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• VCASFU144

  Notice that people use language in ways that reflect their culture, such as where and how they live, who they live with and what is important to them

  Elaborations

  • recognising that people from different places and backgrounds may use different languages and have ways of living and communicating that differ from their own
  • appreciating that culture and cultural difference means that people may value different things or live differently, noticing observable examples of such difference, such as ways of greeting (bowing versus shaking hands) or conveying information (through words versus signs)
  • exploring how learning Auslan involves entering into a visual world or culture, for example by exploring different connections with physical space, such as being able to communicate through windows, or from a distance
  • exploring how deaf people live in ways that may be different from how hearing people live, for example by responding to stimulus questions such as How do deaf people ensure they can always see other people who are signing? How do deaf people watch movies or television programs?
  • recognising the importance of facial expression, eye gaze and NMFs in conveying information in a visual-gestural language and culture
  • recognising the importance of community and culture in relation to their own lives and communities and in relation to other language groups and their communities

  VCASFU144 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Role of language and culture

• VCASFC064

  Explore the relationship between identity, community and visual ways of being and the nature and significance of relationship between people, culture and place/space

  Elaborations

  • creating and comparing individual biographies, including elements such as family origins, traditions, beliefs, experiences, and considering how these influence their sense of identity
  • identifying elements of visual awareness in deaf people, such as good observation skills of body language and alertness to hazards in the environment while walking/driving and signing
  • describing how the concept of Deafhood applies to them and to others by evaluating texts and media portrayals of deaf identity
  • discussing visual ways of transmitting and receiving information and how these influence group learning and information sharing among Deaf people
  • exploring how Deaf cultures around the world build shared group identity, for example through gathering formally as national and international communities through activities such as Deaf film festivals, performing arts or sporting events such as Deaf Way, Australian Deaf Games, Deaflympics
  • discussing when and how they learnt Auslan and how this contributed to their sense of identity
  • analysing ways in which Deaf people design and adapt spaces in cultural ways (‘Deaf space’), for example, by eliminating visual obstacles to signed communication; using circles or semicircles for meeting and learning spaces; 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
  • considering how accounts by different deaf visitors to the classroom of their lives, work, education, interests and experience reflect a sense of identity and relationship with Auslan and Deaf culture
  • identifying ways in which members of the Deaf community demonstrate responsibility for relationships within the community and between it and the wider ‘hearing’ society, for example, describing past learning from deaf adults or other deaf peers about navigating relationships
  • investigating and explaining connections between rules, culture and community, identifying how these are demonstrated in Deaf culture through visual ways of being and using language, for example, exploring the values and beliefs which influence observable behaviours and social rules
  • suggesting how reciprocity works in relation to community members sharing responsibility for each other’s wellbeing, comparing examples of how they themselves negotiate relationships with each other and look out for each other
  • exploring the concept of ‘Deaf gain’ and providing examples of how wider society may ‘gain’ from the Deaf community, for example the benefits of captioning for groups such as elderly people or newly arrived migrants
  • describing how the Deaf community maintains Deaf places and keeps them relevant to new generations, for example by acknowledging Deaf pioneers in the naming of places and identifying historical links with places
  • discussing with elders how patterns of ownership and management of Deaf spaces and places impact on the Deaf community
  • describing their experience of moving between English and Auslan, comparing how this feels and considering changes in their sense of identity when communicating in either language
  • sharing their understandings of Deafhood and Deaf gain with Deaf elders and comparing these the elders’ views on these concepts

  VCASFC064 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Identity

• VCASFC172

  Demonstrate understanding of the nature of identity in relation to themselves and to members of the Deaf community

  Elaborations

  • describing key milestones or important influences in their lives, including people, events, experiences, community traditions or travel experiences, explaining how these have helped shape their sense of identity and their perspectives
  • viewing a series of Auslan identity stories, such as those found in the Griffith University Introduction to Deaf Studies Unit 1 set, comparing their own experiences to those described by deaf children and adults in the footage
  • making and sharing ‘hand identity charts’ to illustrate similarities and differences in how students define themselves or may be defined by others, using sketches of signs or gloss in the fingers of the chart and views of others outside the handshape
  • identifying Deaf community identities associated with significant places, such as Martha Overend Wilson and the sites of the former Queensland Adult Deaf and Dumb Mission, or Eugene Salas and the original South Australian Deaf Society/Mission building

