Unit of competency

Modification History

Not applicable.

Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to communicate in Auslan on familiar and routine matters. Communication may take place in any situation including personal, public, social, employment and educational domains.

This unit aligns to an adaptation, for sign languages, of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), A2: Basic User.

This is an Auslan signer who can:

• understand sentences and frequently-used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment)
• communicate about simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters
• describe in simple terms aspects of his or her background, immediate environment, and matters in areas of immediate need.

No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Competency Field

Languages other than English - Auslan

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Unit Mapping Information

No equivalent unit

Links

Companion Volume Implementation Guide - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=bebbece7-ff48-4d2c-8876-405679019623

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Not applicable.

Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, and:

• watch two different recorded Auslan texts, signed slowly and clearly, about predictable every day matters and, for each text, provide three points about the information signed
• watch two different live conversations between proficient or native signers about predictable every day matters, signed slowly and clearly, and identify the topic of each conversation
• produce two different prepared Auslan texts, which contain vocabulary of a concrete nature, to provide information about familiar concrete and everyday matters:

• participate in two Auslan exchanges to deliver the prepared texts to one other signer, each lasting for a maximum of four minutes

• participate in two different basic spontaneous Auslan exchanges with one other signer, each lasting for a maximum of four minutes:

• during the above two spontaneous exchanges, engage in conversation about a narrow range of concrete topics relevant to the immediate environment

• during all of the above exchanges:

• cumulatively use the range of Auslan linguistic features listed in Knowledge Evidence, with some consistency
• spell commonly fingerspelled names and places, and produce letters smoothly
• show simple interactional strategies such as nodding to show interest, attention and attitude
• correctly form signs that use high frequency handshapes, signs which have no movement path and those that use high frequency locations including neutral signing space
• show the beginnings of resistance to influence from English (word order and mouthing) when using Auslan.

During all exchanges, the individual can:

• be allowed to comprehend Auslan texts deliberately delivered at a slow speed
• ask the signer to repeat signed text twice, three times when fingerspelling is involved
• ask for assessor clarification twice
• correct and repeat own signed text twice
• show idiosyncrasies in sign production
• confuse cardinal and ordinal numbers
• confuse numbers with similar signs
• frequently pause, hesitate, repeat features, and isolate signs and phrases
• frequently rely on fingerspelling of English words, gesture, and other visual communication methods to communicate
• use depicting signs in isolation from other complex features of Auslan such as role shift (constructed action) and gesture
• use indicating verbs as plain verbs or in very familiar modified forms.

Knowledge Evidence

Knowledge of Auslan linguistic features required to converse in Auslan at a basic user level, as described in elements and performance criteria of this unit:

• Auslan signs:

• a narrow range of high frequency Auslan signs for things of a concrete nature and used in conversations about familiar, routine and every day matters

• fingerspelling:

• basic fingerspelling conventions; types of words that are spelled, when things are spelled in Auslan
• high frequency simple and concrete words that are spelled including own name and local places

• numbers:

• signs for cardinal numbers including hundreds and thousands
• signs for ordinal numbers up to 9th
• signs that use numbers sufficient to comprehend but not produce them (TWO-WEEKS-AGO etc.)

• the basics of non-manual features (NMFs) of Auslan and how these are used to produce, emphasise and modify meaning:

• facial expression to show emotion
• gaze (sufficient to understand, but not to use)
• mouth gestures
• mouthing of English words (sufficient to understand, but not to use)
• movements of head and body (sufficient to understand, but not to use)

• time:

• simple signs related to timelines (BEFORE, AFTER etc.)
• sign for FINISH to show completion

• depicting signs:

• common one-handed entity depicting signs for flat objects interacting in simple ways
• handling depicting signs for flat objects with simple shapes, such as a piece of paper, and with simple movements such as giving or putting
• size and shape specifiers (SASSes) for simple two dimensional shapes (squares, triangles)

• role shift (constructed action):

• function of role shift (constructed action)
• features used in basic role shift (constructed action); some change in gaze, body posture and or head tilt to indicate the role shift (constructed action)

• use of space:

• how space used to represent space
• how indexing (pointing) indicates things, people and places
• simple pronouns for indexing (I, MINE, YOU etc.) and locations (HERE, THERE)
• very basic modifications of some common indicating verbs (GIVE, HELP, LOOK etc.) for actor and undergoer

• sentence structure and cohesion:

• how to structure basic statements differently and simply to convey meaning in non-fixed sign order (MAN GIVE WOMAN or MAN WOMAN GIVE)
• how to shift non-fixed sign order in statements to create very basic topicalisation
• how to incorporate basic conjunctions such as THEN
• how to structure basic open and closed questions
• non-manual features that indicate yes or no
• list buoys, sufficient to understand simple lists but not to produce

• discourse management:

• visual communication methods used when signers don’t know a sign:

• mime
• gesture
• body language
• facial expression

• NMFs used to give feedback when another person is signing.

Assessment Conditions

Auslan skills can be demonstrated:

• face-to face or via electronic media
• via filmed media.

Rooms used for assessment must be sufficiently quiet and have appropriate lighting and seating configuration to allow optimum visual and aural access for Auslan exchanges.

Assessment must ensure use of:

• recorded Auslan texts about predictable every day matters signed slowly and clearly
• proficient Deaf signers who participate in Auslan exchanges.

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations requirements for assessors, and hold a qualification or Statement of Attainment which includes the unit PSPLAN012 Converse in Auslan at a proficient user level or demonstrate competency equivalent to that unit, and provide evidence of at least five years’ experience in interacting with the Deaf community.

Links

Companion Volume Implementation Guide - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=bebbece7-ff48-4d2c-8876-405679019623