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• VCASFC137

  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

  Elaborations

  • 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?
    
  • 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
  • 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?
  • 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

  VCASFC137 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Communicating | Reflecting

• VCASFC191

  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

  Elaborations

  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • reflecting on the concepts of insider and outsider views of the Deaf community and on their own position as second language learners of Auslan
  • 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
  • reflecting on general social attitudes and responses to differences in behaviours or communicative styles, such as those that characterise communication in Auslan
  • 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
  • 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

  VCASFC191 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Reflecting

• VCASFU161

  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
  • identifying how deaf people modify space to maximise visual attention, such as adjusting seating or removing visual obstacles
  • 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
  • recognising that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ use of signed languages is culturally determined and shaped by their beliefs and values
  • 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
  • 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 how and why some deaf children face challenges with communication in hearing families or in social settings
  • 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 the important role of deaf families and deaf schools in preserving and maintaining Auslan and cultural identity
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

  VCASFU161 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Understanding | Language awareness

• VCASFU012

  Recognise the main formational elements of handshape, movement and location in Auslan signs, and understand that a sign is the same as a spoken or written word even though it can be iconic

  Elaborations

  • noticing the handshape of individual signs, and identifying signs that are made with a particular handshape, for example, COCKATOO (hs:5) and SOCCER (hs:fist)
  • recognising that signs are categorised by the handshape at the start of the sign
  • understanding that signs can be organised by handshape, for example in Johnston’s Auslan dictionaries or localised handshape dictionaries in schools, and that this is useful if an English word for a sign is not known
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • 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
  • 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
  • recognising that unlike English, which can be spoken or written, signed languages are not usually written down but occur ‘through the air’
  • experimenting with different methods of capturing the signed language, such as: a class-invented script, drawing pictures, videoing, English glosses or ASL-phabet

  VCASFU012 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU054

  Reflect on how communities’ ways of using language are shaped by and reflect cultural values and beliefs, and how these may be differently interpreted by users of other languages

  Elaborations

  • explaining the role of Auslan and Deaf culture in maintaining, reflecting and strengthening the Deaf community and its networks and significant places
  • 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 reflects cultural values placed on fluency
  • identifying the cultural importance of different 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 the positioning of communication partners
  • identifying cultural differences between the use of personal names in Auslan and other languages, such as the fact that Auslan signers do not use a person’s name when addressing them directly as do users of many spoken languages
  • 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
  • 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
  • exploring ways in which deaf people’s art incorporates sign language motifs and images as forms of cultural expression
  • analysing stories about deaf people’s history for the ways in which they embody cultural values and information, for example accounts of Thomas Pattison, FJ Rose and William Thomson establishing the first schools for deaf children

  VCASFU054 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Understanding | Role of language and culture

• VCASFU198

  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
  • reflecting on ways that Auslan describes and reflects Deaf culture, comparing this to the relationship between their own hearing/background language and culture
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

  VCASFU198 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Role of language and culture

• VCASFU126

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

  Elaborations

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

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

• VCASFU216

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

  Elaborations

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

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

• VCASFC145

  Communicate with each other and with teachers about aspects of their personal worlds, daily routines, preferences and pastimes

  Elaborations

  • 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?
    
  • 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.
    
  • recounting classroom events using some indicating, plain and depicting verbs
  • 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.
    
  • 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.
    
  • interacting with members of the Deaf community to share details of their personal worlds
  • 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.
    

  VCASFC145 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCASFC183

  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

  Elaborations

  • 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.
    
  • 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.
    
  • 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 …?
    
  • extending discussion or debate by asking follow-up questions, clarifying their own contributions or suggesting relevant comparisons
  • 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
  • adjusting styles of communication according to situation, for example, getting someone’s attention for a non-urgent matter versus an emergency situation
  • 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
  • sharing responsibility for providing information and context for a new participant joining a conversation

  VCASFC183 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCASFC118

  Identify and analyse ways in which deaf people behave and relate within society as a distinct social group as ‘people of the eye’, demonstrate responsibility for connections between the Deaf community and the wider ‘hearing’ society, and for culturally rich and appropriate places and spaces

