I have been drawn to sign language for a long time. On the few occasions I’ve encountered non-speaking people, it broke my heart that I couldn’t communicate with them.
I had researched sign language classes a few times in the past but never followed through—often getting distracted or busy. Finally, towards the end of 2025, I made a firm decision to learn Auslan.
Finding a Course
I came across Deaf Connect and saw their beginner Auslan courses. The earliest class was fully booked, so I enrolled in the February 2026 intake—a 4-week intensive course running 4 hours every Saturday from 9am to 1pm.
I’ve been incredibly excited about this, as it’s a goal I’ve held for a long time.
First Impressions
The class was held in a room with a large projector screen and a whiteboard. It was fully booked with 20 students, which even surprised the instructor. We sat in a U-shaped arrangement with the instructor at the front.
The students ranged from primary school age to senior citizens. Everyone was really excited to be there, and the atmosphere was buzzing with energy. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a class with such a diverse range of people and this kind of energy before.
Most classes I’ve attended were either forced upon me at school or university, or I was there for a specific purpose. This was different. Everyone was there because they wanted to be there. Some were learning for work, others for family, and some—like me—were just interested in the language.
The Instructor
Our instructor, Kara, is Deaf and visually impaired. She had her guide dog, Fly, sitting under the table. There was no interpreter in the classroom, but Kara could speak a little bit. She explained her visual impairment, told us how to get her attention, and asked students to help her out if needed.
She faced a few issues with the projector and her laptop, which had recently been replaced. She didn’t panic; instead, she called someone for help, and we waited patiently. She FaceTime’d someone and signed to them in Auslan. I was mesmerized by how technology enabled her to communicate so effectively.
Since it was the weekend, she couldn’t get IT support in person, and although a student volunteered their laptop, she needed her specific materials. Nevertheless, we managed to get it sorted. With 20 people waiting, I would have been panicking, but she was calm and collected.
Week 1: The Basics
We started with an introduction to Auslan via slides. Kara explained that Auslan is a visual language—it’s not just about the signs, but also facial expressions and body language.
We were then introduced to the alphabet and asked to fingerspell our names. I was still grasping the concept and fumbling with my letters (I still forget the sign for “K”, “P”, and “R”). However, I managed to fingerspell my name, and so did the rest of the class.
We timed ourselves fingerspelling the alphabet. Kara can do it in 10 seconds! I was nowhere near that—I managed it in about 2 minutes, struggling with the vowels.
I also learned that sign language isn’t just a literal English translation. We use fewer words in Auslan than we do in English, relying heavily on context and expression.
First impressions: Learning sign language isn’t as easy as I thought it would be. I needed to pay very close attention to the signs and their placement. It was challenging to memorize the signs, correct placement, and the facial expressions all at once.
Key takeaway: I realized how important facial expressions are. You can’t just translate words from English to Auslan; you need to use your face to convey the same meaning.
Week 2: Building Conversation
The second week built upon the basics and was full of group activities. We started with how to identify a Deaf person and learned acceptable ways to get their attention (like waving or tapping a shoulder/table).
We then proceeded to learn new signs like “PLEASE”, “THANK YOU”, and “WHERE”. We also practiced Non-Manual Features (NMFs)—using furrowed brows for “wh-” questions and head tilts. We spent about an hour in group activities, having simple conversations in pairs.
Challenges & Surprises
- The 4-week intensive format is a lot to take in, but it was fun to go from fingerspelling to full signs in just a couple of sessions.
- I still struggle with a few signs, but I am getting there.
Resources I’m Using
To practice outside of class, I started using:
- Auslan Dictionary: Great for quick reference on the go.
- Signbank: An incredibly comprehensive dictionary of Auslan signs.