Search results

Result list

• VCASFU141

  Understand that texts are made up of units of meaning such as groups of words or sentences and that different types of texts have different features that help serve their purpose

  Elaborations

  • recognising that texts are created to achieve different purposes, for example some texts tell stories or entertain while others give information
  • noticing differences in facial expressions of a signer when presenting different types of text, for example a procedure versus a narrative

  VCASFU141 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU068

  Understand that utterances in Auslan can consist of a mix of gestural and signed components, and that non-manual features are often used to link clauses into equal or unequal relationships

  Elaborations

  • recognising the nature and function of word classes and understanding that the context of the sign is important and Auslan signs will not always have the same word class as an English word, for example, adjectives can act like verbs in Auslan, for example, PRO3 BIG
  • recognising that some verbs and nouns use the same sign but change the movement in a regular way making noun-verb pairs, such as SCISSORS versus CUT-WITH-SCISSORS
  • being able to describe various types of clauses and recognising that these often co-occur with particular NMFs, such as questions, topicalised sentences, negation or conditionals
  • analysing yes/no questions and wh- questions to identify how NMFs and particular lexical signs are used to make each type of question
  • recognising how NMFs can create emphasis or stress
  • recognising that clauses can be joined by conjunctions to make longer sentences and these conjunctions can be shown with separate signs, such as PLUS or THEN, or NMFs, for example by pausing between clauses
  • noticing with support, when signers are using composite utterances, that is, those that have elements of CA, DSs, points and DSs, and fully-lexical signs in the same utterance
  • identifying clauses that are linked equally and unequally, where one clause depends on another

  VCASFU068 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU229

  Recognise and restrict signing to the standard signing space, and understand that pronouns, depicting signs and verbs can be located meaningfully in that space to show participants in a process

  Elaborations

  • describing the range of signing space in normal signed discourse
  • recognising that non-body-anchored nouns can be located in space and identifying instances of this
  • comparing and contrasting Auslan and English pronouns, in particular noticing that Auslan pronouns don’t show gender but they can show location and a specific number of referents, for example, WE2 (inclusive) and WE3 (inclusive) or WE2-NOT-INCLUDING-YOU (exclusive)
  • discussing the functions of different pointing signs, such as pronouns, determiners, locatives
  • noticing that enacting a role or modifying the beginning and end locations of some verbs can show the referents involved, for example:
    PRO1 ASK PRO3 versus PRO1 ASK-_her
    PRO3 ASK-_me CA:I-was-shocked
    
  • identifying what sorts of things can be represented in a DS by a particular handshape, for example a distant person, pole or tree can be represented by a point handshape, and a cylinder can be traced by a C handshape
  • identifying examples of DSs in an Auslan text, and recognising that handshape and movement represent different things in each type of DS, for example:
    • entity DSs: the handshape is an object or person, and the movement is the movement or location of that object or person
    • handling DSs: the handshape represents a person’s hands touching or moving another object, and the movement shows how the hands move
    • SASS DSs: the handshape and movement outline the shape or size of something

  VCASFU229 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU159

  Understand how signers make different language choices in different types of texts and compare this with English versions of text types, and notice how texts build cohesion

  Elaborations

  • recognising that texts are made up of one or more clauses, which have one or more signs in them and which together make meaning
  • discussing and comparing the purposes of familiar texts such as class discussions or stories
  • comparing a short text in Auslan with an equivalent English text, noticing similarities and differences in their structure and language features
  • observing how texts build cohesion, for example by using different signs to refer to the same person

  VCASFU159 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU195

  Expand understanding of grammatical features and cohesive devices used in a range of personal, informative and imaginative texts designed to suit different audiences, contexts and purposes

  Elaborations

  • noticing that differing purposes in text creation result in differing types and amounts of signing, for example, the amount of fingerspelling used in a public lecture compared to in a private conversation
  • identifying linguistic structures and features typically associated with texts such as casual conversations, for example the use of back-channels or hesitations
  • applying knowledge of the choices a signer can make in texts, for example by comparing two signers’ texts about the same topic and evaluating the different choices they have made in terms of enacting through DSs or CA
  • analysing the effect of a signer’s use of pausing in a description or information report
  • noticing how signers construct cohesive and coherent texts through the use of text connectives such as BUT and G:WELL to create links between clauses

  VCASFU195 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU210

  Understand the perceptual and articulatory reasons for the structure of signs, consider limitations of glossing and explore how video annotation software can improve transcription

