Collaborative Research Project

Year Level

Year 7 (Ages 12-13)

Duration

70 minutes

Learning Area

Languages - Auslan

Unit

Deaf Gain in Auslan Culture
Lesson 10 of 20

Lesson Description

Students will work collaboratively in pairs to conduct further research on selected Deaf individuals. They will synthesise information gathered to create an outline for a multimedia presentation, preparing to share insights on Deaf Gain within Auslan culture.

Australian Curriculum (v9) Alignment

Learning Objectives

AC9L1AU8C03: Locate and process information and ideas in familiar signed, visual and multimodal texts, responding in ways appropriate to cultural context, purpose and audience.
AC9L1AU8C05: Create and present signed, visual and multimodal informative texts, manipulating language to suit context, purpose and audience.
General Capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability, ICT Capability, Intercultural Understanding.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

Collaboratively research a selected Deaf individual related to Deaf Gain and Auslan culture, using a range of signed, visual, and digital sources.
Organise information collected into a coherent and culturally respectful outline for a multimedia presentation.
Demonstrate effective communication and collaboration skills in pairs, contributing equally to the research and planning process.
Apply culturally appropriate language and signs reflecting Deaf Gain concepts in Auslan.

Resources

Tablets or computers with internet access
Auslan online dictionaries and trusted Deaf community websites/videos
Research worksheet and graphic organisers for note-taking
Examples of multimedia presentation outlines
Whiteboard or large paper for mind mapping
Headphones for viewing Auslan videos individually or in pairs

Lesson Plan Breakdown

1. Warm-up and Recap (10 minutes)

Activity: Quick pair discussion - “What have we learnt so far about Deaf Gain and important Deaf individuals from previous lessons?”
Teacher facilitates a whole-class sharing session using Auslan signing.
Focus on activating prior knowledge and building engagement to prepare for research.
Use visual supports such as photos or name signs of featured Deaf individuals to prompt memory.

2. Introduction to Collaborative Research Task (10 minutes)

Teacher clearly explains the research task: pairs will choose a Deaf individual from a prepared list to investigate further.
Share criteria for credible sources and respectful representation of Deaf individuals.
Demonstrate how to use an Auslan online dictionary/website or digital resources.
Discuss what elements to look for: biography, contributions to Deaf Gain, impact on Auslan culture, personal stories, etc.
Provide students with their research worksheet featuring guiding questions and a graphic organiser.

3. Collaborative Research in Pairs (30 minutes)

Students work in pairs with devices to search for information on their assigned Deaf individual.
They use Auslan videos, signed biographies, and written texts translated or captioned in English, focusing on collecting key facts and cultural insights.
Pairs fill out their graphic organisers noting biographical information, Deaf Gain concepts, and any personal opinions or reflections to include.
Teacher circulates, facilitating, clarifying queries, and checking in on collaboration dynamics.
Encourage the use of AuSLAN while researching and discussing to foster language skills.

4. Create Presentation Outline (15 minutes)

Pairs organise their researched content into a multimedia presentation outline, including sections such as "Introduction", "Deaf Gain Contributions", "Personal Significance", "Conclusion".
They plan which parts to sign, which visuals or photos to include, and decide caption or voice-over elements (if any).
Teacher provides feedback and support to ensure clarity and cultural appropriateness.
Pairs prepare to submit their outlines next lesson for peer and teacher review before final multimedia creation.

5. Lesson Conclusion and Reflection (5 minutes)

Quick whole-class reflection: each pair shares one interesting fact discovered or one question they still have about their Deaf individual or Deaf Gain.
Teacher provides Auslan feedback and encouragement, reminding them of the importance of respectful cultural representation.
Outline homework (optional): continue exploring Auslan signs related to Deaf Gain or prepare additional background research.

Assessment

Formative assessment of students’ contributions during paired research and outline planning, focusing on collaborative skills and accurate information gathering (AC9L1AU8C03).
Review of research worksheets and multimedia presentation outlines for completeness, cultural sensitivity and logical organisation, aligned with AC9L1AU8C05.
Ongoing teacher observation and anecdotal notes on use of Auslan in class discussions and research collaboration.

Differentiation

Provide scaffolded graphic organisers with sentence starters or visuals for students needing extra support.
Allow some students to present part of their findings in written English with Auslan support if required.
Challenge extension students to find additional resources via more complex Auslan texts or historical materials.
Encourage mixed-ability pairing to promote peer learning and mentoring.

Teacher Notes

Emphasise that Deaf Gain is a positive framework valuing Deaf culture and Auslan, not focusing on hearing loss as a deficit.
Model respectful language and critical evaluation of sources when researching people’s stories.
Connect this lesson to prior cultural stories, Auslan vocabulary and past lessons on Deaf Gain to build continuity.
This lesson fosters autonomy, communication skills and cultural awareness supporting broader intercultural understanding as highlighted in the Australian Curriculum.

This lesson plan aligns closely with the Australian Curriculum for Languages (Auslan), Year 7, learning to locate and process information in Auslan contexts and to collaboratively create culturally-situated multimodal texts【11:AC9L1AU8EC03】【3:AC9L1AU8C05】.

Teaching Instructions