  VCASFC172 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Communicating | Identity

• VCASFC109

  Describe activities and experiences and share and respond to ideas and feelings about people they know, their daily lives, social worlds and school community

  Elaborations

  • recounting classroom events using indicating, plain and depicting verbs, for example:
    MONDAY PRO1-_plural DS:many-people-go-to SPORT DAY. PRO1 ENJOY
    We all went to a sports day on Monday. I enjoyed it.
  • describing the appearance of people, objects and places using SASS depicting signs and spatial location
  • recounting personal experiences using specific time-related signs and conjunctions, such as:
    LAST HOLIDAYS PRO1 CAMP
    Last holidays I went camping.
  • describing activities they have completed using some verb modifications to show manner, for example:
    PRO1 WRITE-_carelessly
    I wrote it very quickly.
  • interacting with members of the Deaf community to share details of their personal world
  • describing relationships between themselves and members of their school community, for example:
    PRO3 POSS1 BEST FRIEND
    She’s my best friend.
    M-R-S S-M-I-T-H POSS1 SCIENCE TEACHER
    Mrs Smith is my science teacher.
  • recounting events involving more than one person using constructed action
  • describing events that they have experienced and how they made them feel, for example:
    MONDAY DEAF PERSON VISIT SCHOOL PRO1 EXCITED MEET
    On Monday a Deaf visitor came to school. I was excited to meet them.
    MOVIE SCARY BUT PRO1 LIKE
    The movie was scary but I liked it.
  • comparing attributes or characteristics of classmates or classroom objects, for example:
    S-A-M RUN FAST C-H-R-I-S WORSE FAST SPEED
    Sam runs fast but Chris runs the fastest.
    THAT BEST COMPUTER
    That’s the best computer.
    
  • comparing weekend or holiday routines, interests and activities, using signs associated with time, sequence and location, for example:
    REGULAR SUMMER PRO1-_plural GROUP-MOVE-TO COUNTRY STAY++ TWO WEEK
    We go to the beach for three weeks in summer.
    WEEKEND PRO1 GO-TO-AND-BACK++ CAMP
    I go camping on weekends.
    

  VCASFC109 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCASFU018

  Understand that people use language in ways that reflect their culture, such as where and how they live, who they live with and what is important to them

  Elaborations

  • recognising that people from different places and backgrounds may use different languages and have ways of living and communicating that differ from their own
  • appreciating that culture and cultural difference means that people may value different things or live differently, and noticing observable examples of such difference, such as ways of greeting (bowing versus shaking hands) or conveying information (through words versus signs)
  • exploring how hearing people live in ways that may be different from how deaf people live, for example by responding to stimuli such as: Compare how deaf and hearing people know someone is at the front door. or How do deaf and hearing people wake up in the morning?
  • recognising the importance of facial expression, eye gaze and non-manual features in conveying information in a visual-gestural language and culture
  • recognising the importance of language, community and culture in relation to their own lives and in relation to other language groups and their communities
  • considering how some spaces make deaf people feel comfortable, for example, contexts where distance between signers allows for easy visual access

  VCASFU018 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Role of language and culture

• VCASFU017

  Recognise that Auslan is a legitimate language, one of many languages used in Australia and around the world

  Elaborations

  • identifying different languages used by their classmates or members of their families, for example by creating a class profile or language map
  • exploring similarities and differences between the many languages used in Australia and represented in the school, including spoken and signed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, and comparing the ways different languages use writing, sound/speech, gestures, drawings, art and signs to communicate
  • recognising the unique nature of signed languages and understanding that there are many different signed languages in use around the world, including in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and that there is not one ‘universal’ signed language
  • recognising that Auslan is a legitimate language, different from mime and gestures such as those used to accompany songs in spoken languages

