LOTE

Auslan

This year, all students at Nar Nar Goon Primary School will continue to explore Auslan signs as our LOTE subject.  

What is Auslan?

Auslan is Australian Sign Language, the native language of the Australian Deaf community, and is a visual-spatial, natural language with its own grammar and vocabulary.

Auslan has linguistic elements, such as hand shapes (including orientation, location and movement), non-manual features (including eye gaze, facial expressions, arm, head and body postures) and fingerspelling.

Auslan also has its own grammar, which is different from English. Auslan grammar is composed of precise hand shapes, facial expressions and body movements that convey concrete and abstract information.

Why learn Auslan?

Benefits of learning Auslan Incorporating Auslan into the school program has many benefits for both deaf and hearing children.

Sign language can:

  • enhance children’s educational and personal development
  • increase memory retention and motion processing
  • stimulate brain development and mental flexibility
  • increase enjoyment in communicating for both hearing and deaf children.

 

Foundation

This Term Foundation students will explore what Auslan is and who might use it.  They will identify their dominant hand and begin to use a wristband to ensure they’re signing accurately.  Students will learn a variety of animal signs and then be exposed to a number of known picture story books in Auslan to build on their receptive skills.  They will be taught how to ask and respond to ‘What is your favourite animal?’.

 

Year ½ 

This Term Year ½ students will learn to identify which is their dominant hand and the different parts of the hand.  They will learn the signs for everyday classroom items and to sign the Auslan alphabet so they can begin to use fingerspelling.  Students will also learn to introduce themselves and fingerspell their name. 

 

Year ¾

This Term Year ¾ students will identify parts of the hand, work on their receptive fingerspelling skills, learn to sign days of the week and Advance Australia Fair.  They will explore the history of Auslan, it’s linguistic features; HOLM & NMF and the differences between Auslan grammar and English grammar.

 

Year 5/6

This Term Year 5/6 students will continue to work on their receptive fingerspelling skills and understanding of the linguistics of Auslan; HOLM & NMF.  They will explore the history of Auslan, differences in the grammar of Auslan and English and they will learn some of the Handshapes of Auslan.

 


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