Teaching Sign Language to Hearing Parents of Deaf Children: An Action Research Process

This paper provides an overview of the challenges in learning a signed language as a second language, in particular for hearing parents with deaf children, and details an action research process that led to the design of a new curriculum for teaching Australian Sign Language (Auslan) to the families of deaf children. The curriculum was developed through research and consultation with various stakeholders. Implementation of the curriculum confirmed a lack of resources, leading to further research and the development of family-specific resources for teaching and learning Auslan. The process of development of these resources has potential application for other signed language teachers, researchers, teachers of the deaf and associated professionals who are working with families in their learning of a signed language. (Contains 1 figure.)