Organisation of Auslan K–10

The diagram below (Figure 1) shows the content organisation for Auslan K–10.

The Auslan K–10 Syllabus has 4 focus areas:

Interacting in Auslan
Understanding texts in Auslan
Creating texts in Auslan
Role of language, culture and identity.

Image long description: 4 focus areas of the syllabus surrounded by the ideas, Communicating meaning in Auslan and Developing intercultural capability in d/Deaf and hearing environments.

Course requirements

Mandatory study of 100 hours in one language is completed in Years 7–10 but preferably in Years 7–8, over one continuous 12-month period. However, students may commence their study of a language at any point along the K–10 continuum. Implementation of the Auslan K–10 Syllabus is optional in Kindergarten to Year 6. Decisions about teaching this syllabus are made by schools and education sectors in consultation with the Deaf community.

Course numbers:

200-hour elective: 797
100-hour elective: 798
200-hour Life Skills elective: 807
100-hour Life Skills elective: 808

Languages (Stage 5 Mandatory): 4070

Exclusions: Students may not access Life Skills outcomes and other outcomes from the same subject.

Access content points

Life Skills outcomes and content

Balance of content

Learner entry points

Students come to the learning of Auslan with diverse linguistic, cultural and personal profiles. This may include a range of prior language experiences, either in Auslan or another language. Students may include:

first language signers who are d/Deaf or deafblind
first language signers with parents and/or extended family who are d/Deaf
first language signers who are d/Deaf or deafblind and may not have metalinguistic skills and knowledge in English or Auslan
first and second language signers who have additional learning needs, such as an intellectual disability, including students who are d/Deaf or deafblind
second language signers who begin their study of Auslan with some or no previous background learning, this may include students learning English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D). These students may or may not be d/Deaf or have a progressive hearing loss
students who are bilingual or multilingual and learning Auslan as an additional language, including students who use a sign language other than Auslan.

Students may commence their learning of Auslan at different ages, with different prior learning and for different purposes. To meet their learning needs, it is important for students to access content that is age and stage appropriate.

In Kindergarten to Year 6, content is developed for 2 broad student groups:

students who are studying Auslan as an additional language
students who are studying Auslan as a first language; this may include students who are bilingual in Auslan and English, and students who have no other language to reference when they start learning Auslan.

In Year 7 to Year 10, content is developed for 4 broad student groups:

students with no prior learning or experience of Auslan who are studying Auslan as an additional language (Additional language pathway)
students with prior learning and/or experience of Auslan who are studying Auslan as an additional language (Prior learning and/or experience pathway)
students who are studying Auslan as a first language. This may include students who are bilingual in Auslan and English, and students who have no other language to reference when they commence learning Auslan
students undertaking a course based on Life Skills outcomes and content.

Auslan

Auslan is the language of the Deaf community of Australia and belongs to the British, Australian and New Zealand Sign Language family. It is a distinct and legitimate language with its own grammar and vocabulary which are different from those of English. Key Word Sign is not Auslan. Key Word Sign borrows signs from Auslan.

Auslan has 2 main dialects, Northern and Southern dialects. It is expected that this syllabus is delivered using the Northern dialect.

The syllabus can also be taught through adapted forms of Auslan for students who are deafblind.

Community consultation

This syllabus acknowledges the need for appropriate ongoing consultation on the development and implementation of teaching and learning programs in schools. NESA, through the Auslan K–10 Syllabus, supports the aspirations of the Deaf community to maintain and strengthen their language and culture.

Engagement and appropriate consultation with the local or nearest available Deaf community and/or background and/or proficient users of Auslan is key to Auslan being taught in a contextually and culturally correct manner. To develop further knowledge about principles and protocols, school representatives can contact their local or nearest available Deaf community, d/Deaf education consultants who identify as Deaf or work with signing d/Deaf students, support teachers for d/Deaf or hard of hearing students within education systems, or language centres. Decisions about teaching this syllabus are made by schools and education sectors in consultation with the Deaf community.

Texts

A text can be signed, written, spoken or multimodal and in print or digital forms. Signed texts can be live, in recorded/digital form or part of multimodal texts.

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K–10Auslan K–10 Syllabus

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