Years 9-10 Auslan Syllabus
Years 9-10 Syllabus
Years 9-10 Band Level Description
In Years 9 and 10, Auslan learning builds on each student’s prior learning and experiences. Students use Auslan to initiate and sustain interactions while sharing their own and others’ experiences of the world. They sign and view to communicate with other users of Auslan through community and online events. First-language and second-language learners may support each other in their literacy development. Students may raise awareness of, and facilitate class involvement in, Deaf community events. They continue to receive guidance, modelling, feedback and support.
Students use authentic and purpose-developed resources, increasingly of their own choice, to access and/or create a range of signed, visual and multimodal texts which may include magazines, online and print articles, social media, textbooks and video clips. First-language learners may source texts and other resources from the Deaf community to share with peers. Students acknowledge that language and culture shape identity and that these influences can shape their own behaviours, beliefs and values.
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 10, students initiate and sustain interactions in Auslan to exchange and compare experiences and ideas about their own and others’ personal worlds. They communicate using non-verbal, signed and visual language to collaborate, plan and reflect on activities and events. They interpret and analyse information and ideas in texts and demonstrate understanding of different perspectives. They synthesise information and respond in Auslan or English, adjusting language to convey meaning and to suit context, purpose and audience. They use structures and features of Auslan, including fingerspelling (FS), lexical signs, depicting signs (DSs), non-manual features (NMFs) and signing space, to create texts.
Students apply features and conventions of signing to enhance communication. They select and apply knowledge of language structures and features to interact, make meaning and create texts. They support discussion of structures and features of texts, using metalanguage. They reflect on their use of Auslan and their own cultural identity to discuss how these influence their ideas and ways of communicating.
Content Descriptions
Interacting in Auslan
initiate and sustain interactions in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts to exchange ideas, experiences and opinions about their own and others’ personal worlds
- using consistent patterning of fingerspelling for proper nouns and lexicalised fingerspelling, with DSs used more frequently to convey meaning
initiating greetings thanks and apologies with unfamiliar people, for example, SCHOOL WHERE, SIGN NAME HAVE, DEAF, HEARING?
exchanging information about themselves and their world using NMFs, for example,
KNOW-WHAT? PRO1 NEW DOG
Guess what? I have a new dog.
POSS2 WEEKEND GOOD BAD?
How was your weekend?
asking for and providing additional detail, such as in a mock interview activity, for example,
POSS2 STORY WOW. NMF:LEANING-FORWARD TELL MORE
Your story is interesting. Please tell me more.
FS:IF PRO2 BOSS PRO2 WILL CHANGE WHAT?
What would you change if you were boss?
participating in conversations with their peers using strategies to sustain interactions, such as turn-taking and asking for repetition, clarification or confirmation, for example,
WHAT? PLEASE AGAIN
Could you repeat that, please?
STILL GO-AHEAD
Go ahead …
FS:SO PRO2 SAY PRO1 FIX THAT?
So, you want me to fix that?
PLEASE SLOW SIGN?
Could you sign that slowly, please?
PRO2 SAY BEFORE WHAT?
What did you just say, sorry?
using appropriate NMFs to enhance communication through backchannels and exclamations, for example,
SURPRISE
Oooh (with appropriate intonation)
INCREDIBLE
No way!
HOLD …
Hang on a minute …
describing and comparing topics, setting up use of space, for example, a weather report,
PT+up WEATHER QUEENSLAND HOT
The weather in Queensland is hot.
PT+dn WEATHER TASMANIA COLD
The weather in Tasmania is cold.
- expressing degrees of emotions and intensity through variations of signs and NMFs, for example, angry versus furious, happy versus ecstatic
using discourse markers in a role-play or turn-taking activity, for example, ANYWAY, THEN, PAUSE-NOD, list buoys, FS:SO, NOW, BUT, and others, as well as hand clasp, hand drop to indicate turn-taking
explaining or justifying an opinion using conditional statements such as if … then … or when, for example,
STUDY SCIENCE WHY-NOT?
Why do you not want to study science?
using persuasive language and NMFs to present a point of view in face-to-face or online interactions, for example,
PRO1 THINK SCHOOL UNIFORM GOOD BECAUSE ALL STUDENT ALIKE FEELMATTER-NOT RICH POOR ALIKE
I think school uniforms are good because they keep students equal, and it doesn’t matter if they are rich or poor.