  Elaborations

  • noticing limitations on perception of signed languages, such as the more limited space for signed communication compared to space for mime
  • exploring perceptual and articulatory reasons why some handshapes are more common than others
  • understanding that the elements of a sign can be arbitrary (for example, the handshape or movement of the sign WHY) or meaningful, such as the movement and the handshape in the sign GIVE
  • beginning to identify and describe metaphorical iconicity, for example, LOVE, AVOID/RESIST, and discussing how it relates to metaphors in English, for example the ‘time as space’ metaphor in both languages
  • applying knowledge of iconicity in signed languages, for example how the path movement of a verb can be a metaphor for the timing of an action, for example PRO1 WAIT-_{for-a-long-time} PRO2, observing that English can do the same with changes to the length of phonemes, for example, I screeeeeeaaaaaamed!
  • evaluating video annotation software such as ELAN as a tool to assist in the transcription and analysis of signed languages
  • glossing a text, including identifying which signs are used, and transcribing DSs and periods of CA

  VCASFU210 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• 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

• 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

• VCASFU103

  Recognise and restrict signing to the standard signing space, and understand that particular signs, depicting signs, some verbs, enacting and pronouns make use of spatial relationships

  Elaborations

  • describing the range of signing space in normal signed discourse
  • recognising that non-body-anchored nouns can be located in the signing space and identifying instances of this
  • noticing that Auslan pronouns are different from English because they don’t show gender but they can show the location and a specific number of referents, for example, WE2 (inclusive) and WE3 (inclusive) or WE2-NOT-INLCLUDING-YOU (exclusive)
  • noticing that a point can refer to a person, place or thing
  • noticing that enacting a role or modifying the beginning and end locations of some verbs can show the referents involved, for example:
    PRO1 ASK PRO3 versus PRO1 ASK-_her
    PRO3 ASK-_me CA:I-was-shocked
    
  • identifying what sorts of things can be represented in a DS by a particular handshape, for example a distant person, pole or tree can be represented by a point handshape, and a cylinder can be traced by a C handshape

  • distinguishing between entity, handling or SASS DSs by looking at what the handshape represents in each type:

    • entity: the handshape is an object or person
    • handling: the handshape represents a person’s hands touching or moving another object
    • SASS: the handshape traces the shape or size

  VCASFU103 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU156

  Identify the movement and location of different signs and notice how they combine with handshape to form signs, and understand that Auslan can be videoed and transcribed to assist learning

  Elaborations

  • identifying the location of a sign on the body or in space
  • 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)
  • recognising that handshapes must be performed in a particular orientation
  • 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
  • understanding that NMFs can also be an element of a sign and can show emotional states such as a happy expression or grammatical information, for example, a frown to mark a negative
  • identifying single, double and two-handed signs, and recognising which hand is dominant (the pen hand) and which is non-dominant (the paper hand) within two-handed signs
  • comparing iconic signs that provide visual images of referents, such as DRINK, ELEPHANT with English words that map to the sound images of the referents, such as animal noises, or words for sounds such as bang
  • learning to film themselves and analyse the video or to read simple glosses produced by the teacher, and understanding that the English word used is often not an exact match for the meaning of the sign

  VCASFU156 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Understanding | Systems of language

• 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

• VCASFU212

  Understand and describe complex grammatical structures combining depicting signs, constructed action and various clauses for a range of language functions, such as interaction, narration or description

  Elaborations

  • recognising signs that function as interjections or discourse markers
  • understanding the difference between definite and indefinite reference and how Auslan shows this distinction
  • noticing how to use modal verbs and NMFs to express possibility, obligation and ability (MIGHT, SHOULD)
  • recognising that conditional forms have a main and dependent clause and associated NMFs
  • identifying coordinated clauses showing causation and describing how it is shown, for example:
    PRO3 STUDY-_hard BECAUSE WANT EXAM MARKS GOOD
  • recognising how emphasis in sentences can be changed by reordering clauses or parts of clauses
  • recognising that the presence of CA or DSs affects how a clause is structured

  VCASFU212 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU176

  Develop understanding of the important role of non-manual features in adverbs and joining clauses, and know that spatial relationships in Auslan are typically expressed with depicting signs

  Elaborations

  • recognising that quantifiers such as FEW or THREE are also types of adjective signs
  • noticing that sometimes Auslan signers have information about how a verb happens through NMFs not separate signs (for example, WRITE-_carelessly)
  • recognising that some adverbs modify adjectives, not verbs, for example VERY, and that these modifications to adjectives can also be expressed with NMFs, for example changes in mouth patterns and movement of signs can intensify adjectives, for example, RED-_really, PLEASE-_really, TALL-_really
  • distinguishing between the citation form of a sign and the adverbial NMF overlaid and what meaning each part carries, for example: MAN SPRINT (base form), MAN SPRINT_-fast (manner added)
  • recognising how conjunctions such as plus, if or but are used to join clauses and create cohesion
  • recognising that signers can give information about how a verb happens over time by changing the movement, for example, signing WATCH versus WATCH-_{for-a-long-time}, or with lexical signs such as WATCH AGAIN++
  • recognising that typically signers use DSs to show spatial relationships, not separate signs such as ON or UNDER
  • recognising that some nouns are not signed overtly in a clause, for example in the clauses below, the noun (the swimmer) is given in the first clause but not repeated in the second
    PRO2 SWIM DETERMINED SWIM, NOT WIN
    You swam really hard but you didn’t win.
    
