Core Skills Analysis
Language Arts (English)
- Identified each letter of the alphabet through visual symbols and hand‑shapes, reinforcing visual‑letter recognition and phonemic awareness.
- Practised action verbs (e.g., run, eat, jump) in both spoken English and AUS‑L‑AN, expanding vocabulary across two modalities.
- Learned common greetings (hello, goodbye, please) in sign, strengthening pragmatic language skills and social etiquette.
- Developed an understanding of language as a system of symbols, supporting the Australian Curriculum strand ACELA1490 (Language as a system of communication).
Mathematics
- Recognised and produced numbers 1‑10 using hand signs, reinforcing numeral symbols and one‑to‑one correspondence.
- Counted objects while signing each number, strengthening counting principles and the concept of cardinality.
- Integrated number concepts with physical actions (e.g., “jump three times”), linking abstract numeracy to concrete movement.
- Met the Mathematics strand ACMNA068 (counting, ordering, and comparing numbers).
Science – Animals
- Identified and signed the names of common Australian animals, linking visual cues (pictures) to spoken and signed labels.
- Classified animals by type (e.g., mammals, birds) while using the appropriate signs, fostering basic taxonomic thinking.
- Explored animal characteristics (sound, habitat) through descriptive language and signs, meeting Science inquiry skill ACSSU122.
- Practised observation and description, aligning with the ACSSU023 (knowledge of animal diversity).
Health & Physical Education
- Co‑ordinated hand‑shape, movement, and timing while signing, enhancing fine‑motor skills and body awareness.
- Engaged in cooperative sign‑language games, encouraging teamwork, turn‑taking and social interaction.
- Practised calm, respectful greetings, supporting personal and social capability outcomes (PSEC001 – social interaction).
- Incorporated movement to reinforce learning, linking to the HPE learning area (Movement and coordination).
Tips
To deepen the learning, create a ‘Sign‑and‑Tell’ storybook where each page pairs a picture, the written word, and the corresponding AUSLAN sign; children can narrate the story using only signs and then write a short caption. Next, set up a “Number‑Sign Relay” – students move to stations, perform a number sign, then count objects aloud, reinforcing numeracy through kinetic action. For the animal unit, organise an “Animal Safari” where children hunt for picture cards of animals, sign the animal name, then discuss one fact about the animal in both spoken and signed form. Finally, host a family‑day greeting ceremony where everyone greets each other in AUSLAN, reflecting on how language connects people across cultures.
Book Recommendations
- My First Australian Sign Language Book by Kylie McCarty: A picture‑rich introduction to AUSLAN for young learners, with clear hand‑shape illustrations for each letter, number and everyday phrase.
- ABC Signs: Australian Sign Language for Kids by Helen P. Macdonald: Combines the English alphabet, numbers and common nouns with easy‑to‑follow sign demonstrations.
- Counting with Sign Language by Rebecca T. Clarke: An interactive counting book that pairs each numeral with a fun hand‑sign and a short rhyming sentence.
Learning Standards
- English – ACELA1490: Language as a system of communication
- Mathematics – ACMNA068: Counting and ordering numbers
- Science – ACSSU122: Understanding living things
- HPE – PSEC001: Personal and social capability (communication and interaction)
Try This Next
- Create a worksheet matching each letter to its AUSLAN hand‑shape, then ask the child to draw the hand‑shape in the empty box.
- Design a short quiz: show a picture of an animal or number, and have the child write the word, the numeral, and demonstrate the sign.
- Write a short narrative in English, then translate it into a sequence of AUSLAN signs and film a mini‑movie.