly expand to include new words, signs and expressions due to influences such as changing technologies and digital media, for example, COMPUTER, COMPUTER-MOUSE, INTERNET, FACEBOOK, WIFI, FS:PC, SELFIE

  VCASFU196 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCASFU070

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

  Elaborations

  • 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
  • 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
  • understanding that greater contact between signers internationally has led to increased borrowing between sign languages, for example, signs that refer to different nation states and cities around the globe, for example, the old Auslan sign for America versus the current sign, or the ASL vehicle handshape in DSs
  • identifying changes to Auslan that reflect changes in social relationships and community attitudes, for example in relation to words/signs such as DEAF^DUMB, DISABILITY, HEARING^IMPAIRED/H-O-H, DEAF^WORLD/DEAF^COMMUNITY, HUMAN^RIGHT
  • interviewing older members of Deaf families or Deaf communities and reporting back to the class about any differences in signing they noticed, such as more use of fingerspelled words, less use of NMFs and depicting signs, or the use of different signs, such as FILM (old sign), TOILET (old sign)
  • recognising that languages constantly expand to include new words, signs and expressions due to influences such as changing technologies and digital media, for example, COMPUTER, COMPUTER-MOUSE, INTERNET, FACEBOOK, WIFI, SELFIE

  VCASFU070 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCASFC218

  Collaborate with peers to plan and conduct shared events or activities such as presentations, demonstrations or transactions

  Elaborations

  • participating in games and activities such as enacting scenarios involving being lost and asking for or giving directions
  • following and giving instructions in groups on topics such as how to use video chat, Signbank or Auslan dictionaries
  • working collaboratively on learning activities that involve organising, negotiating and prioritising tasks, for example, in devising an activity or game for the class
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • participating in hypothetical scenarios that involve transactions, for example, preparing for or participating in a Deaf World workshop

  VCASFC218 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Socialising