Auslan News
Errol St Campus
From Caen , Senior school Auslan teacher
What an incredible few weeks we’ve had in Auslan! Our Year 3–6 students have been absolutely thriving and showing so much enthusiasm in their learning. Since last week, we’ve been diving into the fascinating world of zoo animals and the excitement has been contagious!
Over the past two weeks, students have been working hard to learn and master the signs for a range of zoo animals. From roaring lions and cheeky monkeys to elegant giraffes and powerful elephants, our classroom has felt like its very own zoo! Students have really enjoyed guessing each other’s signs in fun games like “Animal Detective”, where one student signs an animal and the others try to guess it as quickly as possible.
A key focus during these lessons has been ensuring accuracy by paying close attention to HOLM (Handshape, Orientation, Location, and Movement) and NMF (Non-Manual Features such as facial expression). These are essential building blocks of Auslan, and it has been amazing to watch students refine their skills in these areas. We have also been emphasising the importance of expression in signing, because without expression, signs can lose their meaning! Students are beginning to understand how facial expressions add depth and personality to their communication, especially when telling stories.
One of the highlights this fortnight has been our Zoo Animal Storytelling activity. Students paired up or worked in small groups to create imaginative short stories featuring zoo animals as characters. They then brought these stories to life through role play and expressive signing. This activity really helped students practise sequencing signs, using space effectively, and incorporating expression into their signing.
To keep the learning fun and engaging, we also introduced Zoo Animal Charades and Sign & Sketch, where students signed an animal for a partner to draw. These activities not only reinforced vocabulary but also sparked plenty of laughter and teamwork.
It has been so rewarding to see students bringing Auslan into their everyday classroom life—signing to each other during transitions, sharing their knowledge with friends, and proudly demonstrating new signs to their teachers. We are building confident communicators, and that is something to celebrate!
How You Can Support at Home?
To help reinforce these skills at home, we’d love for students to practise their zoo animal signs with family members. We’ve attached visual posters to this newsletter to make it easier. You could even turn it into a family game—pick an animal, sign it, and see who can guess it the fastest! A great way to make learning interactive and fun at home.
Looking ahead, we’ll continue to build on these skills and introduce some new themes soon, so stay tuned for even more exciting updates. Thank you for your ongoing support in encouraging your child’s Auslan learning journey. It truly makes a difference!