PRO1 THINK SPORT GOOD BECAUSE PEOPLE PLAY OUTSIDE IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH (wellbeing)
I think sport is great because it encourages people to go out and improve their wellbeing.
- discussing an event involving 2 or more people using DSs and tracking referents with CAs, for example, recounting a lunchtime incident
- adjusting their language to socialise with different audiences using appropriate code-switching techniques, for example, interacting in class or in the playground, or at an excursion with students from different year levels
- using culturally appropriate protocols when working with an interpreter such as not interrupting or blocking the line of sight
- using appropriate protocols within and beyond the classroom such as gaining group attention through flashing lights, tapping, foot stomping and waving, and maintaining eye gaze, backchannelling and limiting the use of voice when interacting with unfamiliar Auslan users
use signed and visual exchanges to discuss, plan and reflect on activities, events and experiences with peers
- participating in visits or virtual interactions with members of a Deaf club or organisation and sharing responsibility for individual elements of a report that highlights key features of the experience
- working with peers to solve problems and to peer coach, for example, how to use video editing, online dictionaries, virtual platforms and/or captioning programs
- working collaboratively to plan a fundraising/school event or a promotional display for Auslan during NWDP and evaluating the experience to improve subsequent planning and organisation
- contributing an item of information for a collaborative digital book to describe views on different aspects of Deaf culture, such as protocols associated with signing
planning and presenting a procedural task with multiple steps incorporating DSs, such as following a recipe or giving instructions on how to care for an animal, for example,
TODAY PRO1 EXPLAIN RULES
Today I will explain the rules.
MUST CAREFUL FEED
You must be careful when feeding.
- participating in improvisation games that require spontaneous and imaginative responses to a stimulus
- creating a performance such as a skit or humorous story for a class talent show
negotiating roles and responsibilities in a shared task such as a National Week of Deaf People (NWDP) presentation, for example,
PRO2 INTRODUCTION PRO1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
You do the introduction. I will do the Acknowledgement of Country
- discussing and documenting success of an activity and aspects to change or improve on for future planning
Mediating meaning in and between languages
interpret information, ideas and perspectives in a wide range of signed, visual and multimodal texts, and respond appropriately to cultural context, purpose and audience
- collecting information from a variety of signed sources to inform class discussions on current affairs such the prevalent use of social media by young people, and discuss ways in which deaf students can access and utilise social media
- researching, composing and presenting a persuasive speech designed to invite action or support on a selected issue such as a recycling, the environment, or other social or political cause
- following procedural signed texts such as directions to follow in an unfamiliar environment, for example, at a school camp or on an excursion
- reading or viewing First Nations Australians’ stories in Auslan or English, and creating a profile of them in Auslan
- watching and summarising information provided by a guest speaker and comparing their own ideas and opinions with those of their peers
- developing questions to interview an Auslan user about their experiences or opinions on specified topics, selecting key elements from the interview to produce a digital profile to share with the class
- gathering information from signed texts from the Deaf community and Deaf-related organisations, such as emergency announcements or information, or advocacy texts, and rephrasing key points in a form suitable for a different audience or purpose
- viewing texts such as interviews, news reports or vlogs and selecting points of information or details to use in their own texts or opinion pieces
- evaluating Deaf performances or art forms that manipulate technology and the use of colour and light to create special effects
- responding to signed poems and VV descriptions of a character’s appearance, for example, shadowing a sample of the VV work of well-known Deaf poets and artists
- obtaining information about high-profile members of the international Deaf community to create profiles for a digital magazine or website, for example, the president of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD)
- viewing and responding to creative texts such as television programs, movies, songs and short stories
apply strategies to interpret and translate signed interactions, visual and written texts, to convey meaning and intercultural understanding in familiar and unfamiliar contexts
- experimenting with literal Auslan translations of popular English idioms, noticing when this creates confusion, for example, ‘It’s raining cats and dogs’
- recognising the need to recast language and considering why one language may use more words/signs than another to communicate a particular meaning, for example, when Auslan uses spatial concepts or DSs to describe an event, which will take longer to explicate in a linear spoken language
- considering approaches to translation, for example, in relation to free versus literal translations by Deaf or hearing interpreters
