Auslan: Now and Then

It's Auslan Day! Learn more about Auslan from our Auslan: Now and Then Banner, available in English and Auslan here:

Auslan: Now & Then - Auslan as a language Whilst the portmanteau “Auslan” was only coined in 1987, Australian Sign Language has existed in Australia and has evolved over more than 200 years, since the first ships from Britain arrived on our shores. Indigenous signed languages further pre-date Auslan, however, we do not know much about

It's Auslan Day tomorrow! Check out these resources, handy for keeping the children busy and learning about Auslan during the holidays!

Auslan: Now & Then - Resources Quiz sheets - Beginners, Intermediate & Advanced These quizzes cover each sub-strand of the Understanding Strand of the Auslan LOTE curriculum (Systems of Language, Language Variation and Change, Language Awareness, and the Role of Languages and Culture) and can also be used to align with the

It's Human Rights Day! Check out our banner on Sign Language as a Human Right, in English and Auslan:

Auslan: Now & Then - Sign Language as a Human Right With sign languages, deaf people are equal

It's International Artist Day! Find out more about Deaf artists from WA, in English and Auslan, here:

Auslan: Now & Then - Visual Arts Deaf people have a long history in the visual arts. In WA, we have our share of talented Deaf people in the visual arts through fine arts, theatre, visual vernacular (poetry), photography, film, and more.

It's Global Ethics Day! Did you know interpreters must follow a code of ethics? Find out more here:

Auslan: Now & Then - Interpreters and ethics Did you know credentialed Auslan-English and Deaf Interpreters must follow a Code of Ethics? Like many other professions, ethical guidelines are important to protect the Deaf Community, interpreters and the wider community from unethical practices. The Code of Ethics and Guidelines for

It's World Teachers Day! Here's our banner on Deaf Education in WA to celebrate:

Auslan: Now & Then - Deaf Education in WA William Thomson is widely credited as the founder of Deaf education in WA. It is thanks to his efforts that teachers of the deaf came to the colony, and that funds were raised for both the school building and the continued running of the school. Deaf education officially began in Western Australia

It's International Translation Day! Check out our banner showcasing just a handful of the fantastic interpreters we have in WA: https://history.waad.org.au/interpreters-at-work-play

Today is International Day for Universal Access to Information! One of the ways that the Deaf Community can access information, is via interpreters. Find out more about interpreting here:

Auslan: Now & Then - Interpreting While Auslan interpreting is a relatively recent as a profession, interpreting has been going on for as long as there have been Deaf people here in WA. Those early interpreters were often family, or teachers and missionaries employed by Deaf Societies and Deaf schools. From humble beginnings where

It's International Day of Sign Languages! Learn about the history of sign languages here:

Auslan: Now & Then - History of Sign Language While signed languages have seemed to appear in recent times, they have been around for thousands of years. The earliest writing about sign language is from the fifth century BC, in Plato's Cratylus, where Socrates says: "If we hadn't a voice or a tongue, and wanted to express things to one

So what exactly is National Week of Deaf People?

Auslan: Now & Then - National Week of Deaf People National Week of Deaf People (NWDP) is a week-long national celebration the Australian Deaf Community during the third week of September. It's held at the same time as International Week of Deaf People (IWDP) and International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL), which is based on the founding date of

It's National Week of Deaf People! To celebrate, we are launching our new resource - Auslan: Now and Then quizzes! Questions about the WA Deaf Community and Auslan, with all answers found on banners displayed at our exhibition. Each banner is also available on our website, in English and Auslan. Happy National Week of Deaf People!

Auslan: Now & Then - Resources Quiz sheets - Beginners, Intermediate & Advanced These quizzes cover each sub-strand of the Understanding Strand of the Auslan LOTE curriculum (Systems of Language, Language Variation and Change, Language Awareness, and the Role of Languages and Culture) and can also be used to align with the

Here's a selection of photos over the weekend! Were you there?

We have four fabulous presentations this weekend! Will you make it to one of them?

[Image Description: Weekend schedule in Auslan Now and Then colours of turquoise, yellow and charcoal grey. Text reads: Auslan: Now and Then. Deaf Stories Schedule. Saturday 11:00am 12:30pm. Sunday 11:00am 12:30pm.]

So many Deaf students and students learning Auslan as a LOTE in school visited us yesterday, as well as grown-up TAFE students! They were given our quizzes and activity books, and we had Deaf guides stationed around the exhibition to give additional insights. Every group watched a short film made by Mosman Park School for Deaf Children last year to celebrate 125 years of Deaf Education, and William Thomson who had the vision of a Deaf school for WA deaf children. That short film will also be on show throughout the weekend - don't miss it! Here is a very short selection of photos from yesterday.

We were thrilled to see staff from NAATI come to the exhibition today. NAATI have been valuable sponsors from the start, and we look forward to continuing to strengthening the relationship between NAATI and the Deaf Community.

[Image Description: Auslan: Now and Then committee members and NAATI staff, from left to right - Trish from Auslan: Now and Then dressed in black, Dylan from NAATI wearing a pale collared shirt and blue jeans, Frederique from NAATI wearing a black shirt, Kym from NAATI also wearing a black shirt, and Robyn from Auslan: Now and Then also dressed in black. Maybe Dylan missed the memo ;) ]

Introducing Auslan: Now and Then quizzes!

One of the aims of Auslan: Now and Then is to create resources that can be used by teachers and schools. Here's a sneak peek before they are officially launched in 3 weeks!

Exciting news - We are back for 2022! Stay tuned for more information...

[Image Description: Flyer promoting Auslan: Now and Then 2022. WAAD and ASLIA (WA) logos are at the top of the flyer. Beneath is a photograph of the display case in 2021. Text beneath that reads '9-11 September 2022 Auslan: Now and Then. Three days of WA Deaf Community history at Boola Bardip WA Museum. Friday 9 September - School visits. Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 - Open to general public.']