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• 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

• VCASFU161

  Develop awareness of the social and cultural nature and context of Auslan and other sign languages, of their different modes of expression and of the related issue of language vitality

  Elaborations

  • identifying different ways Deaf community members communicate with each other and with members of the wider hearing community, including face to face or via technology such as NRS or VRS, through social media, the use of English or the use of interpreters
  • identifying how deaf people modify space to maximise visual attention, such as adjusting seating or removing visual obstacles
  • exploring different expressions for gaining attention or signalling enjoyment, such as tapping, waving, stomping or using visual applause, and their suitability for visual language users
  • recognising that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ use of signed languages is culturally determined and shaped by their beliefs and values
  • understanding cultural values associated with the conferment of name signs to people, such as second language learners of Auslan who are joining the Deaf community
  • exploring the vitality of Auslan and other spoken and signed languages, appreciating that a language with strong vitality is one used by many people in the home and other domains, across generations, to talk about most topics
  • understanding how and why some deaf children face challenges with communication in hearing families or in social settings
  • understanding that some languages used in Australia, such as English, have large numbers of users, while others, such as many spoken and signed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, are endangered or in the process of being revived or reclaimed
  • recognising the important role of deaf families and deaf schools in preserving and maintaining Auslan and cultural identity
  • understanding that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander signed languages arise from specific needs, for example, certain cultural restrictions on speech, or the presence of deaf people
  • exploring relationships between place, space and people, considering why some places and spaces make deaf people feel comfortable and promote a sense of cultural belonging and pride
  • identifying behaviours, rights, roles and responsibilities in relation to the ownership and maintenance of Auslan, and recognising that this ownership rests with the Deaf community and is determined by traditional social groupings/families, places, history and stories

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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• VCASFC082

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

  Elaborations

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

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