  • noticing that clauses are elaborated and made more vivid by adding adjectives and adverbs and by enacting or using DSs, and that they can be joined by conjunctions to make longer sentences
  • noticing that parts of a sentence can be signed simultaneously in Auslan, making it hard to establish word order
  • recognising that the element of a sentence that a signer wants most focus on is sometimes signed first and that this process of topicalisation involves particular NMFs

  VCASFU176 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU125

  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 that of other languages

  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
  • 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
  • recognising that some languages have no written form and have historically been passed on face to face/orally, making them 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 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, are endangered or in the process of being revived or reclaimed
  • 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
  • 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 tools, such as ELAN, as important ways of recording, transmitting and maintaining the vitality of a language
  • recognising that languages may be perceived as ‘weak’ or ‘strong’ based on community values and the existence of documentation and literature in the language

  VCASFU125 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Language awareness

• VCDEU115

  Understand some first elements of German grammar, such as simple verb forms, definite articles and pronouns, to identify and describe people and objects in the family and school domains

  Elaborations

  • noticing that German has multiple words for ‘the’ and ‘a/an’
  • identifying people, animals and things using an article and a concrete noun (der Lehrer, eine Freundin) or a pronoun (ich, du, er, sie, es, wir)
  • using the possessive adjectives mein/e and dein/e or a form of haben and an indefinite article to express a relationship to a person or object, for example, Das ist mein Bleistift; Ich habe einen Bruder
  • describing people, animals or objects using bin/bist/ist and an adjective, for example, Ich bin klein; Der Bär ist braun; Das Buch ist neu
  • understanding and describing actions using verbs such as gehen, kommen, machen, malen, lesen, schreiben, sehen, singen, spielen and wohnen
  • negating verbs and adjectives using nicht
  • understanding and using some question words and the intended/related answer in limited contexts, including was (an object), wer (a person), wie (manner), wo (a place), wann (a time) and wie viele (quantity)
  • understanding the location or origin of a person or object, such as hier, links and rechts, and prepositions such as auf, aus, hinter, in, neben and unter
  • gaining awareness of vocabulary referring to time, such as days, months, time of day (Morgen, Nachmittag, Mittag) and o’clock time, for example, Es ist drei Uhr.
  • gaining awareness of terms referring to quantities of people and things, including cardinal numbers (0–20) and mehr, viel/e, nichts and kein/e

  VCDEU115 | Languages | German | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCELA235

  Understand that language varies when people take on different roles in social and classroom interactions and how the use of key interpersonal language resources varies depending on context

  Elaborations

  • exploring how terms of address are used to signal different kinds of relationships
  • exploring the differences between the language used when giving a presentation and when talking to friends
  • exploring culturally specific greetings and expressions of politeness

  VCELA235 | Curriculum content | English | Level 2 | Speaking and Listening | Language

• VCELA198

  Understand that people use different systems of communication to cater to different needs and purposes and that many people may use sign systems to communicate with others

  Elaborations

  • recognising how and where signs and symbols are used and placed in students’ school and community
  • learning some signs in Auslan and finding out about ‘Hear a Book’ and Braille technologies for hearing and visually impaired people

  VCELA198 | Curriculum content | English | Level 1 | Speaking and Listening | Language

• VCELA234

  Understand that spoken, visual and written forms of language are different modes of communication with different features and their use varies according to the audience, purpose, context and cultural background

  Elaborations

  • identifying examples and features of different kinds of spoken, non-verbal, written and visual communication from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and from several Asian cultures within Australia, and associating those features with particular communities
  • recognising some phrases in the languages of the class and community, for example greetings and expressions of politeness

  VCELA234 | Curriculum content | English | Level 2 | Speaking and Listening | Language

• VCELA202

  Understand the use of vocabulary in everyday contexts as well as a growing number of school contexts, including appropriate use of formal and informal terms of address in different contexts

  Elaborations

  • learning forms of address for visitors and how to use language appropriately to ask directions and for information, for example on excursions

  VCELA202 | Curriculum content | English | Level 1 | Speaking and Listening | Language

• VCELA246

  Understand how different types of texts vary in use of language choices, depending on their purpose, audience and context, including tense and types of sentences

  Elaborations

  • becoming familiar with typical structural stages and language features of various types of text, for example narratives, procedures, reports, reviews and expositions

  VCELA246 | Curriculum content | English | Level 3 | Reading and Viewing | Language