1st Language (F-10)

Foundation Level
Description

In Foundation, Auslan learning builds on the Early Years Learning Framework and each student's prior learning and experiences with language. Students may interact in Auslan within their family and communicate with teachers and peers. They strengthen and extend their communication and interpersonal skills by interacting in Auslan through play-based and action-related learning. They receive extensive support through modelling, scaffolding and revisiting.

Students experience and imitate the gestures of Auslan. They participate in shared viewing of texts that represent Auslan and Auslan contexts. Visual and multimodal texts may include captioned films and cartoons, conversations, picture books, performances and stories. They learn that language can be represented in different ways, including using signs and gestures in Auslan and the Roman alphabet in English. They learn that languages and cultures are connected, and that what is familiar to one person can be new to somebody else.