Auslan is Australian Sign Language, the native language of the Australian Deaf community.
Auslan is the primary form of communication for deaf people living in Australia, and more than 20,000 people use Auslan as their main form of communication. In 2015, one in six people had some form of hearing loss, a number that continues to rise. Increasingly, people are relying on Auslan interpretation for participation in work and education, as well as during holiday and leisure time.
In 2017, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) officially published the first national Auslan curriculum. According to ACARA, some of the benefits of learning Auslan includes:
stronger overall literacy skills;
enhanced understanding of language systems, language learning, and learning processes;
development of neural pathways and cognitive processes;
improved memory and brain function;
opportunities for intellectual interest, engagement, and personal challenge; and
increased understanding of notions of Deafhood, inclusivity, diversity, social justice, community membership, and cultural identity.
Here at Northern, students from Prep to Year 6 participate in Auslan lessons each week. This term, we have focused on signs associated with daily life, both at home and at school. It has been exciting to see how eagerly students have learnt the signs and begun to describe what they do throughout the day using Auslan. Our lessons include whole-class signing practice, singing, and watching stories in Auslan. We also focus on extending our vocabulary by learning new English words and their accompanying signs.
Being a visual language, AUSLAN has many cognitive and learning benefits, and exposes our students to the many different people that make up God’s world as His image-bearers. Perhaps the most significant benefit of learning AUSLAN is the ability to communicate with persons who are hearing-impaired or non-verbal. These people include our peers, family members and those in our wider community. It also allows us the opportunity to celebrate the many ways God’s image is reflected in each person.
As Christians, we are called to love our neighbour and teach the good news to all. Sign language equips our students to love and teach others about Jesus, enriches our communication with others, and encourages an inclusive educational environment.
If you have any experience with Auslan let us know! We'd love to hear from you and benefit from your expertise.
Mrs Kerrie Prentice - Auslan Teacher
