AUSLAN News

I would like to share a valuable insight from a professional development opportunity that has a significant impact on our children's language development. During this session, I gained a deeper understanding of the crucial role finger-spelling plays in enhancing spelling proficiency and overall language skills. Finger-spelling is a powerful tool that can greatly improve children's spelling abilities. The act of physically forming letters with their fingers reinforces the connection between letters and their corresponding sounds, facilitating a stronger grasp of spelling rules and patterns. The more our young learners practice finger-spelling, the more confident and proficient spellers they can become. With this in mind, I highly encourage you to actively support and motivate your child/ren to engage in regular finger-spelling practice at home. Encouraging them to use finger-spelling while reading various books will further reinforce their spelling skills and boost their overall language comprehension.

In the ongoing Auslan learning journey, students from Prep to Year 2 are diligently broadening their sign vocabulary. They are encompassing a diverse array of food-related signs, spanning fruits, vegetables, bread, dairy and meat.  Through this process, they are constructing foundational communication themes, allowing them to express their culinary preferences and engage in interactive dialogue. Examples of such exchanges include inquiries like  'what is your favourite food?' 'do you like eating...' Students are further prompted to elicit responses from their peers, fostering an engaging and interactive learning environment. 

Meanwhile, students from Year 3 to Year 6 have been collaboratively engaged in group activities, meticulously preparing presentations while providing mutual support in combining their stories through signing. A commendable acknowledgement goes out to all those who enthusiastically embraced and successfully navigated this recent challenge. 

If you would like to learn some food signs, please use this link:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USeTibfyXfI

Dianne Herrmann

Auslan Teacher

Wednesday & Thursday

Holy Family School

Mount Waverley