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• VCASFC186

  Interpret different types of texts that involve the expression of feelings or experiences and the representation of imagined people, places and scenarios, sharing and comparing their responses to different elements

  Elaborations

  • viewing and responding to sign poetry from around the world, for example by comparing differences and similarities in ‘visual vernacular’
  • recognising how a character’s feelings and attitudes are expressed through NMFs and manner
  • evaluating Deaf performances or art forms that use technology such as camera and lighting techniques to expressive effect, for example performances by Ian Sanborn
  • describing and comparing responses to the use of colour and images by deaf artists such as Juan Fernández Navarrete or Nancy Rourke
  • identifying and profiling Deaf artists who make use of music, for example members of the Deaf Performing Arts Network
  • exploring how cultural values and the expression of identity are reflected in different forms of artistic expression, such as poetry performances by Walter Kadiki or John Wilson’s ‘Home’
  • comparing visual elements of signed media texts with those of equivalent texts produced for a hearing audience, for example, the teen drama Switched at Birth with teen dramas from BSL Zone
  • exploring the concept of metaphorical iconicity used in poems and narratives, for example by shadowing selected elements
  • analysing how elements of theatre performance such as emotional nuance are communicated through interpreters in a live setting

  VCASFC186 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Creating

• VCASFC182

  Engage in different processes of collaborative learning, including planning, problem-solving, task completion and evaluation

  Elaborations

  • working in pairs or small groups to design and create visual resources that promote Auslan as an important area of study
  • brainstorming, planning and working together to advertise and present an intercultural event for their year-level peers
  • working collaboratively to create instructional or procedural texts for younger learners
  • preparing for the visit of a member of the Deaf community, discussing how to ensure effective communication between the visitor and deaf and hearing members of the class
  • providing feedback on completed events or activities, exchanging reflections such as:
    FIRST PRO1 DOUBT I-F WILL GO-WELL, HAVE-A-LOOK GO-ALONG GOOD
    At the start, I wasn’t sure it would work, but after a while I thought it went well.
    PRO1 WRONG NEVER AGAIN DO SAME
    I won’t do that ever again.
    
  • problem-solving around collaborative activities such as website design, science experiments or model-building, using wh- questions such as:
    WHY FAIL WHY?
    Why isn’t it working?
    WHO THINK CAN FIX?
    Who thinks they can fix it?
    FINISH, NEXT WHAT?
    What do we do next after we finish this?
    
  • giving directions for outdoor activities such as an obstacle course or bushwalk, including expressions such as:
    HAVE DS:round-oval FIRST RUN DS:draw-line THEN STOP. NEXT CLIMB DS:climb-over DS:land-on-feet THEN CRAWL DS:crawl-under-flat-thing
    There’s a big oval. First you will run along one side of it. Then stop at the wall. Next you will climb over the wall then crawl under the net.
    

  VCASFC182 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCASFC065

  Participate in and reflect on intercultural interactions and experiences, for example by considering and comparing their responses and strategies when engaging with hearing people

  Elaborations

  • comparing their experience of interacting with hearing people in various domains online or face to face, such as after-school sports clubs, analysing these experiences in terms of their perceptions, understandings or attitudes
  • reflecting on how differences between signed and spoken language users may be perceived, for example in relation to different protocols when joining interactions, taking turns, using names, or passing between people who are communicating with each other
  • reflecting on the concepts of insider and outsider views of the Deaf community and on their own position as first language learners of Auslan
  • reflecting on their own and others’ social attitudes and responses to differences in behaviours or communicative styles, for example on how they feel when hearing people do not make eye contact during an interaction
  • reflecting on how their own ways of communicating may be interpreted by hearing people, and on how they need to modify or consider other communication strategies and behaviour, such as the use of eye contact, facial expression or body language
  • comparing strategies used by deaf and hearing adults to negotiate the physical environment, for example, different behaviours that reflect different perceptual perspectives in contexts such as travelling in a lift

