Level Description

The nature of the learners

Learners at this level are developing their cognitive and social capabilities and their communicative repertoire in the language, as well as becoming increasingly aware of their social worlds and their membership of various groups, including their Auslan class. They are more independent and less egocentric, enjoying both competitive and cooperative activities. They are able to conceptualise and reason, and have better memory and focus. They benefit from varied, activity-based learning that builds on their interests and capabilities and makes connections with other areas of learning.

Auslan learning and use

Learners in this band engage in a range of activities in Auslan and share ideas about the language. They respond to teacher-generated questions about texts, participate in games and give brief presentations about topics such as family, pets, or a favourite game or object. They continue to build vocabulary for thinking and talking about school topics. The language used in routine activities is re-used and reinforced from lesson to lesson in different situations, making connections between what has been learnt and what is to be learnt. Learners follow instructions, watch stories and participate in creating short texts on topics relevant to their interests and enjoyment, such as family, pets, favourite activities or food. They recount experiences, interact with visitors, follow directions, negotiate roles in a group and retell important information.

Contexts of interaction

Learning occurs largely through interaction with peers and the teaching team in the language classroom and the broader school environment, with some sharing of their learning at home. They also have some access to the wider Deaf community and resources through virtual and digital technology. The familiarity and routine dimension of the classroom context provide scaffolding and opportunities for language practice and experimentation.

Texts and resources

Learners typically interact with teacher-generated materials, games and songs, and materials produced for learning Auslan, such as computer games or online videos. They may be exposed to texts developed for deaf children as a way of developing their cultural awareness.

Features of Auslan use

Learners at this stage are increasingly aware of differences between Auslan and English. They are developing a wide range of vocabulary and can use simple clause structures to generate their own ideas in structured tasks. They use depicting signs to talk about simple movements and shapes, and with support can represent the viewpoint of a single participant through constructed action. They begin modifying more indicating verbs for present referents and use specific time marking incorporating numerals in their recounts. They are learning to use NMFs to mark manner on verbs or to express negation. Students at this level explore cultural constructs and practices and the language associated with these. Metalinguistically, learners can describe differences between how to show or tell about an event, understand that adverbs modify verbs and that clauses contain what happened, who was involved and surrounding circumstances.

Level of support

The primary support for learners is the Auslan teacher, who provides instruction, explanation, examples, repetition, reinforcement and feedback. Learners create their own texts based on modelled language and teacher guidance. Form-focused activities, particularly those increasing metalinguistic awareness, build students’ grammatical knowledge and support the development of accuracy and control in Auslan. Tasks and activities are carefully scaffolded and resourced with supports such as pictures, flashcards, gestures, objects and multimedia. Discussion supports learning and develops learners’ conceptual frame for talking about systems of language and culture.

The role of English

Learners use Auslan for classroom routines and structured learning tasks, and for watching texts. They are supported by the teacher to notice and discuss aspects of Auslan and Deaf culture, and to compare Auslan to other known languages and cultures. English is used for class discussions when noticing, comparing and reflecting on both English and Auslan, as well as for accessing some printed material related to topics in the Understanding strand.

Achievement Standard

By the end of Year 4, students participate in classroom routines and structured interactions with teachers and peers. They communicate about daily routines, interests and pastimes; recount personal experiences and classroom events; and describe people, experiences or activities using simple depicting signs, such as DS:run-around-oval THEN DS:sit-in-circle. They express preferences, follow directions and ask for clarification or help. They play games that involve making choices, exchanging information and negotiating turn-taking. They use non-manual features to indicate understanding, interest or lack of interest. They use culturally appropriate protocols, such as gaining attention by waving, tapping or pointing to alert third parties and maintain eye contact when communicating, for example PRO2 MEAN or … RIGHT PRO1? They identify, summarise/paraphrase and retell key points of information in signed texts such as announcements, directions for a game or presentations by visitors, for example PRO1 FIRST YOUR-TURN. They recount in correct sequence the main points of an event or favourite elements of a signed story, using modified indicating verbs, such as POSS1 FAVOURITE PART PRO3 TAKE MONEY THEN RUN-that direction. They present routine class information, such as weather reports or daily schedules, using visual prompts and signed descriptions. They create their own simple imaginative texts and retell wordless animations using familiar signs, gestures, modelled language and visual supports. They translate high-frequency signs/words and expressions in simple texts. They reflect on their own cultural identity and ways of communicating in light of their experience of learning Auslan.

Students compare fingerspelling with written English, noticing that it can be used for whole words or for parts of words. They recognise that there are signs that have no single English word equivalent, and know that signs can be displaced in space for different purposes, such as to show locations or different participants in a verb. They know that signing involves telling, depicting or enacting. They recognise variation in how Auslan is used, for example by recognising regional dialects and differences in signing space. They identify different ways Deaf community members communicate with each other and with members of the wider hearing community, for example, face to face, via technology, social media and interpreters. They know that culture is closely related to language and to identity and involves both visible and invisible elements.