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SL 7-8 Strand - Understanding systems of language

Understanding systems of language

recognise and use modelled combinations of handshape, orientation, location, movement (HOLM) and non-manual features (NMFs) to form signs and phrases and demonstrate understanding of how these are represented in familiar contexts

AC9L2AU8EU01

  • noticing that in signed languages meaning may be expressed through either whole signs or through fingerspelling, with NMFs
  • noticing the variation in ‘handedness’ between signers in relation to both signs and fingerspelling: right handers using their right hand as their dominant (main) hand; left handers doing the opposite

  • understanding that NMFs are a significant Auslan element, paralleling vocal inflection in spoken language, and can show emotional states such as a happy expression, or grammatical information, for example, a frown to mark a negative in LIKE and DISLIKE

  • recognising and using signs with a change in handshape, for example, FIND or BEST, or a change in orientation, for example, CAN-NOT or HOW

  • observing a signs handshape and its orientation, for example, COCKATOO handshape:five, palm left, and SOCCER handshape:fist

  • identifying signs that can represent a whole object or part of an object, for example, body versus legs

  • noticing iconic signs that provide visual images of referents such as DRINK, ELEPHANT

  • noticing the 5 major locations of signs on the body (body anchored signs) or in space (non-body anchored), and identifying signs associated with each, such as SEE (head/face), SAY (mouth/chin), WHY (chest), PAST (non-body anchored, head signing space), HAVE, STOP and ONE (non-body anchored, chest signing space)

  • noticing the path movement of a particular sign and identifying signs associated with the major types of primary and secondary path movements, for example, THROUGH (forwards) or FULL (down to up) – both primary movements; or WHEN (wiggle on cheek) or DINNER (tap on chin) – both secondary movements

  • noticing that in a stretch of connected signing, a sign will often be produced differently from the way it is shown in a dictionary in terms of citation and non-citation form, for example, KNOW signed at the temple location, but in conversation this sign is often dropped into a lower signing space such as cheek, or even lower

  • identifying which hand is dominant and which is non-dominant in 2-handed signs, and how such signs may move, for example, double-handed signs with same handshape move in the same way such as BOOK or DIFFERENT, while 2-handed signs have one stationary hand and only the dominant hand moves such as CULTURE or IMPORTANT

  • noticing signs can have different levels of visual motivation or iconicity, for example, those that are fully transparent (SLEEP), translucent (MILK) or arbitrary (PEOPLE), and that iconicity is often overestimated in sign languages

  • experimenting with different methods of capturing signed languages such as a dot-point script, hand-drawn pictures, videos and written gloss, and planning Auslan texts
  • shadowing a filmed Auslan story about an event in daily life, and copying signs and NMFs precisely from a signed text

Personal and social capability

develop knowledge, and use structures and features of, the Auslan grammatical system to understand and create signed, visual and multimodal texts

AC9L2AU8EU02

  • developing awareness of the range of signing space in normal signed interactions, from just above head to waist and extending to sides, noting exceptions, such as DOG location on thigh

  • using a digital resource to assist in understanding that handshape and movement represent different things in each type of DS, for example, entity DSs, handling DSs and SASS DSs
  • identifying concepts that 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, a car by a flat handshape, and a cylinder such as a water bottle can be traced by a cup handshape

  • understanding that, typically, signers use DSs to show spatial relationships/prepositions, not separate signs such as ON or UNDER when interacting

  • recognising that a noun group can include elements such as adjectives or numbers and that proper nouns can be shown through fingerspelling or sign names if appropriate

  • using different nouns in clauses, including those that are shown with a pointing sign, such as GIRL READ versus PRO3 READ, or VISIT FRIEND versus VISIT PRO3

  • using adjectives to describe nouns in different ways such as how they look (BIG or RED), feel (SOFT or HOT), smell (SMELLY) or sound (LOUD)

  • using different pointing signs, such as pronouns, determiners, locatives in texts

  • practising indicating verbs used between referents, for example,

    PRO1 HELP PRO3

    I helped her

    PRO3 PT+c ASK CA:SHOCKED!

    She asked me and I was shocked!

  • developing examples of signs that tell when, where or how a verb happens, such as

    FORWARD WEEK(TWO) PRO1 HOLIDAY

    I am going on holiday in 2 weeks.

    WANT LUNCH NOW. PLEASE

    I would like lunch now please.

    PRO1(PL) RUN FAR

    We have run a long way.

    COME HERE PLEASE

    Come here please.

    PRO2 QUICK FINISH

    You finished quickly.