  VCASFC065 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Reflecting

• VCASFC058

  Investigate and synthesise information collected from a range of perspectives and sources, identifying how culture and context affect how information is presented

  Elaborations

  • summarising ideas and information included in presentations by deaf visitors
  • collecting and summarising information on a selected topic sourced from different contexts, considering how context affects presentation of data
  • viewing Auslan texts that present different views on an issue of relevance to their age group, such as cochlear implants or social inclusion, considering how context and culture shape perspectives
  • researching information relating to deaf political movements at different times and in different contexts, drawing comparisons with current deaf organisations, such as the Deaf President Now movement and recruitment of Deaf CEOs
  • surveying peers or members of their family/community on topics related to deafness and the use of Auslan, discussing how commentaries they collect reflect different viewpoints and cultural perspectives
  • collecting information from texts such as interviews, documentaries or presentations to use in new forms, for example, to create a profile of notable Deaf Australians, such as Alastair McEwin, Nola Colefax, Colin Allen or Drisana Levitzke-Gray
  • paraphrasing and evaluating segments of recorded interviews with deaf artists on social media talking about their experience and artistic practice, for example, Deaf Arts Network

  VCASFC058 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Informing

• VCASFC100

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

  Elaborations

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

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

• VCASFC061

  Create imaginative and expressive texts that draw from their experience as Auslan users and members of the Deaf community and which support the experience of younger learners

  Elaborations

  • composing and performing soliloquies that capture elements of the Deaf experience in a hearing world
  • creating resources to support younger learners of Auslan, such as signed versions of games such as ‘Guess Who?’, riddles, treasure hunts or amusing tales
  • creating imaginative texts that present abstract ideas, such as hope, inclusion, friendship, in creative or amusing ways
  • creating an Auslan version of a popular song, using elements of all parameters to convey key messages and nuance emotional expression
  • creating a piece of art, such as a drawing, painting or photo collage, that reflects their experience of living in and moving between the Deaf and hearing worlds
  • engaging with the work of Deaf theatre groups such as the Australian Theatre of the Deaf, using elements of performances as models for their own experimentation with signed theatre
  • creating a performance for a school or Deaf festival based on the lives of celebrated or historical members of the Deaf community
  • presenting a short story based on their own experience of being a deaf student in a hearing school community, incorporating key elements of narrative structure, such as character introduction, problem/conflict, resolution
  • re-creating a theatre set from a two-dimensional image using signed space

  VCASFC061 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Creating

• VCASFC096

  Participate in the viewing of recorded or live imaginative signed texts, responding through drawing, miming, gesture or modelled signs

  Elaborations

  • viewing narratives in Auslan, for example, from the Auslan Storybooks website, demonstrating understanding through drawing, gesture and modelled signs
  • responding to short expressive texts that involve the movement of people, animals or vehicles, demonstrating understanding through drawings or familiar signs
  • responding to key elements of short signed stories, for example by mimicking facial expressions or repeated signs
  • participating in interactions in Auslan that involve imaginative responses to stimuli such as cartoons using gestures, handshapes, facial expressions and simple signs to suggest what happens next in the story
  • engaging with different forms of Deaf art, such as handshape creations, and responding by creating their own piece of art on a similar theme
  • shadowing NMFs in short Auslan poems or narratives
  • retelling favourite events of an Auslan story using modelled signing
  • engaging in imaginative interactions that involve the creation of mood or momentum through repeated use of signs, handshapes and facial expressions to modify manner or intensify adjectives
  • responding to performances of Deaf poetry that evoke emotions such as sadness, fear or excitement, for example by indicating enjoyment or different personal feelings

  VCASFC096 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Creating

• VCASFC101

  Reflect on ways in which Auslan and associated communicative and cultural behaviours are similar to or different from other language(s) and forms of cultural expression