  VCASFU017 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Language awareness

• VCASFU233

  Develop awareness of the sociocultural context, nature and status of Auslan and of the Deaf community in multilingual Australia

  Elaborations

  • identifying the importance of place and space in the Deaf community, exploring why some places and spaces ensure that a visual language is more accessible to deaf people and promotes a sense of cultural belonging, for example by identifying factors that make a classroom ‘Deaf friendly’, such as U-shape seating, minimisation of window glare/reflection, good lighting and acoustics, flashing lights, suitable interpreter location
  • identifying examples of deaf people’s visual orientation towards the world, such as using visual applause or being astute in reading body language
  • describing how and why deaf people use vibrating devices to alert them to alarms or information, or have flashing lights for the door, phone, alarm clock, baby cry alarm and other systems
  • understanding cultural values associated with the conferring of name signs on those such as second language learners of Auslan who are joining the Deaf community
  • explaining the role and function of Auslan–English interpreters and Deaf interpreters and the access and opportunities they provide
  • identifying and describing physical markers of identity among deaf people, including the use of sign language and/or hearing devices such as hearing aids, cochlear implants and FM systems
  • exploring variation in Auslan fluency among their classmates and members of the Deaf community, identifying the influence of variables such as where and when people learnt to sign and whether they are from a deaf or hearing family
  • investigating how Auslan and Deaf culture are promoted in the wider community, for example through the influence of organisations such as Deaf Australia; the work of high-profile individuals such as activists or actors; or through events such as NWDP Deaf Festival, Australian Deaf Games or Deaf art exhibitions
  • understanding the nature of the transmission of Auslan, for example how in most cases Auslan is not passed on from parent to child but often from child to child, or to children by adults outside the family, and knowing that some Deaf people learn Auslan as a late acquired language in early adulthood
  • exploring the nature of multilingualism in the Deaf community, including the use of Auslan, English and other signed and spoken languages, considering how and when people typically switch between languages and dialects
  • investigating the use of digital technology/communication by Auslan users, for example, social media, SMS/texting and NRS and VRS, discussing how these modes of communication impact on issues such as accessibility and communication between members of the Deaf community
  • investigating communication methods used by deaf and hard of hearing members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
  • discussing behaviour associated with cultural practices, language and traditions, for example, by discussing the concept of reciprocity as a manifestation of how community members share responsibility for each other’s wellbeing, or the value placed on the use of sign language for shared understanding and trust

  VCASFU233 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Language awareness

• VCASFU143

  Recognise that Auslan is a legitimate language, one of many languages used in Australia and around the world

  Elaborations

  • identifying different languages used by their classmates or members of their families, for example by creating a class profile or language map
  • exploring similarities and differences between the many languages used in Australia and represented in the school, including spoken and signed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, and comparing the ways different languages use writing, sound/speech, gestures, drawings, art and signs to communicate
  • recognising the unique nature of signed languages and understanding that there are many different signed languages in use around the world, including in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and that there is not one ‘universal’ signed language
  • recognising that Auslan is a legitimate language, different from mime and gestures such as those used to accompany songs in spoken languages
  • exploring why and how some people are deaf, and identifying different ways that they access language; and investigating the use of hearing aids, FM systems or cochlear implants

  VCASFU143 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Language awareness

• VCASFU014

  Recognise that groups of words combine to make clauses and include nouns and pronouns (people, places, things), adjectives (qualities) and verbs (happenings, states); and distinguish between statements and questions based on non-manual features

  Elaborations

  • categorising noun signs into those for people, animals, places or things
  • understanding that proper nouns can have a sign name or be fingerspelled
  • knowing that adjectives describe nouns in different ways, such as how they look (BIG or RED), feel (SOFT or HOT), smell (SMELLY) or sound (LOUD)
  • identifying verb signs (SIT, EAT, FEEL, WONDER, HAVE) and recognising that they are central to a clause
  • recognising that there is no verb ‘to be’ in Auslan
  • understanding that a clause is one or more signs expressing a single idea and that a clause has at least one verb, but often one or more nouns as well, for example,
    CALL-_him
    I called him.
    MAN THERE GO-TO POSS3 HOUSE
    That man went to his house.
    BIG MONSTER SCREAM
    A big monster screamed.
    
