Auslan Report

This fortnight in Auslan, students will learn about what is Auslan and how it is a sign language to communicate with people who are hearing impaired or deaf. The word ‘Auslan’ is never written in capital letters as it is not an acronym. The ‘Au’ is for Australia.The ‘s’ is for Sign, and the ‘lan’ stands for Language. Auslan is not the same as English as it has its own structure and grammar. There is not always a sign for certain English words, however there can be more than one sign for particular words which our students will learn. There are two dialects in Auslan, the Northern and Southern. Students at Melton West Primary School will be learning the Southern dialect. Signing is also done using your dominant hand. In the first two lessons students will learn to sign the words ‘good’ and ‘hello’. They will also learn to sign each letter of the alphabet. Keep updated on learning Auslan each fortnight in our Community Newsletter!