- comparing their own translations of short texts from Auslan to English, and vice versa, with those of their classmates, noting choices drawn from online sign dictionaries and discussing variations and possible reasons for these
- translating poems, short stories or songs from English into Auslan
- exploring the role and function of Deaf interpreters and differences between Deaf interpreters and hearing Auslan-English interpreters
- developing guidelines on culturally appropriate and ethical behaviour when interpreting and translating, for example, considering potential consequences of inaccurate interpreting
- interpreting simple interactions or role-plays between deaf students and non-signers such as a hearing teacher, librarian or canteen manager
- participating in an excursion to an interpreted theatre event or other interpreted event, discussing interpretation later in class
- transcribing part of a text using either annotation software or glossing, and recording what signs, spatial locations and NMFs are used
filming various Auslan multi-channel signs and expressions used by Auslan signers and attaching English captions with appropriate translations, for example, PAH! (finally) and BA-BA (odd/bizarre/unusual)
- shadowing and comparing different translations of online Auslan and English public announcements and government policy/information texts
- identifying strategies used by deaf people to negotiate physical environments, for example, while walking on a footpath together and signing, one person will always be monitoring the path ahead and be alert of any obstacles, and identifying other ways deaf people draw on additional perceptual resources
- creating and presenting to their peers a signed interpretation of a wordless animation
Creating text in Auslan
create signed, visual and multimodal, informative and imaginative texts, selecting features of signing, depicting signs (DSs), non-manual features (NMFs) and signing space, for familiar and some unfamiliar contexts and purposes, to engage different audiences
- presenting a biographical report on a prominent deaf person, using visual prompts to describe their life and achievements, and incorporating some commentary and personal opinion
- providing instructions in an engaging or entertaining style to create interest in a group activity such as an information-gap game or a sign linguistics game
- creating digital clips, social media posts or presentations in Auslan that are designed to persuade, inform or invite response on an issue of relevance such as recycling and ‘zero waste’
- reflecting in Auslan on the impact of a visit to a significant cultural First Nations Country/Place location, and, with permission, referring to cultural knowledge of the site
- creating a promotional signed text about the aims and goals of an upcoming event such as the school fete, an environmental walk, or a fundraiser for a local charity
- composing and presenting a handshape or signed poem on a theme such as friendship or a favourite hobby or place
- creating a short film in Auslan that incorporates a storyline or cultural twist appropriate for a deaf audience
- create the next scene, a new character or an alternative ending for a signed fable, short story or cartoon
- creating the script for a role-play about future travel plans, or a best/worst holiday experience, and performing with partner, incorporating elements of tension, humour or emotion
- using VV to tell a simple story, incorporating close and distant focus
Understanding systems of language
apply features of Auslan sign production including handshape, orientation, location and movement (HOLM), and non-manual features (NMFs), and show how these are represented in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts
- showing the importance of fluid patterns of fingerspelling, rather than speed
- using the various types and functions of NMFs, such as movements of the eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, shoulders and body, to convey effective meaning in real or simulated scenarios, for example, in a class presentation or class debate on a favourite topic
- modifying pace for emphasis when presenting personal views on a topic of interest
- modifying dominant and non-dominant hands for effect or use one hand only to convey the same meaning as the original 2-hand sign
- using NMFs to modify verbs when enacting different types of movements, for example, tip-toe versus stomp
applying knowledge of iconicity, for example, how the path movement of a verb can show the timing of an action, for example, PRO1 WAIT DS:FAST-REPEAT PRO2, observing that English can do the same with changes to the length of words, for example, Ive been waiting a loooooong time for you
- recognising multi-channel signs and showing that some signs can occur with a standard mouth gesture
select and use structures and features of the Auslan grammatical system to enhance meaning and create signed, visual and multimodal texts
- showing where and how a signer uses space to establish a location, for example, through the use of points, non-body-anchored signs or fingerspelled words
- recognising and practising using locations for present referents, non-present referents, or abstract referents that do not exist in space
- recognising that fully-lexical signs may be found in the dictionary and have a standard HOLM, and partly-lexical signs are not listed in a dictionary in all forms
intensifying adjectives through the use of NMFs such as HOT, signing with great emphasis, and depicting a wide-eyed expression for EXTREMELY HOT, or signing TOUGH with great exertion to show VERY TOUGH
