Latest news with #Auslan
ABC News
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Auslan interpreters improving concert accessibility for Deaf attendees
While Cheryl Wilhelm's friends were going to concerts and festivals growing up, she often stayed home. Ms Wilhelm has been hard of hearing since she was five and is profoundly deaf without a hearing aid. "I missed a lot," she said through an Auslan interpreter. "As a teenager, I was just growing up and dancing. Did I really understand the music? Not really." But lately, there has been a significant shift. While familiar at emergency announcements and press conferences, Auslan interpreters are now becoming increasingly common at events like concerts and shows. "Now, it's a lot more accessible. It's much better," Ms Wilhelm said. But conveying the intricacies of music can be a delicate and considered task. That improved accessibility has meant that during her adult years, Ms Wilhelm has been much more inclined to enjoy heading along to live performances. "You can feel the excitement building as you go in [to a concert] and that's really good, and then once you get in, and you sit down, it's just really nice to be included. I think that's the main thing," she said. Fellow deaf concertgoer, Debra Swan, also communicates through Auslan, and said interpreting music through sign is more of an art form than a pure translation. She said interpretation conveys much more than the lyrics alone. "I remember one time they gave me a paper with the words on it, and I thought 'I'm supposed to read that?'," she said. "But there's no connection in just the words — the vibe — there's nothing there. There's no emotion, no feeling through just words. You need to see that visually. "We want access to be able to get that vibe and to get the environment and the feeling around it. That's what's really important." Claire Morrison began learning Auslan 20 years ago. She has interpreted alongside artists like Kylie Minogue and Josh Pyke, and at events including the Adelaide Fringe and Womadelaide. Later this year, she will also be joining Metallica on stage. Ms Morrison said it can take hours to prepare for a single concert. "It's listening to the music over and over and over. Researching what the lyrics might mean, thinking about what they mean, embodying the feeling of the song, and then I guess using all of that to put together an appropriate interpretation," she said. "[It's also] thinking about pictures in your mind. Perhaps making a movie in your mind of the story that's being told [and] having that in your head while you're trying to express that through your body. "It might be a really joyful song. So, your body, your hands, your face, your eye gaze, everything helps to get across that message and that meaning." Ms Morrison said while every interpreter is different, she had developed her own techniques to communicate the sounds and feelings of music. "Through your whole entire body, through movement, through your facial expression, through trying to represent the performer in the way you're moving, [and] the space that you're using," she said. "Deaf people don't want to just be watching you doing air guitar or air drums. If there's no lyrics and there's a lot going on, there's an element of fatigue too [in] just watching an interpreter the whole time, so it's a wonderful break to be able to watch the band, watch the orchestra, watch the dancing. "It gives me great joy. It's a very joyous thing to do because everyone is happy and you're providing access to Deaf people who you see their faces light up and the connections they make." Emma Perkins is a violinist with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (ASO) and said Auslan interpreters have been a welcome addition to performances. "I feel really proud that the ASO is making real ground on trying to make us more accessible, trying to make our offerings open to more people," she said. "It just feels great to be able to connect with people who may not have experienced what we do. "I personally feel really strongly that it's something we need to be doing. We're for the entire community — the ASO is for everybody here in South Australia." That sentiment has been echoed by Ms Wilhelm and Ms Swan, who said having access to live music through nuanced interpretation has made all the difference. "With the interpreters, it's just a really amazing experience and very much worthwhile," Ms Wilhelm said.