  Elaborations

  • comparing aspects of their lives as young deaf people with those of young hearing people as represented in digital images, video clips and narratives, for example, ways of engaging in different games and activities, exchanging stories and interacting socially at school, at home and in the community
  • discussing changes or adaptations they make to their communicative style when communicating with non-signers
  • reflecting on similarities and differences between ways of communicating in Auslan and in Australian English in different social situations, for example, ways of greeting/leave-taking, introducing people and using body language, facial expression and eye contact
  • reflecting on the need for sustained eye contact when using Auslan in order to understand a message and before teacher instructions can proceed, and considering how this may differ for hearing students in a spoken language environment
  • reflecting on language differences in forms of address in signed and spoken language, for example, using a person’s name when addressing them directly in Australian English but not in Auslan
  • examining general misconceptions that deaf people may have about hearing people and culture, for example, that hearing people hear and understand everything, or that hearing people can hear from a distance
  • reflecting on and providing possible explanations for assumptions hearing people might have about deaf people or about signed languages

  VCASFC101 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Reflecting

• VCASFC091

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

  Elaborations

  • exchanging greetings, thanks and apologies, for example, HELLO, HOW-ARE-YOU? GOOD MORNING M-R-J-O-N-E-S, THANK-YOU, SORRY
  • expressing feelings using lexical signs and affective NMFs, for example:
    PRO1 HAPPY
    I’m happy.
    PRO3 GRUMPY
    She’s grumpy.
  • using formulaic language to express wishes for particular occasions or events, for example, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GOOD-LUCK
  • making arrangements using simple time-related signs without numeral incorporation, for example, LAST-WEEK, MONDAY and with numeral incorporation, such as THREE-DAYS-AGO, TWO-YEARS-AGO, IN-TWO-DAYS
  • stating likes, dislikes and preferences using associated NMFs, for example:
    PRO1 LIKE TV
    I like TV.
    DON’T-LIKE DRAWING
    I don’t like drawing.
  • introducing self and family and explaining relationships using possessive pronouns, for example:
    POSS1 NAME X, PRO1 12-YEARS-OLD
    My name is X, and I’m 12 years old.
    PRO3 POSS1 BROTHER
    He’s my brother.
  • asking and responding to questions about a familiar topic such as their family, a hobby or an interest, or a recent event, for example:
    PAST WEEKEND, YOU GO WHERE?
    Where did you go last weekend?
    FAMILY PRO1 GO PLAY SOCCER
    My family and I went to play soccer.
  • referring to family members and classmates by fingerspelling a name or by using a sign name and describing their appearance or characteristics, for example:
    POSS1 SISTER TALL SKINNY HAVE BLACK HAIR
    My sister is tall and thin and has black hair.
  • describing what they are doing in class activities using plain verbs, for example, PRO1 WRITE, PRO1 READ

  VCASFC091 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCASFC055

  Initiate and sustain interactions to share ideas and interests, report on experiences, offer opinions and connect with events in their school and local community

  Elaborations

  • exchanging opinions about topics such as food, sport, lifestyles, health, music or travel
  • participating in videoconferencing to compare and contrast aspects of their school experience, for example by communicating online with deaf students from different schools in another state/territory
  • discussing the relationship between events in their school or local community and interest groups they identify with by conducting an in-class survey
  • describing aspects of their school, community, home or social lives, for example:
    SCHOOL DS(5CLAW):located-at DS(C):l-shape…
    The school is located here, and then there’s a large L-shaped building on the right.
    WEEKEND, I VISIT HEARING FRIEND WE2 WATCH MOVIE OR DS:2-people-walk SHOPS OR SOMETIMES STAY HOME DS:press-console
    On the weekends, my hearing friend and I like to go to the movies or the shops, but sometimes we just play video games.
    
