AUSLAN

It is with great excitement and enthusiasm that I announce the return of Auslan to Clyde Primary School. My name is Safa Chebbou, I am honoured to step into the Auslan teacher role and look forward to supporting your children, their teachers and the wider community in their Auslan journey.  

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. 

Learning Auslan 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 

support awareness, appreciation and openness to diversity 

I am proud to say that the teaching and learning of Auslan aligns with our school ethos of supporting diversity and inclusion. Students in Years 1 – 6 will participate in practical and fun classes, where they will learn how to fingerspell, develop a vocabulary of basic conversational signs, learn how to structure sentences and gain an insight into deaf history and culture. Teachers will be supported to develop their Auslan skills and encouraged to use basic signs within their classrooms. As a parent/guardian, I’d like to invite you to learn alongside your child/ren – keep an eye out in our school newsletter for ways you can develop your Auslan skills and help your children consolidate their Auslan learning.  

I am excited about the upcoming school year and the opportunity to contribute to the academic and personal growth of your children. If you have any questions, concerns or ideas you’d like to share, please feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to meeting you in person soon.