  • recognising different nouns in clauses, including those that are shown with a pointing sign, such as GIRL READ versus PRO3 READ, or VISIT FRIEND versus VISIT PRO3
  • noticing that Auslan has more flexibility in word order than English
  • distinguishing between clauses that are statements and those that are questions
  • knowing that signing involves either telling with signs or showing with DSs and periods of constructed action (CA)
    MAN WALK SLOW
    DS(point):man-walks-slowly
    CA:man-swinging-arms-nonchalantly
    

  VCASFU014 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Systems of language

• 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

• 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

• 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

• VCASFC043

  Create live or filmed performances that engage specific audiences and present imagined experiences, people or places

  Elaborations

  • working collaboratively to create a filmed episode of a pilot for a new Deaf sitcom, incorporating elements such as conflict, suspense or humour
  • creating and performing imaginary scenarios that reflect experiences in their own lives
  • creating a performance for a class or school talent show, such as a signed song, skit or humorous retelling of an anecdote
  • signing different versions of a familiar short story, changing perspectives according to different characters
  • creating original stories or short plays for younger learners of Auslan, incorporating scene-setting, action/conflict and resolution, and including opportunities for audience participation
  • creating a video record of an imagined formal or informal interview, incorporating elements of humour or tension and building character and mood through the use of NMFs and pauses
  • creating additional dimensions or changing the focus of a fictional experience by varying the use of manner, constructed action, space and aspect
  • participating in a class storytelling competition, conforming to conventions of character perspective and relationship with audience
  • creating amusing reinterpretations or spoofs of traditional fairytales, using exaggerated elements of sign and gesture
  • improvising spontaneous responses to a stimulus such as 'Sixty Seconds to Make the Audience Laugh, Cry …'

  VCASFC043 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Communicating | Creating

• VCASFU215

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

  Elaborations

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

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

• VCASFC115

  Create or adapt imaginative texts and live or filmed expressive performances that involve imagined experiences and feature different characters, amusing experiences or special effects

  Elaborations

  • participating in games and activities that focus on depicting the appearance and characteristics of people, animals or objects and their relationships
  • working collaboratively to create and present signed skits to entertain a targeted audience
  • re-enacting individual short stories or wordless animations that include two or more characters and their interactions through the use of constructed action
  • reinterpreting creative texts for effect, for example by changing emotions or movements through the use of NMFs and manner
  • using ‘visual vernacular’ to enact short scenarios involving imaginary characters, contexts and objects, by employing a range of depicting signs and constructed action
  • choreographing and performing a creative text (dance, signed song, poem), incorporating Auslan and focusing on matching timing, beat and rhythm
  • performing stories for a live audience with a focus on the visual communication of emotion and humour
  • creating the next scene, a new character or an alternative ending for a signed fable, short story or cartoon
  • creating original handshape poetry to present at a school assembly or community festival
  • creating a video record of an imagined formal or informal interview, incorporating elements of humour or tension and building character and mood through the use of NMFs and pauses

  VCASFC115 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Creating

• 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

• Languages | Auslan: Learning in Auslan

  Auslan (Australian Sign Language) is the language of the Deaf community of Australia and is descended from British Sign Language (BSL). Auslan and other signed languages around the world are fully-fledged languages that are visual-gestural in nature. They have a complete set of linguistic...

