Auslan Course

Lesson 1 • Visual Language Fundamentals

Introduces the visual-gestural modality and how meaning is conveyed through space, movement, and handshape. Prepares learners for the perceptual shift required in Auslan.

Lesson 2 • Deaf Community and Identity

Explores Deaf culture, community values, and the distinction between audiological and cultural deafness. Learners develop respectful attitudes essential for authentic communication.

Lesson 3 • What Is Auslan

Auslan is introduced as a natural, rule-governed language distinct from English. This context motivates learners to approach it as a full linguistic system.

Lesson 1 • Time, Money, and Quantity Signs

Applies number skills to time expressions, prices, and quantities. These high-frequency contexts reinforce number production in meaningful use.

Lesson 2 • The Auslan Manual Alphabet

Covers all 26 handshapes of the two-handed Auslan fingerspelling system. Accurate handshape formation is foundational to spelling names and unfamiliar words.

Lesson 3 • Fingerspelling Fluency

Develops speed and clarity in producing and reading fingerspelled words. Fluency here enables learners to handle vocabulary gaps in real conversation.

Lesson 1 • Greetings and Farewells

Introduces standard opening and closing signs used in Deaf community interactions. These phrases are the entry point to every real-world conversation.

Lesson 2 • Polite Requests and Social Signs

Teaches please, thank you, sorry, and other social lubricants. These signs build rapport and reflect Deaf community interaction norms.

Lesson 3 • Basic Question Forms

Introduces yes/no and wh-question structures with correct non-manual markers. Questions are the engine of conversation and must be mastered early.

Lesson 4 • Everyday Objects and Places

Builds vocabulary for common objects, rooms, and locations encountered daily. Concrete nouns anchor early vocabulary and support later sentence construction.

Lesson 1 • Topic-Comment Sentence Structure

Explains how Auslan places the topic first, followed by a comment, differing from English word order. Mastery prevents direct English-to-Auslan translation errors.

Lesson 2 • Negation and Affirmation

Teaches how to negate and affirm statements using headshakes, specific signs, and non-manual markers. These structures are required for any meaningful exchange.

Lesson 3 • Verb Types and Agreement

Distinguishes plain, agreeing, and spatial verbs and explains how movement encodes subject and object. Correct verb agreement is essential for grammatical accuracy.

Lesson 4 • Tense, Aspect, and Time Lines

Introduces the timeline metaphor for past, present, and future and aspect markers for ongoing or completed actions. Time expression is critical for narrative and planning.

Lesson 1 • Body Shift and Role Shifting

Explains how signers shift body position to take on different characters or perspectives in discourse. Role shifting is essential for storytelling and reported speech.

Lesson 2 • Facial Grammar Overview

Distinguishes grammatical facial expressions from emotional ones and explains their linguistic roles. Without facial grammar, signed sentences are incomplete or ambiguous.

Lesson 3 • Conditional and Relative Clauses

Shows how raised brows mark conditionals and how other facial configurations mark subordinate clauses. These structures enable complex, multi-clause sentences.

Lesson 1 • Introduction to Classifiers

Defines classifier handshapes and their role in representing categories of objects and entities. Classifiers dramatically expand descriptive power beyond lexical signs.

Lesson 2 • Movement and Location Classifiers

Covers how classifiers encode path movement, manner, and spatial placement of entities. These forms are used constantly in directions, descriptions, and narratives.

Lesson 3 • Depicting Constructions in Context

Integrates classifiers into full depicting constructions used in real discourse. Learners practice building spatial scenes and narrating events using classifiers.

Lesson 1 • Conversational Repair Strategies

Teaches how to signal non-understanding, request clarification, and correct errors mid-conversation. Repair skills prevent communication breakdown and build confidence.

Lesson 2 • Topic Introduction and Management

Covers how to introduce, maintain, and change topics in Auslan discourse. Effective topic management is the hallmark of a competent conversationalist.

Lesson 3 • Formal and Informal Register

Distinguishes casual Deaf community signing from formal or professional register. Register awareness ensures appropriate communication across social contexts.

Lesson 4 • Narrative and Storytelling Basics

Introduces the structure of Auslan narratives, including orientation, complication, and resolution. Storytelling is a central cultural practice in the Deaf community.

Lesson 1 • Interpreting Awareness and Collaboration

Explains how Auslan interpreters work and how to collaborate effectively with them. This knowledge improves outcomes for both Deaf and hearing participants.

Lesson 2 • Comprehension of Native Signers

Develops strategies for understanding fast, natural signing from fluent Deaf community members. Exposure to authentic input is the final step toward real-world competence.

Lesson 3 • Complex Sentence Construction

Extends grammar skills to multi-clause, embedded, and conditional sentences in extended discourse. Complex syntax is required for academic and professional communication.

Lesson 4 • Self-Assessment and Continued Growth

Guides learners to evaluate their own proficiency and plan ongoing development beyond the course. Autonomous learning habits sustain fluency after formal instruction ends.