SING A RAINBOW IN SIGN LANGUAGE
YEAR 1 ENGLISH
AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM LEARNING OBJECTIVES
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ACELA14431 Understand that people use different systems of communication to cater to
different needs and purposes and that many people may use sign systems to communicate
to others.
ACELY16452 Recognising the meaning of symbols in everyday contexts, for example exit
signs, logos, hearts and flowers on greeting cards.
RESOURCES REQUIRED
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Sing a Rainbow3 captioned online video and facilities to watch it. (Duration: 1:30 minutes.)
NB: video can only be played with captions in current screen mode, i.e. not on Full Screen.
Video will not play on smartphones or tablets.
Auslan Signbank4 website and colours red5, yellow6, pink7, green8, purple9, orange10, blue11
and rainbow12. NB: the signs used in the videos are based on NSW signs. If you wish to
change the signs, please select a different number tab from the sign information that
corresponds with your state or territory.
Everyday signs13
LESSON OUTCOME: Students learn a number of Auslan signs for different colours and gain an
understanding of a different community language.
Lesson outline:
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Explain to students that generally we communicate with each other through spoken word,
and that in Australia our official spoken language is English. You may wish to take a poll and
ask the class if anyone speaks another language at home.
Besides the spoken word, there are other ways to communicate. Explain to the class that
some people communicate by using their hands. This is called sign language and it’s mainly
used by people who can’t hear, but anyone can use it. Like the spoken word, sign language
can have different languages and in Australia we use Auslan.
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http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Elements/ACELA1443
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Elements/ACELY1645
3 http://www.universalsubtitles.org/en/videos/vpIKQtWBtcJZ/info/sing-a-rainbow/
4 http://www.auslan.org.au/
5 http://www.auslan.org.au/dictionary/words/red-2.html
6 http://www.auslan.org.au/dictionary/words/yellow-2.html
7 http://www.auslan.org.au/dictionary/words/pink-1.html
8 http://www.auslan.org.au/dictionary/words/green-2.html
9 http://www.auslan.org.au/dictionary/words/purple-1.html
10 http://www.auslan.org.au/dictionary/words/orange-1.html
11 http://www.auslan.org.au/dictionary/words/blue-2.html
12 http://www.auslan.org.au/dictionary/words/rainbow-1.html
13 http://www.capthat.com.au/sites/www.capthat.com.au/files/Sing%20a%20Rainbow%20sign%20sheets.docx
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Ask the students if they are familiar with the song Sing a Rainbow and explain that they will
be learning some Auslan signs so they can sign and sing at the same time. Play the video to
ensure familiarity.
Using the Auslan Signbank, show the students the signs for each colour and the word
‘rainbow’.
Divide the class into seven groups and allocate one colour to each group. Replay the colour
videos with each group learning the colour sign plus the word ‘rainbow’.
Replay the video for Sing a Rainbow and have students join in the song while signing the
colours as groups and the word ‘rainbow’ as a class.
Lastly, ask class to join as one to sing and sign the entire song.
OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER ACTIVITY
Describe to the class how other forms of sign can convey a message without spoken word. Using
the everyday signs printed out (or showing online) explain how street signs such as, ‘Stop’ and ‘One
Way’; wayfaring signs such as, ‘Exit’, ‘Push’ and ‘Pull’; and amenity signs, such as male and female
figures for public bathrooms all convey messages.
HOMEWORK/EXTENSION
As a homework activity ask the class to spot a sign they see on the way home and tell the class
about it the next day. Take a tally of the different types of signs the students see to stress that
different types of communication are around us all the time.
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