  Overview material | Auslan

• VCASFU234

  Explore connections between language, identity and cultural practices, values and beliefs and the expression of these connections in Auslan

  Elaborations

  • recognising that people from different places and backgrounds may use different languages and have ways of living and communicating that differ from their own
  • appreciating that culture and cultural difference means that people may value different things or live differently, noticing observable examples of such difference, such as ways of greeting (bowing versus shaking hands) or conveying information (through words versus signs)
  • exploring how deaf people live in ways that may be different from how hearing people live and that they are primarily visual, for example by responding to stimulus questions such as How do deaf people ensure they can always see other people who are signing?
  • recognising the importance of facial expression, eye gaze and non-manual features in conveying information in a visual-gestural language and culture
  • exploring the nature of culture as an essential part of human life, understanding that it is shared, passed on between generations and is closely connected to language and identity
  • understanding that culture is more than the visible aspects of people’s lives; that it also includes invisible elements such as beliefs and values, how people think about themselves and others, how they relate to their social and physical environments; and considering how this understanding applies to users of Auslan
  • recognising that in each culture there are general rules for what to say and do, when, where and with whom, and that these rules differ from culture to culture, for example, the Deaf culture places greater importance on eye contact than cultures that communicate through spoken languages
  • identifying the importance of signing space and proxemics in Auslan, particularly in relation to a person passing between two signers, or to the positioning of communication partners
  • recognising that shared experiences shape cultural values in Auslan as in other cultures, for example the experience of deaf children being excluded from family and social discourse during dinner table conversations or social events gives rise to the value placed in the Deaf community on ensuring inclusivity and sharing information with each other
  • recognising the importance of community and culture in relation to their own lives and communities and in relation to other language groups and their communities
  • recognising the role of the Deaf community and its networks and significant places in maintaining, reflecting and strengthening Auslan and Deaf culture

  VCASFU234 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Role of language and culture

• VCASFC083

  Reflect on the experience of learning and using Auslan formally in school, and considering how intercultural communication involves shared responsibility for making meaning

  Elaborations

  • reflecting and reporting on how learning Auslan formally in school provides insights into the general nature of language and culture as well as an explicit means of interpreting the world in which they live
  • considering the relationship that exists between language, culture and issues of access and identity, and the significance of issues of discrimination, inclusion and exclusion
  • keeping a journal of experiences (humorous, satisfying or challenging) associated with using Auslan in school and in wider community contexts, noting changes in their responses and reflections over time and comparing insights gained through interactions with other languages and cultures
  • considering the layers of intercultural complexity and depth in the Deaf community, for example in relation to the insider/outsider concept or the role of deaf members of deaf families, and reflecting on their own position within such frameworks
  • sharing and comparing cultural and intercultural experiences and capabilities in different signed and spoken/written languages including Auslan, and identifying benefits of using more than one language, such as a larger repertoire of communication strategies, additional insights and perspectives, opportunities for new experiences
  • reflecting on their experience of living and communicating in a visual world and on particular challenges and benefits they have experienced
  • discussing how intercultural communication is a two-way process which involves shared responsibility for meaning-making and ensuring understanding

  VCASFC083 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Reflecting

• VCASFU107

  Develop awareness of the sociocultural context, nature and status of Auslan and of the Deaf community in Australia and the impact of this on language change

  Elaborations

  • identifying where and when different people learnt to sign and whether they are from deaf or hearing families
  • exploring and providing possible explanations for variation in Auslan fluency among their classmates and members of the Deaf community
  • understanding the nature of the transmission of Auslan, for example, how in most cases Auslan is not passed on from parent to child, but from child to child (horizontal language transmission) or to children by deaf adults outside the family
  • investigating the use of digital technology/communication by Auslan users, for example, social media, SMS/texting and NRS and VRS, discussing how these modes of communication impact on accessibility and communication for members of the Deaf community
  • considering ways that Auslan is evolving due to different influences, including the capacity for new technologies to store, record and share sign languages
  • discussing the degree to which their classroom/school is an Auslan-accessible and Deaf-friendly environment, and how this might be further enhanced
  • investigating how Auslan and Deaf culture are promoted in the wider community, for example through the influence of organisations such as Deaf Australia, high-profile individuals such as activists or actors or events such as NWDP, Deaf festivals, Australian Deaf Games or Deaf art exhibitions

  VCASFU107 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Language awareness