PSPLAN004 — Converse in Auslan at an independent user level (familiar subjects)

Elements & performance criteria

Performance evidence

• watch two different recorded Auslan texts, signed relatively slowly and clearly, about familiar subjects and, for each text, explain the overall content and three points about the information provided
• watch two different live conversations between proficient or native signers about familiar subjects, delivered in standard sign, and describe three points raised in each conversation
• produce two different prepared Auslan texts, which contain vocabulary of a concrete and familiar nature, to provide information about familiar topics:  participate in one Auslan exchange to deliver one of the prepared texts to one other signer; lasting for a maximum of five minutes  participate in one different Auslan exchange to simultaneously deliver the other prepared text to two other signers; lasting for a maximum of five minutes
• participate in two different routine spontaneous Auslan exchanges with one other signer, each lasting for a maximum of five minutes:  during the above two spontaneous exchanges, engage in conversation about a limited range of familiar topics  during all of the above exchanges:  cumulatively use the range of Auslan linguistic features listed in Knowledge Evidence, with some consistency  use fingerspelling appropriately in conversation, smoothly and clearly most of the time and vary fingerspelling speed  show interactional strategies such as nodding and responding signs (back channels) to show interest, attention and attitude  consistently use non-manual features (NMFs) with closed questions  correctly produce lexical signs with simple movement paths  rarely use depicting signs near or with other complex features such as role shift (constructed action) and gesture  recognise opportunities for role shift (constructed action) independently  keep track of up to two referents in space  produce texts which are cohesive overall, not just one sentence  show ability to resist 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 moderate speed  ask the signer to repeat signed text twice, three times when fingerspelling is involved  ask for assessor clarification once  correct and repeat own signed text once  show idiosyncrasies in sign production but only those that do not obscure the meaning  make some mistakes when producing two-handed signs with complex movement paths  make some mistakes in sentence production  use NMFs, sporadically and sometimes inconsistently; sometimes rely on lexical signs rather than using NMFs  make frequent mistakes in pronoun use when ‘in character’ in role shift (constructed action)  pause, hesitate and repeat features some of the time but not frequently  rely on fingerspelling of some English words, some gestures, and other visual communication methods to communicate, but not frequently.

Knowledge evidence

• Knowledge of Auslan linguistic features required to converse in Auslan at an independent user level, as described in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
• Auslan signs:  a limited range of established Auslan signs for things of a concrete and familiar nature  mouth gestures that go with signs  multi-channel signs (using “pah, “bah-bah” etc.)
• fingerspelling:  how context can help understanding of fingerspelled words  how handshapes can change in fingerspelling production  how established signs are created from fingerspelling  commonly fingerspelled names and words for familiar subjects
• numbers:  common signs that incorporate numbers (TWO-MORE, THREE-WEEKS-AGO etc.)
• time, aspect and manner marking:  basic timelines in simple forms; deictic, anaphoric, and sequence timelines  how to modify common verbs for simple aspect  how NMFs are used to show manner; how a verb was done - often related to role shift (constructed action) WAIT, DRIVE, TALK etc.
• depicting signs:  entity depicting signs for flat objects with complex locations and movements  handling depicting signs for objects of most shapes with simple movements such as giving or putting  size and shape specifiers (SASSes) for common objects with three dimensional shapes (cylinders, cubes)
• role shift (constructed action):  features of role shift (constructed action) used by independent users of Auslan:  pronouns to use when a signer is “in character”  communicating expressions of another character or object  changed gaze to look at the person the signer is interacting with  body and head shift
• use of space:  how space used to represent space and to show who did what to whom (actor and undergoer)  pronouns for indexing more than one person (THREE-OF-US, TWO-OF-YOU etc.) and location  how to modify common indicating verbs for actor and undergoer
• sentence structure and cohesion:  statements that are structured without modifying indicating verbs, using a word order similar to English; who did what to whom (actor verb undergoer)  a variety of sentence types and structures using topicalisation, imperatives, conditionals using signs (IF, SUPPOSE etc.), list buoys used for simple lists, and NMFs  how to topicalise sentences by using non-manual features  how to form open and closed questions, including correct use of NMFs  a variety of negation strategies using lexical signs without non-manual features (NOT, CAN’T, NO) for producing negative utterances
• discourse management:  signs used to give feedback when another person is signing (RIGHT, TRUE etc.)  NMFs used to indicate politeness.

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Questions about assessing PSPLAN004