Auslan

At Lara Primary School, students across all levels participate in a dedicated 60-minute Auslan lesson each week as part of their Specialist program.  

Auslan is Australian Sign Language — the native language of the Australian Deaf community. It is a visual-spatial, natural language with its own unique grammar and vocabulary. Learning Auslan involves developing both expressive skills (signing) and receptive skills (understanding and interpreting others’ signs).

Auslan includes distinct linguistic elements such as handshapes (including orientation, location and movement), non-manual features (such as eye gaze, facial expressions, and arm, head and body movements), and fingerspelling. Importantly, Auslan has its own grammatical structure, which differs from English.

Students explore a range of topics including Deaf Culture, fingerspelling, feelings, greetings, asking and responding to questions, colours, introducing yourself, days of the week, months of the year, counting, and weather, to name just a few.

Lessons involve explicit teaching through teacher demonstrations supported by videos, with student learning through activities, games, stories, songs, and group practice.  

Through learning Auslan, students build an understanding and appreciation of the Australian Deaf Community, fostering respect, inclusion, and connection. This learning empowers students to become respectful allies, helping to create a more inclusive and accessible wider community.