  • identifying verb signs SIT, EAT, FEEL, WONDER, HAVE and understanding that they are central to a clause, noticing there is no verb ‘to be’ in Auslan

  • exploring different types of verbs in a text, for example, doing (WALK, WRITE), saying (TELL, CALL (YELL), ANNOUNCE), sensing (SEE, THINK) or possessing

  • noticing that adverbial signs modify the meaning of verbs, such as DRIVE CAREFUL, and that these can also be communicated effectively through NMFs, for example, DRIVE NMF:CAREFULLY

  • understanding that single-digit numbers can be merged into other signs (numeral incorporation), such as those for ages, for example, AGE-YEARS(FIVE), or adverbs of time, for example, WEEK-AGO(THREE)

  • recognising that there is flexibility in sign order, for example, parts of a sentence can be signed simultaneously, but generally a time-topic-comment structure is followed
  • distinguishing between yes/no questions and wh- questions and statements, and their corresponding NMFs

Literacy

Personal and social capability

compare Auslan language structures and features with English, using familiar metalanguage

AC9L2AU8EU03

  • identifying aspects of Auslan which are the same in English, such as the fingerspelled alphabet

  • noticing different ways that English words are borrowed into Auslan, such as the use of fully fingerspelled words, FS:EGG, fingerspelling the first letter of English words such as F for father, abbreviations such as state names FS:NSW, TAS, organisation names such as FS:WAAD, and lexicalised fingerspelling such as HOW

  • discussing how signers can compare or contrast ideas by locating things in the same or opposing sides of signing space
  • comparing features of metalanguage in Auslan and English, for example, identifying adjectives shown through either lexical signs or DSs in Auslan and comparing these with similar adjectives expressed in English
  • understanding how noun signs can be modified to show pluralisation, for example, one house versus 3 houses in a row

  • understanding that adverbs in Auslan are shown through DSs and NMFs, compared with the way English adverbs are formed, such as very, quickly

    PRO1 BIKE FAST NMF: INTENSITY

    I was riding my bike very fast.

  • understanding that frequency or duration in English is expressed by adding words like ‘a lot’, whereas in Auslan it is shown through repetition or how a sign is modified

  • using time markers such as FINISH to show past tense in Auslan compared with using, for example, ‘ed’ in English

  • understanding that some Auslan signs can translate multiple English words as an equivalent, for example, GO-TO (one sign) versus go to (2 words)

  • comparing Auslan and English pronouns, in particular noticing that Auslan pronouns do not show gender, but can show location and a specific number of referents
  • comparing a short text in Auslan with an equivalent English text, for example, a short film clip in Auslan and a paragraph in English written on the same topic, noticing similarities and differences in structure and language features, including time markers, use of space, CAs, DSs, and topicalisation and other features
  • identifying examples of signers pointing to an established location to refer to a non-present referent, for example, by viewing a short Auslan story that sets up different characters in space to each side of signer, then responding to questions about what each character did in the story, comparing with English representation of characters
  • identifying how signers use space to make clear how a character enacts a verb through a text, for example, by pointing back to an established location to refer to a noun referent, using CAs, DSs and space to make a story interesting and to support understanding
  • researching and identifying the origins of Auslan, and reflecting on possible influences today, for example, expressions related to social media or expressions that have come from other sign languages such as BSL and ASL

Critical and creative thinking

Intercultural understanding

Understanding the interrelationship of language, culture and identity

recognise how identity is shaped by language(s), culture(s), attitudes, beliefs and values

AC9L2AU8EU04

  • identifying ways in which deaf people design and adapt spaces to create ‘Deaf space’ to maximise visual access to information, for example, using open-plan, well-lit areas, minimising glare/reflection, and having suitable placement of the interpreter
  • recognising that Auslan users come from a range of places and backgrounds, and may be multilingual in both signed, spoken and written languages, and may have variation in language patterns and usage depending on educational experiences, family background and socio-economic status
  • surveying Deaf people about their experiences and perspectives on the significance of Deaf places that contribute to a shared sense of identity, for example, the Deaf Club, Deaf schools or sites of historic significance such as the original Deaf Society/Mission buildings, and presenting findings in a multimodal presentation
  • 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
  • identifying examples of deaf people’s visual orientation towards the world, such as using visual applause or being astute in reading body language
  • developing and annotating a timeline of key events, developments and reforms in the history of Auslan, and the impact of these on members of the Deaf community
  • investigating the use of digital technology by Auslan users, for example, social media, texting, video calling and online platforms, National Relay Service (NRS), Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), Video Relay Service (VRS), and discussing how these modes of communication impact on issues such as accessibility and communication between members of the Deaf community and the community at large
  • reflecting on their expectations of learning Auslan and presenting their reflections in a printed or digital class journal
  • viewing face-to-face or online interactions in Auslan between peers, and interpreting culturally-determined manners or behaviours
  • identifying the importance of signing space and proxemics in Auslan, particularly in relation to a person passing between 2 signers, or to the positioning of communication partners

Personal and social capability

Intercultural understanding

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