Languages- Auslan

 Communicating with the Specialist Team

We look forward to partnering with you in 2024, and welcome your input:

Amanda Oakley (Languages- Auslan) Amanda.Oakley2@education.vic.gov.au

Shar Stjerne (Languages- Auslan) Shar.Stjerne@education.vic.gov.au

 Term Three

Celebrating Auslan Day

On the 29th of August, the whole school celebrated Auslan Day. During this day, the students and teachers participated in a variety of discussions and experiences. These included activities that celebrated  Auslan language and Deaf Culture through the lens of the Arts, Sport, Community and Performing Arts. An important aspect of the day was a session facilitated by Kerrie Taylor; a Deaf teacher, mentor, parent and author.

Deaf Sports

Our sports activity focused on the signs we use in sports and how the hearing community also use signs to communicate. This connected students' own experiences with those of the Deaf community. Watching a short documentary on a young Deaf basketball player, Jarred McEwan Young, from the Australian Men's Deaf Basketball team, the Goannas. After learning some Deaf basketball signs, the students had a turn at Deaf Yoshi which was a great experience that was enjoyed by students and teachers alike. 

Kerrie Taylor

We were very grateful to have Kerrie Taylor come and visit our school for our special day. Kerrie is a profoundly Deaf Auslan teacher who has written the first Auslan interpreted books for children. Sharing her experiences of growing up Deaf with the students gave them a first hand story and the chance to ask all the questions. Kerrie shared about her experience of having hearing aids and cochlear implants as well as learning Auslan as a teenager for the first time. 

Performing Arts

Our Performing Arts activity focused on using the students' knowledge of colours and incorporating these into a familiar song. We were grateful to have Megan Taylor, mum of Justyna in year 6, to support this activity. Megan is an Auslan Interpreter and was able to discuss with the students why songs can't be translated word for word. Auslan has it's own grammar, syntax and vocabularly and is a visual language. Meaning is communicated through signs using different handshapes, orientation of the hands, location, movements facial expression and body movements.

The second part of this activity took place in the Auslan room where students created colour window pieces for display and participated in drawing activities relating to colour.

Arts - Gonketa

The Art project for the day was inspired by Deaf artist, Jaycob Campbell, his creative pseudonym is Gonketa. 

Jaycob's work explores the movement and shapes formed by hands and gestures that are fundamental in non-verbal communication and sign language. To explore more of Jaycob's inspiring work please visit his website https://www.gonketa.com/

Within the art activity, students explored the idea of handshapes as part of Auslan and ways of communication. The two activities focused on the open 5 handshape which is used in many Auslan signs including the sign for Auslan and butterfly. For a long time it was believed that butterflies were all deaf, and so they were used by many Deaf societies and community groups as their symbol. We will be putting all of the painted hands into a mural of a butterfly that will be seen flying in the halls early term 4.  We thank Marika, mother of Eleanor and Josie, who spent time in this area assisting students with their creativity. Marika is completing her final year of the Diploma of Auslan and was able to share information and answer any questions the students had about Auslan and Deaf Culture.

  Yarning Circle and Thank You.

We recognise and acknowledge that a Yarning Circle is a traditional and sacred aspect of Indigenous Culture. A Yarning Circle is an important process that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people use to learn from one another, build respect, and share knowledge. We used this process to meet together and share ideas, knowledge, ask questions and learn from each other. 

We thanked Megan and Marika, our two parent helpers on the day. Megan is an Auslan Interpreter and Marika is finishing her Diploma in Auslan this year. Both parents had a wealth of knowledge to share with us on the day.

Looking Forward

National Week of Deaf People!

The National Week of Deaf People (NWDP) is a week-long national celebration of Deaf individuals and the Australian Deaf community, which includes celebrating the International Week of Deaf People (IWDP) and International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) which are initiatives of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD). These two events are traditionally held during September and are based on the founding date of the WFD (23 September 1951). It is an opportunity for Deaf people to celebrate their communities, language, culture and history; make the public aware of their local, state and national Deaf communities; and to recognise their achievements.

Get your tickets for the Asia-Pacific Deaf Basketball Championships

https://www.deafbasketballaustralia.org.au/apdbc24