Auslan K–10 Syllabus (2023) – information for school leaders

Auslan is the language of the Deaf community of Australia.

The Auslan K–10 Syllabus is a new syllabus. For current teachers of Auslan, the Auslan K–10 Syllabus (2023) replaces the Languages K–10 Framework and School Developed Board Endorsed courses for planning, programming, assessing, and reporting to parents.

The Auslan K–10 Syllabus has 4 focus areas:

• Interacting in Auslan
• Understanding texts in Auslan
• Creating texts in Auslan
• Role of language, culture and identity.

Through these focus areas, students communicate meaning in Auslan and develop intercultural capability in d/Deaf and hearing environments.

Image:The image shows the overview of Auslan K–10 Syllabus structure

What you need to know

Further information about the implementation timelines and the adoption of the Auslan K–10 Syllabus.

Timeframes

• In 2026, implementation commences in schools, with new
  • K–6 Auslan courses
  • mandatory 100 hour courses with Auslan as the selected language
  • 100 and 200-hour elective courses.

• In 2024 and 2025, teachers familiarise themselves with the syllabus, and plan and prepare for implementation of the curriculum.
• Schools that already offer an Auslan program may implement earlier than 2026.

About the syllabus

• The Auslan K–10 Syllabus is one of 4 languages syllabuses to be released as part of curriculum reform, along with Aboriginal Languages K–10, Classical Languages K–10 and Modern Languages K–10.
• Schools are not required to implement an Auslan program – they can implement any of the K–10 languages syllabuses.
• The decision regarding which language or languages to offer is made at school level.
• Schools that offer Auslan must use the syllabus.
• In K–6, the teaching of languages is optional.
• In 7–10, students learn one language over one continuous 12-month period, preferably in Years 7–8 (the mandatory 100 hours).
• For mandatory 100-hour courses, there is no mandate for a school to implement an Auslan program – they can implement any of the K–10 languages syllabuses.
• Content in K–6 has been developed for 2 broad student groups
  • students studying Auslan as a first language
  • students studying Auslan as an additional language.
• Access content points are included for students with significant intellectual disability in K–6 working towards the Early Stage 1 outcomes.
• Content in Years 7–10 has been developed for 4 broad student groups
  • students studying Auslan as an additional language
  • students with prior learning and or experience who are learning Auslan as an additional language
  • students studying Auslan as a first language
  • students accessing Life Skills outcomes and content.
• Life Skills outcomes have been mapped to Stage 4 and 5 outcomes to facilitate integrated delivery.
• The syllabus can be adapted to support students who are deafblind.

Whole school considerations

Understanding the evidence base

Reflection questions

Resources

Languages curriculum teams and web page

• Languages curriculum page
• For K–6 support, email primlang@det.nsw.edu.au
• Join the Primary Languages NetworksExternal link
• For 7–12 support, email LanguagesNSW@det.nsw.edu.au
• Join the Languages statewide staffroom (staff only)External link

Syllabus information for school leaders

An overview of the pedagogical changes and whole school considerations to support school leaders’ understanding of what has changed for each new syllabus.

Leading curriculum K–12

Advice and resources supporting