  • offering opinions about issues under consideration in their class or school community, such as their school policy on social media use
  • developing narrative and expressive skills by exchanging accounts of personally significant influences, experiences or milestones, identifying common experiences, such as describing their favourite holiday or their personal hero
  • comparing their experience of involvement in the Deaf community, and sharing their views on the importance of this experience in their lives by describing their relationships with deaf people outside of school

  VCASFC055 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Socialising

• 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

• VCASFC060

  Interpret a range of texts that involve the creative expression of emotions or ideas and the imaginative representation of people, events and cultural experiences

  Elaborations

  • exploring how cultural values in relation to identity are reflected in different forms of artistic expression, such as poetry performances by Walter Kadiki or John Wilson’s ‘Home’
  • viewing performances by deaf artists who communicate elements of the Deaf experience through different art forms, for example the deaf rapper Signmark or the singer/signer Sean Forbes
  • analysing performances of Deaf poetry, for example by discussing themes, expression and construction and comparing how sign choice and stylistic techniques combine to convey ideas and emotions
  • watching performances of Deaf theatre groups such as the Australian Theatre of the Deaf, and identifying all the ways a signer refers to the same referent throughout
  • recognising the contribution of NMFs to characterisation and emotional expression in signed stories, skits or sketches
  • identifying the different roles of storytelling in Deaf culture, such as teaching, entertaining, communicating values or traditions, finding examples of these in well-known stories, fables or legends
  • evaluating Deaf performances or art forms that use technology such as camera and lighting techniques to expressive effect, for example performances by Ian Sanborn or Edan Chapman
  • exploring and describing the use of colour and images by different deaf artists such as Juan Fernández Navarrete or Nancy Rourke
  • engaging with signed versions of media texts, comparing visual elements to those for a hearing audience, for example, the teen drama Switched at Birth or teen dramas from BSL Zone
  • exploring the concept of metaphorical iconicity used in poems and narratives, for example by shadowing selected elements
  • analysing how elements of theatre performance, such as emotional nuance, are communicated through interpreters in a live setting
  • engaging with animations made by or about deaf people and critiquing the effectiveness of conveying all parameters of signing, for example, The Long Knife, or Gallaudet: The Film by Braam Jordaan
  • identifying how Deaf art forms represent people, experiences and Deaf spaces and contribute to the building of a sense of identity and cultural awareness

  VCASFC060 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Creating

• 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

• 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

• VCASFU194

  Understand and control additional elements of Auslan grammar, such as the use of non-manual features for negation or conditional forms, and understand how signers use constructed action and depicting signs in composite utterances

  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
  • recognising that signers may include linguistic and gestural elements in a clause, that is, signers can tell, show or do both simultaneously
  • noticing, with support, when signers are using composite utterances, that is, those that have elements of CA, DSs, points and fully-lexical signs in the same utterance
  • understanding the different functions of a range of NMFs, such as those used for questions, topicalisation, negation or conditional forms
  • distinguishing between yes/no questions and wh- questions and statements and their corresponding NMFs
  • 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
  • recognising that clauses can be linked equally or unequally where one clause depends on another

  VCASFU194 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCASFU108

  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 ‘difference’, such as ways of greeting (bowing versus shaking hands) or conveying information (through words versus signs)
  • recognising how they as deaf people live in ways that may be different from how hearing people live and that these ways are primarily visual, for example by responding to prompts such as: Compare how deaf and hearing people get the attention of someone on the other side of the room; and How do deaf and hearing people make sure they wake up at a particular time 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
  • 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 themselves as 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 the positioning of communication partners
  • recognising that shared experiences shape cultural values in Auslan and 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 sharing information with each other
  • considering how some spaces make deaf people feel comfortable, for example, open-plan spaces with long sight lines allowing easy visual access

  VCASFU108 | Languages | Auslan | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Role of language and culture

• VCASFU193

  Develop knowledge of additional elements of the Auslan grammatical system, analysing indicating verbs, depicting signs and constructed action

  Elaborations

  • noticing that meaning is created in Auslan from fully-lexical signs, partly-lexical signs and non-lexical CA and gesture
  • recognising that signers can use locations for present referents, non-present referents, or abstract referents that do not exist in space
  • recognising that nouns can be pluralised by locating them repeatedly regardless of their original location
  • distinguishing between directional and locational indicating verbs

  • 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
  • observing instances of CA in a text and discussing how it was marked

  VCASFU193 | Languages | Auslan | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | 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