“The formal study of Auslan contributes to the overall intellectual and social enrichment of all students, broadening their understanding of language, culture, and identity.” (Inspired by the Australian Curriculum Rationale for Auslan)
All students at St Brendan’s undertake a dedicated Auslan (Australian Sign Language) session per week.
Auslan is a wonderful and inclusive language. It provides our students with the tools they need to communicate with everyone in the community. Auslan is fun to learn, and can be shared across cultures.
Most signs in Auslan are contextual, so it is a particularly accessible language for students who speak English as an Additional Language. Some linguistic features of Auslan are similar to those found in spoken languages. For example, the 26 fingerspelled letters of the Auslan alphabet are based on the 26 letters of the English alphabet. Like other languages, the study of Auslan supports a broader focus on quality literacy instruction.