Specialists News
Auslan News
Welcome to the Auslan Classroom for 2024!
We have started the year with a focus on setting up classroom routines and expectations in Auslan. All students have positively contributed to our Auslan Classroom Positive Behaviour Matrix and I am looking forward to giving out GuGu stickers to students displaying our Core Values of Respect, Resilience and Responsibility in Auslan to help students fill their GuGu Reward Sticker Books!
This year we will be learning Auslan via a new program called LEARN AUSLAN ONLINE. We will be launching into the new program next week!!
All classes will be doing some revision for the first couple of sessions:
What is Auslan? Simple Greetings, Auslan Fingerspelling Alphabet A-Z.
Preps will NOT be learning the A-Z Fingerspelling at this point. Prep students will instead focus on learning simple Greetings and Auslan Colours, before moving onto other topics!
Prep students have started learning a Greetings song called: “Hello, how are you?” to practise some Auslan Greetings.
All students from Prep to Grade 6 have identified their preferred Dominant Hand for signing this week, and are completing a Dominant Hand art activity to help them remember to use their Dominant Hand when signing. Once students work out which hand is their Dominant Hand, they are encouraged not to interchange between hands when signing.
I have attached an Auslan Fingerspelling Alphabet Mat for Grades 1-6 students and their families to refer to at home when practising. All students will also have a copy of this in their Auslan workbooks to refer to throughout the year.
Here are a few things, to help you out at home when practising Auslan with your child/ren:
1. Auslan is not written in capital letters (unless it is displayed as a heading.)
2. The name Auslan is taken from the words Australian Sign Language.
The Au is for Australian. The s is for Sign, and the lan is for Language.
3. Auslan is not the same as English. The language actually has its own structure and grammar.
4. There is not always a sign for an English word in Auslan.
5. At times there can be more than one correct Auslan sign for an English word.
6. There are 2 dialects of Auslan in Australia; the Northern Dialect and Southern Dialect.
Our program LEARN AUSLAN ONLINE, teaches the Southern Dialect.
7. When you are signing it is important to know your dominant hand, as this hand does most of the moving. (Your dominant hand is usually the hand that you write/draw with.)
The learner uses their dominant hand, as does the signer, whether they be left-handed or right-handed.
8. As we become more fluent in our Auslan lessons, over time we will be aiming to include more ‘voices off’ time during lessons.
I am open to hearing from our SGPS families who might have suggestions, Auslan resources or contacts within the local Deaf Community that you wish to share with me. Please feel free to email me: Adele.Riordan@education.vic.gov.au
I am looking forward to another year of learning and teaching Auslan at SGPS, and expanding on what we learned in our first year together!!
Mrs Riordan.
Sports News
Grades 3-6 Swimming Sports - Thursday 15th Feb
On Thursday, 15th of February we will be conducting our Senior School Swimming Sports for all children in Grades 3 to 6. The Sports will be held at Bendigo East Swimming pool from approximately 12pm to 3pm. A bus has been organised to transport the students. They will participate in their age group in a number of timed or untimed swimming races, varying in lengths (depending on the child’s competency level).
Fun and participation will be the main focus of the day and students do not need to be confident swimmers, nor display correct stroke technique to take part. They will be able to choose the races that they would like to go in. Novelty games in the small shallow pool will be organised for less confident swimmers to allow for maximum student participation. House points will be awarded for each event your child participates in, including novelty games. Winning students of the timed, full length (50m) races may then be selected to represent the school at the upcoming Division Schools Carnival (depending on their time and correct stroke technique). Students will also have a ‘free swim’ if time permits.
Consent and payment for this event can now be done through Compass.
Choir - come and try!
Have you ever wondered what happens in a choir rehearsal?! Well, now is your opportunity to come and see! We're offering all students in Grade1/2, Grade 3/4 and Grade 5/6 to come to choir rehearsal and have a try for the first 3 weeks of school. There is no need to sign up anywhere to attend these "come and try" sessions, just simply turn up at the music room at 1:30 on Friday (Recess) and Mrs Hopman and Mrs Hamilton will show you what it's all about. From week 4, we will expect a firm commitment that students who choose to officially join choir attend rehearsal every week at 1:30 on Fridays. There is no cost to be involved in choir and there are lots of fun opportunities to perform at school events throughout the year.