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- Auslan - Australian Curriculum
- Auslan - Australia Curriculum
- Auslan Second Language - Foundation to Year 10
- Years 7-8 Auslan Syllabus
- SL 7-8 Content Descriptions - Understanding language and culture
SL 7-8 Content Descriptions - Understanding language and culture
Understanding systems of language
apply knowledge of conventions of sign production to enhance fluency, and respond to and create texts in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts
- understanding that signs can be iconic such as representing a whole or part object and that there are degrees of iconicity, including fully transparent, translucent, and those that are not iconic, and are considered opaque or arbitrary
- understanding that different handshape and movement rules apply in the production of double-handed signs such as BOOK, LANGUAGE and how these signs move compared with 2-handed signs such as THEATRE, CULTURE
- demonstrating the various types of NMFs, including movements of the eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, shoulders and body, and describing their function
- applying the ability to swap hand dominance and anchor either the dominant or subordinate hand for a purpose
- modifying pace for emphasis in familiar contexts such as when recounting an event
- applying consistent patterning and emphasis used in both lexicalised and non-lexicalised fingerspelling
applying minimal pairs from a series of teacher-provided examples, for example, the signs for WORK and TALK are identical in orientation, movement and location but different handshape whereas the signs for BEAUTIFUL and WELL differ in location
apply understanding of grammatical structures and features to compose and respond to texts
- using locations for present referents, non-present referents, or abstract referents that do not exist in space
- creating a digital resource demonstrating that handshape and movement represent different things in each type of DS, for example, entity DS, handling DS and SASS DSs
- understanding when signers are using composite utterances, that is, those that have elements of CAs, DSs, points and fully-lexical signs in the same utterance
- using different functions of NMFs such as those used for questions (yes/no and wh- forms), statements, topicalisation, negation or conditional forms
- understanding instances of CA in a signed text on video, and recording the time marker for when it occurs, and providing suggestions for why it has been used at that point
- recognising that nouns can be pluralised by locating them repeatedly regardless of their original location
- practising the use of citation form of plain verbs and indicating verbs change when depicting more than 2 people
identifying when and how 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, intensifying adjectives through the use of NMFs such as HOT, signing with great emphasis, and depicting wide-eyed expression for EXTREMELY HOT, or signing TOUGH with great exertion to show VERY TOUGH
- understanding that signers may include linguistic and gestural elements in a clause, that is, signers can tell, show or do both simultaneously, using a combination of lexicalised signs and CAs, DSs, NMFs and space
recounting events using conjunctions with separate signs as discourse markers such as THEN, ANYWAY, FS:SO, PLUS, NEXT, or by NMFs, for example, by pausing between clauses or clasping hands
reflect on similarities and differences between Auslan and English language structures and features, using metalanguage
- using metalanguage to communicate about features of Auslan such as talking about the use of fingerspelling, CAs, DSs and NMFs
- commenting on how creating texts for different purposes results in differing types and amounts of signing, for example, the amount of fingerspelling used in a public announcement compared with a private conversation or the degree of influence from English in the conventions of a fairytale presented in Auslan
- comparing instances of representation of direct and indirect speech in English texts and corresponding use of CA in Auslan
- comparing texts created by 2 different signers on the same topic and evaluating the different choices they have made in terms of enacting through CAs or DSs
commenting on the use of discourse markers and connectives such as BUT and G:WELL to create cohesive and coherent texts and compare how this is managed in English
- reflecting on the effect of discourse markers such as linking words or phrases and space to show topic and information shifts in a description or information report
- comparing Auslan and English dictionaries and how each language represents the elements of the language
- presenting to the class some observations comparing iconicity in Auslan with the use of onomatopoeia in English
- developing a chart showing variations in Auslan around Australia and differences between Auslan and other international sign languages
Understanding the interrelationship of language, culture and identity
reflect on and explain how identity is shaped by language(s), culture(s), attitudes, beliefs, and values, and how these impact on communication
- exploring the impact of personal biography on identity and communication with peers, including family origins, traditions, beliefs, practices, interests and experiences, and creating a visual representation with signed captions
- reflecting on how contemporary values about technology impacts young people and their use of language in Auslan, and in written English formats
- presenting to the class or school assembly on the impact of learning Auslan on their perceptions, understanding and attitudes towards Deaf culture and people
- reflecting on how First Nations Australians’ languages have strong connections to Country/Place and how these can be compared with language variation and sense of place and space in the Deaf community
- explaining the relationship between culture, ways of thinking, and language, and comparing the cultural concept of Deaf identity with own concept of identity
- explaining how the visibility of signers in the media and communication has increased awareness of the Deaf community
- researching and presenting profiles of the roles, influences and/or achievements of Deaf organisations, leaders and individuals in the Deaf community, in advocating for the Deaf community
- reflecting on how school events such as ‘International Day’ or ‘Harmony Day’ raise awareness of the diversity of languages and cultures represented in their school
- analysing how concepts related to cultural practices and identity are valued, for example, by identifying elements of naming systems such as the use of pointing, NMFs and name signs
- researching the status and recognition of signed languages in other countries, considering issues such as language rights, documentation and development efforts