LanguagesFreePrintable

Australian Deaf History Articles

A free languages worksheet ready for your classroom. Open in Kuraplan to grab the print-ready PDF, customize it for your students, or generate a fresh version in seconds.

Download now

Name:Date:

Australian Deaf History Articles

Read the three short articles. Then answer the questions using evidence from the articles. Deaf and deaf are both used: Deaf often refers to a cultural and linguistic community, while deaf can describe hearing status.

Article 1: Building places to learn

In 1860, a school for deaf children opened in Sydney. It was called the New South Wales Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. Thomas Pattison, a deaf teacher who had come from Scotland, helped establish it. Before then, many deaf children in Australia had few chances to attend school. Students learned reading and writing as well as ways to communicate. Some lived at the school during the week because their families lived far away. In later decades, other schools for deaf children opened in Australian cities. These schools helped more children access education and brought people together.

Article 2: Auslan is a language

Auslan is the sign language used by many people in Australia's Deaf community. It developed from sign languages brought to Australia, including British Sign Language, and changed over time within local communities. Auslan is not simply English acted out with the hands. It has its own grammar. Signers use handshapes, movement, location, facial expression and body position to communicate meaning. In 1991, the Australian Government recognised Auslan as a community language. Recognition helped make its importance more visible. Auslan is used by Deaf people and by others, including family members, friends and interpreters.

Article 3: Sport and Deaf connection

The first international games for deaf athletes took place in Paris in 1924. They are now known as the Deaflympics. Athletes compete in many sports, and the event brings people together from countries around the world. Because sound-based signals may not be accessible to every athlete, organisers use visual signals for some events. For example, a light can show the start of a race. Sign language interpreters can support communication between athletes, coaches and officials. The Deaflympics celebrate sporting skill and provide a place for Deaf communities to connect.

Read like a historian

Use details from the articles. For questions asking what you think, explain your reasoning.

1.Which detail best explains why the Sydney school mattered to families who lived far away?

It was the only school in the world.
Some students could live there during the week.
It taught only sport.
It was built in Paris.

2.Put these events in order from earliest to latest: the Australian Government recognises Auslan as a community language; the Sydney school opens; the first international games for deaf athletes take place.

3.True or false? Auslan is English represented by hand movements, with no grammar of its own. Correct the statement if it is false.

TrueFalse

4.Name two features, besides handshapes, that Auslan signers use to communicate meaning.

5.Complete the sentence: At some Deaflympics events, a can show that a race is starting.

6.Match each article topic to the detail that belongs with it.

Education
Auslan
Deaflympics

It has its own grammar and uses facial expression.
Students could live at the Sydney school during the week.
Visual signals can be used to start a race.

7.Why might recognition of Auslan as a community language have mattered to Deaf people? Support your idea with one detail from Article 2.

8.A friend says, “A light starting signal is just a small change, so it cannot make a sporting event more accessible.” Do you agree? Explain how visual signals can help athletes take part.

9.Choose one article and write a short headline and two-sentence summary for a school news page. Include at least two accurate facts from the article.