  Elaborations

  • using a vlog journal entry to discuss how having peers who share the same language provides a social bond and builds confidence
  • identifying characteristics of deaf people’s visual awareness, such as good observation of body language and heightened alertness to hazards in the environment while walking/driving and signing
  • comparing strategies used by deaf and hearing adults to negotiate physical environments, for example, different behaviours at a bank of lifts, identifying how deaf people draw on additional perceptual resources in ways hearing people are unaware of
  • exploring technologies used by deaf people to communicate visually, such as videoconferencing apps, to support social networks and to strengthen a sense of individual or shared identity
  • investigating ways in which a sense of confidence in relation to identity influences awareness and a capacity for advocacy for Deaf rights, for example in relation to issues such as the provision of interpreters or captioning
  • discussing how their sense of identity may shift according to context and situation, and how as people mature they learn to manage ‘multiple identities’ in relation to different elements of experience, such as background ethnicity and culture and Deaf identity culture
  • identifying strategies used by deaf people to negotiate the hearing world, such as travelling with paper and pen or smart phone to take notes
  • using the concept of Deafhood to map and communicate their own journeys of identity development, for example, their identification with particular Deaf role models, and considering the role identity plays in contributing to individual, peer group and community health and wellbeing
  • engaging with deaf visitors from different groups and backgrounds about their experiences in the Deaf community, for example by interviewing the visitors and recording their responses
  • using drawings, photos or presentations to describe characteristic features of Deaf spaces beyond the classroom, such as removal of visual obstacles to signed communication, circles or semicircles for meeting and learning spaces, open-plan areas, lighting and window placement to maximise visual access to information
  • documenting and discussing places of importance to the Deaf community, such as Deaf schools, and understanding the value of these based on stories by elders and excursions to sites of significance
  • responding to elders' guidance on how cultural values, beliefs and traditions are connected through shared life experience and visual ways of being, and how they are demonstrated in community behaviour and interactions with the wider community
  • describing ways in which they can take responsibility for increasing others’ awareness of their communication and learning preferences, for example in the classroom and with extended family
  • exploring the concept of ‘Deaf gain’ and identifying examples of how wider society may ‘gain’ from the Deaf community, for example, benefits of captioning for other sectors of the broader community, such as elderly people or newly arrived migrants
  • discussing their sense of responsibility for each other as members of the Deaf community, and the need to support younger deaf individuals in the community

  VCASFC118 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Identity

• VCASFU252

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

  Elaborations

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

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

• VCASFU071

  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

  Elaborations

  • 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
  • analysing the impact of migration and settlement of deaf people from the UK and other countries in Australia 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
  • considering the contemporary influences and pressures on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander signed languages and how these may affect their vitality
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • understanding the challenges faced by Auslan and other signed languages due to intergenerational disjunction in language transmission
  • 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
  • identifying contexts and circumstances that support increased usage and acceptance of newly coined Auslan terms, for example, a workplace with several deaf employees
  • 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

  VCASFU071 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Language awareness

• VCASFU102

  Identify and describe all elements of sign production, including handshape and its orientation, movement, location and non-manual features and understand that signs can look like what they represent

  Elaborations

  • realising that meaning is communicated through the use of signs, pictures, written or spoken words or miming
  • identifying the handshape of a sign, for example, COCKATOO (hs:5, palm left) and SOCCER (hs:fist, palm towards signer) and identifying signs of a particular handshape
  • identifying and demonstrating signs with a change in handshape, for example FIND or BEST
  • identifying and demonstrating signs with a change in orientation, for example CAN-NOT or HOW
  • 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)
  • describing how the movement changes between groups of related numbers, for example, 5, 15, 50, 5th)
  • 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)
  • understanding that NMFs are important in sign language for showing feelings of the signer or others
  • identifying single, double and two-handed signs, and recognising which hand is dominant (the pen hand) and which is non-dominant (paper) within two-handed signs
  • 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
  • understanding that signs can be organised by handshape, for example in Johnston’s Auslan dictionaries or localised handshape dictionaries in schools, and that this is useful if an English word for a sign is not known
  • recognising that some signs are iconic, that is, provide a visual image of a referent, for example, HOUSE, TREE, DRINK, ELEPHANT, and that some are not, such as SISTER, WHY, SIMPLE
  • experimenting with different methods of capturing the signed language, such as: a class-invented script, drawing pictures, videoing, English glosses or ASL-phabet

  VCASFU102 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Systems of language

• 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

• VCASFC082

  Identify ways in which deaf people relate to and are perceived by society as ‘people of the eye’, how they demonstrate connections with culturally rich places and associations, and how their sense of identity, roles and responsibilities change over time

