Why not learn to sign?
- Deaf Children Australia
- August 18, 2008
Speaking without sound
Why not learn to communicate using sign language? Australian Sign Language or Auslan is used by thousands of people every day and not all of these people are deaf. Words are created by hand movements with facial expressions and other body movements, all of which creates a visual picture of a sentence.
Auslan has its own grammar and vocabulary that are very different to English. It can communicate a rich variety of concepts and subtle meanings. It uses fingerspellling for words in English without signs (such as surnames).
Auslan has its roots in English, Scottish and Irish Sign Languages. It is different from American and French Sign Languages. It is a naturally-evolved language, just like English and new signs are always being created.
Where to learn Australian Sign Language (Auslan)
• There are Auslan classes available in your area all over Australia. You can learn through a TAFE or community college.
• If you would like to learn at home, Deaf Children Australia have an interactive learning CD Rom available called Teach Yourself Auslan so that you may learn Auslan at a beginner level.
• Deaf Education Network (DEN) offers courses across Sydney, for more info see the Deaf Society of NSW link below.
Links & resources
Deaf Children Australia's
http://www.deafchildrenaustralia.org.au/
National helpline on 1800 645 956
Auslan Providers
http://www.deafchildrenaustralia.org.au/html/s02_article/article_view.asp?id=540&nav_cat_id=290&nav_top_id=86&dsb=1738
Australian Baby Hands
A great resource for hearing babies
http://www.australianbabyhands.com.au/
Aussie Deaf Kids
http://www.aussiedeafkids.com/
Visual Auslan dictionary
http://www.auslan.org.au/
Deaf Society of NSW
http://www.deafsocietynsw.org.au/
Royal Insitute for the Deaf & Blind
http://www.ridbc.org.au/
Raising Deaf Kids (American)
http://www.raisingdeafkids.org/
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