ABC News
24-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
This family didn't just try to fix their daughter's Deafness — they embraced it
When Kate and Dan Walls found out their daughter Charlie was Deaf, they knew it wasn't something they wanted to just fix and move on from. They made a decision many other parents wouldn't have and one that fully embraced her Deafness — for the whole family to learn Australian Sign Language (Auslan). Thanks to the use of cochlear implants, 14-month-old Charlie can access the hearing world and has started learning spoken English as well. Kate said raising Charlie bilingual would give her choice and a sense of identity as she grew up. "If we're expecting Charlie to [also] learn spoken language and English, I think it's also important that we meet her halfway, so she can have one foot in the hearing world and one foot in the Deaf world", she said. The family's Sydney home gives a glimpse into how both worlds coexist. Posters dotted along the walls remind everyone of key signs and most interactions across the day are done in both languages. Dan and Kate take Auslan classes and their eldest daughter Ellie, who is hearing, has picked it up quickly too. As the family learns new signs, Kate has made short videos to help family members in Australia and overseas learn to communicate with Charlie. Close friends have also embraced Charlie's Deafness in creative ways. One has made a teddy bear wearing the same brand of cochlear implants Charlie is using. The bear is a symbol that Charlie isn't alone in her experience. "We have really felt supported in our decision to be bilingual. Everyone's just dived right in," Kate said. Part of the family's Auslan journey has involved attending an early intervention playgroup run by not-for-profit NextSense. Each week, Deaf children and their parents, including some who use NDIS funding, meet with other families who share similar experiences. They take part in sensory activities including story time, done in both sign and spoken language. They also have access to a Deaf mentor who supports the families to develop their signing skills. Behind the play, is a focus on developing the children's emotional, cognitive and motor skills. Katie Huntsdale has taught Deaf children for 25 years, including 23 at NextSense. Running this playgroup has been her favourite part of the job. "I watch the [children] grow from being young babies … and achieve language goals that I know their parents have for them," she said. Ms Huntsdale said when families initially attended the group, it was often the first time they'd met another Deaf person. "For the kids, it's about creating that sense of belonging and connecting with their peers. For the parents, it's about education [and] meeting Deaf adults who are successful," she said. NextSense Institute director Greg Leigh said early intervention services played a critical role in helping kids develop language, whether it was sign, spoken or a mix of both. "Children need to be immersed in language-rich environments with people who know and use the languages that they're learning," he said. Professor Leigh said it was vital to support parents, no matter the path they chose for their child. The future is front of mind for Kate Walls when she brings both her daughters along to the play group. It also allows Charlie to be around other Deaf people. "It just shows that there is this connection between Deaf people that hearing people just don't understand." That connection is known as Deaf culture, which refers to the strong bonds and comfort Deaf people feel with peers who have shared experiences. Brent Phillips, chief services officer at Deaf Connect, said Deaf culture was important to have for Deaf people as they navigated a world built for those who can hear. "It's us feeling safe and comfortable and at home with our community. The culture, language and identity of the mainstream community isn't always accessible to us," he said. "So, we've got our own culture and identity that has formed over the years and is really strong and valued." Mr Phillips said Deaf culture and language was much the same as any other kind of culturally and linguistically diverse culture. "It carries with it traditions and values that have been passed down by Deaf generations to a point now where we really are thriving and we are a very strong Deaf community who truly celebrate and are proud to be who we are." Mr Phillips is a third-generation Deaf person, married to another Deaf person, and is the proud father of two bilingual children. He said there was no one correct way to raise a Deaf child. "Each child is unique. It's about providing them with every opportunity to succeed in life and that means providing them with all the options," he said. Charlie Walls is picking up new signs every day and Kate hopes the path she's chosen for her daughter will give Charlie the confidence to embrace her Deafness, just as the family has. While Kate said the bilingual approach has been the right choice for Charlie, she acknowledged every family was on its own journey. "We have found it a lot of hard work to learn Auslan but we've also found it really rewarding", she said.
West Australian
08-05-2025
- General
- West Australian
Sign of the times: Little Grove students show their support for the deaf community on Auslan Day
Students at Little Grove Primary School celebrated Auslan Day by learning sign language and wearing their favourite colour, showing their support for the deaf community. Auslan is the sign language used by most deaf people in Australia. Little Grove teacher Allison Lilly said students had been learning sign language for two years and had been discovering the signs to accompany the school song. They can also express feelings and know the signs for colours and numbers, she said. Auslan Day, which was on April 13, commemorates the first publication of the Australian Sign Language Dictionary in 1989. During classes at Little Grove on Auslan Day, children learned about the history of the language and the importance of inclusive communication. 'These activities complemented our broader Harmony Week celebrations, which focused on fostering respect and belonging for everyone,' Ms Lilly said. 'The children have been really positive and very engaged with their learning. 'They were encouraged to wear their favourite colour instead of their school uniform because this represents our support of the deaf community and acknowledges Auslan as one of the many languages used within Australia,' she said. They also headed out to the oval for a drone shot of the school community in rainbow formation.