  Elaborations

  • discussing the notion of ‘Deaf eyes’ and the capacity of deaf people to determine the deaf/hearing status of others in their environment based on eye behaviour
  • considering how deaf people are perceived to be more observant and more astute visually, for example, as drivers, in sports or in terms of visual memory, comparing anecdotal findings and documented research on this issue
  • discussing how identity may shift depending on what is most salient in any context or setting, and how as people mature they learn to navigate ‘multiple identities’ in relation to different elements of their experience, such as background ethnicity and culture and Deaf identity/culture
  • reflecting on the concept of Deafhood as it applies to and informs life choices made by young Deaf people, for example in relation to social group participation, communication preferences, ways of identifying, describing and introducing themselves to others
  • considering how relationships between changing technology and Deaf people are managed to express and to reflect identity, for example, the rejection of hearing devices or, alternatively, highlighting them with colour or prominent placement
  • considering whether a strong sense of shared identity influences the capacity for awareness and advocacy for Deaf people’s rights
  • discussing how social groups such as Deaf communities form intergenerational patterns that determine relationships and shape behaviours, for example, by interviewing a member of a Deaf family of two or more generations
  • investigating ways the Deaf ecosystem works and the reciprocal nature of relationships in some Deaf communities, for example in business or professional domains, and the contribution this ecosystem makes to collective identity
  • discussing how the Deaf community expresses different elements of their identity, for example through behaviours associated with Deaf spaces, greetings and introductions which illustrate community status and affiliation
  • investigating how a strong sense of identity impacts on social and emotional health and wellbeing by exploring the available research on wellbeing and identity in deaf people
  • identifying and describing intersections between national and international Deaf communities and organisations, and how these contribute to a transnational sense of belonging, for example, by evaluating shared experiences by viewing online texts produced by deaf people in different countries
  • comparing changing values and status of place and space in different international Deaf communities, for example, the loss of Deaf clubs or closure of Deaf schools, and reflecting on the implications of these changes over time for Deaf identity
  • responding to different philosophical and social views about deafness, considering the impact of varying attitudes on a deaf person’s developing identity
  • discussing ways in which the philosophy of ‘Deaf gain’ can be applied to personal circumstances, such as classroom accommodations and sporting participation
  • summarising elements of elders' guidance on how cultural values, beliefs and traditions are expressed and connected through shared experience of visual ways of being, providing examples of how these are demonstrated in community behaviour and in interactions with the wider community
  • describing and comparing their personal sense of social responsibility towards their Deaf community, for example as demonstrated through attending, organising or volunteering at festivals, camps or youth groups
  • exploring the wider political landscape of the Deaf community as it impacts on individual and community identity, for example, by identifying the impact of activism and Deaf empowerment movements such as the Deaf President Now campaign at Gallaudet University, a ‘Deaf place’, in effecting change and strengthening Deaf communities’ connection to ‘place’

  VCASFC082 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Identity

• VCASFC003

  Participate in classroom routines and activities such as following directions, attracting attention, responding to questions and turn-taking

  Elaborations

  • recognising their own and their classmates’ fingerspelled names used in games or routines such as roll call
  • asking for help, offering assistance or requesting permission in polite ways, for example:
    PLEASE HELP-_me?
    Can you help me, please?
    CAN SHARE?
    Can we share these?
    
  • demonstrating attentive watching across a range of school contexts, such as assemblies or classroom discussions
  • following instructions for class routines, for example:
    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 PRO1
    Look to the front.
    
  • gaining others’ attention in appropriate ways, relying less on tap and more on other strategies, and responding to others’ attempts to gain their attention
  • following protocols such as stopping when lights are flashed, and observing appropriate distance between signers
  • learning to be a supportive group discussion member, for example by asking relevant questions, providing feedback, prompting, using NMFs to indicate agreement or disagreement
  • formulating different kinds of open and closed questions, including WHEN, WHY and HOW questions
  • signing appropriately to maintain or change a topic, to remain on task and take turns
  • interacting with each other or the teacher by using eye gaze and other NMFs to indicate agreement/disagreement or understanding/lack of understanding
  • negotiating turn-taking, for example:
    PRO1 FIRST YOUR-TURN
    It’s my turn first, then your turn.
    
  • watching, remembering and responding to increasingly complex instructions of two or more steps, for example by moving or locating objects in the classroom
  • using the appropriate NMFs for asking questions and making statements when interacting in small groups

  VCASFC003 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCASFC165

  Communicate appropriately while involved in shared learning activities by asking and responding to questions, managing interactions, indicating understanding and monitoring learning

  Elaborations

  • responding to signed class and school announcements such as assembly procedures
  • 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?
    
  • 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
    
  • 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
  • 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.
    
  • following appropriate protocols when interacting with interpreters, for example not standing between the interpreter and the deaf person
  • 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

  VCASFC165 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCASFU197

  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

  Elaborations

  • 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
  • analysing the impact of migration and settlement of deaf people from the UK and other countries in Australia, 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
  • considering the contemporary influences and pressures on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander signed languages and how these may affect their vitality
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • exploring the role of deafblind people in the Deaf community
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • understanding the challenges faced by Auslan and other signed languages due to intergenerational disjunction in language transmission
  • 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
  • identifying contexts and circumstances that support increased usage and acceptance of newly coined Auslan terms, for example, a workplace with several deaf employees
  • recognising reasons for the shared sense of identity of sign language users and the notion of reciprocity in the Deaf community
  • 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
  • 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

  VCASFU197 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Language awareness

• VCASFU090

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

  Elaborations

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

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