1st Language - Year 7 Entry (7-10)

Years 7 - 8 Level
Understanding Language and Culture
Content Elaborations - (U2) AC9L1AU8EU02

• developing awareness of the range of signing space in normal signed interactions, from just above head to waist and extending to sides, noting exceptions, such as DOG location on thigh

• using a digital resource to assist in understanding that handshape and movement represent different things in each type of DS, for example, entity DSs, handling DSs and SASS DSs

• identifying concepts that can be represented in a DS by a particular handshape, for example, a distant person, pole or tree can be represented by a point handshape, a car by a flat handshape, and a cylinder such as a water bottle can be traced by a cup handshape

• understanding that, typically, signers use DSs to show spatial relationships/prepositions, not separate signs such as ON or UNDER when interacting

• recognising that a noun group can include elements such as adjectives or numbers and that proper nouns can be shown through fingerspelling or sign names if appropriate

• using different nouns in clauses, including those that are shown with a pointing sign, such as GIRL READ versus SHE READ, or VISIT FRIEND versus VISIT PRO3

• using adjectives to describe nouns in different ways such as how they look (BIG or RED), feel (SOFT or HOT), smell (SMELLY) or sound (LOUD)

• using different pointing signs, such as pronouns, determiners, locatives in texts

• identifying indicating verbs used between referents, for example,


I helped her.


She asked me and I was shocked!

• developing examples of signs that tell when, where or how a verb happens, such as


I am going on holiday in 2 weeks.


I would like lunch now please.


We have run a long way.


Come here please.


You finished quickly.

• identifying verb signs SIT, EAT, FEEL, WONDER, HAVE and understanding that they are central to a clause, noticing there is no verb 'to be' in Auslan

• exploring different types of verbs in a text, for example, doing (WALK, WRITE), saying (TELL, CALL (YELL), ANNOUNCE), sensing (SEE, THINK) or possessing

• noticing that adverbial signs modify the meaning of verbs, such as DRIVE CAREFUL, and that these can also be communicated effectively through NMFs, for example, DRIVE NMF:CAREFULLY

• understanding that single-digit numbers can be merged into other signs (numeral incorporation), such as those for ages, for example, AGE-YEARS(FIVE), or adverbs of time, for example, WEEK-AGO(THREE)

• recognising that there is flexibility in sign order, for example, parts of a sentence can be signed simultaneously, but generally a time-topic-comment structure is followed

• distinguishing between yes/no questions and wh- questions and statements, and their corresponding NMFs