distinguishing between the citation form of a sign and the overlaid adverbial NMF, for example, MAN SPRINT (base form), MAN SPRINT NMF:INTENSITY (manner added)
- showing that in CAs, a signer can shift into the role of another, or themselves at a different time, through eye-gaze change, body shift, head orientation change, and matching facial expressions
- viewing a signed text and documenting time codes for entity, handling and SASS DSs
changing the movement to express how a verb happens over time, for example, signing WATCH versus WATCH DS:SLOW-REPEAT watch again and again
using structures to show a sequence of time, for example, WORK ALL DAY, FUTURE GENERATION
applying knowledge of conjunctions such as PLUS, IF or BUT to join clauses and create cohesion
- adding adjectives, adverbs, CAs, DSs and lexical signs, and moving between ‘showing’ and ‘telling’ information to elaborate and extend clauses
reflect on and evaluate Auslan texts, using metalanguage to discuss language structures and features
- using metalanguage to communicate about features of Auslan such as talking about the use of fingerspelling, CAs, DSs and NMFs
- comparing SASS DSs with English adjectives, such as a small, sleek new car, or a large, battered, old ute
- comparing instances of representation of direct and indirect speech in English texts and corresponding this with the use of CAs in Auslan
identifying and reflecting on created and emerging vocabulary, signs and expressions in texts, for example, COMPUTER, MOUSE (COMPUTER), INTERNET, WI-FI, SELFIE, CHAT
using metalanguage to identify how to construct cohesive and coherent texts through the use of referents and discourse markers, and connectives such as lexical signs THEN or G:WELL or NMFs and pausing
interviewing older members of Deaf families or Deaf communities and reporting back to the class about any differences in signing they notice, such as more use of fingerspelled words, less use of DSs and NMFs, or the use of different signs such as FILM (old sign), TOILET (old sign)
- discussing how signers can compare or contrast ideas by locating things in the same or opposing sides of signing space
- comparing the creation of meaning in Auslan from fully-lexical signs, partly-lexical signs, non-lexical signing and gesture, with the creation of meaning in English words, intonation, and gesture
- identifying cultural differences between the use of personal names in Auslan and in their own language, for example, Auslan signers not using a person’s name sign when addressing them directly, in contrast to the practice in many spoken languages
identifying that iconic abstract signs such as SASS DSs can represent a whole object or part of an object, and describing metaphorical iconicity such as LOVE, AVOID/RESIST, and discussing how it relates to metaphors in English
- analysing linguistic structures and features associated with more dynamic texts such as live or filmed dialogues between 2 signers, observing and recording examples of backchannels and hesitations used in conversational exchanges
- reflecting on similarities and differences in ways of communicating in signed language and spoken language, for example, when joining interactions, taking turns and using name signs
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 affect ways of communicating
- considering culturally appropriate and ethical language when interacting with Deaf people, discussing vocabulary, phrases and expressions to be avoided
- discussing the diversity of the Australian population, including Auslan users who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind and children of deaf adults (CODAs)
- identifying examples of deaf people who have been recognised in Australian society, and discussing how such recognition contributes to broader awareness and value of Auslan, such as Alastair McEwin and Drisana Levitzke-Gray
- reflecting on and explaining the protocols required to authentically co-create an Acknowledgement of Country/Place with a First Nations Australian, to present in Auslan to a group of Auslan-using visitors at a school assembly
- reflecting on the impact of key events such as the Milan Congress in 1880 and the Signed English movement in the 1970s and 1980s on the education of deaf children, and developing a promotional video suggesting ways to further progress understanding
- viewing signed news and other media texts, or presentations by Deaf people, reflecting on the ways attitudes and values in the wider community have changed towards Auslan in recent years, and the reasons for this evolution in perception and the increased positive profile
- keeping a journal of memorable experiences associated with learning and using Auslan, noting insights gained into themselves as language users, for example, how they choose to use either Auslan or English in different contexts
- promoting participation in community issues and programs, such as creating more green places and safe playgrounds, volunteering in aged care facilities or childcare centres, by contributing to a school secure blog
- exploring the role of globalisation in terms of what technology offers signed languages in terms of maintaining their vitality and changing attitudes and values about signed languages, including the capacity for further advancements in technologies to store, record and share signed languages
- understanding that knowledge about past and present Deaf people and cultural values are embodied in and transmitted through Auslan, for example, ways of producing the sign for SIGN embodies cultural meaning
- 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 new words