New South Wales, a state in Australia, has released a guide for teaching Australian Sign Language (Auslan) in primary and secondary schools.
Schools can choose if they want to teach the subject starting in 2026. The government of New South Wales worked with deaf people, teachers, students and parents to create the course.
Deaf Australia, a group that helps deaf people, says there are 30,000 deaf Australians who might need someone to help them speak in Auslan. There are only 300 workers in Australia who are trained to interpret for them.
“As well as beginning learners of Auslan, this new syllabus will give students who are first-language Auslan users the opportunity to formally study the language of their community,” said Prue Car, the New South Wales deputy premier and minister for education and early learning.
She also hopes that if more children learn Auslan, this can train more people to be interpreters.
Quiz time
1. When will some schools in New South Wales start teaching Auslan?
2. What is the name of the group that helps deaf people in Australia?
3. How many deaf people in Australia might need someone to help interpret Auslan?
4. How many people in Australia are trained to interpret Auslan?
5. What does Prue Car hope will happen if more children learn Auslan?
