VCE Auslan study plan

VCE Auslan · Give each week a clear focus.

8 weeks · About 7 hours per week

Week 1

Sign Comprehension & Sign Production

Fingerspell the full alphabet and 60 common proper nouns from a randomised list at 90% accuracy
Receptively decode 40 fingerspelled words presented at slow-to-moderate pace without asking for repetition
Produce 50 high-frequency everyday signs from memory with correct handshape, location and movement
Record and self-review three 1-minute signed monologues, logging every sign you hesitated on

A signed 2-minute self-introduction video plus a written error log of at least 25 signs needing repair

Week 2

Identify and produce 30 minimal-pair sign distinctions (e.g. handshape or location contrasts) correctly
Comprehend two 3-minute signed narratives on familiar topics, answering 8 comprehension questions on each
Produce 80 vocabulary items across two topic areas (family, daily routine) with no English voicing
Shadow a signed text by copying it 0.5 seconds behind for 10 minutes total

A 20-item signed vocabulary quiz you record yourself, scored against a checklist with 85% target

Week 3

Comprehend signed questions in five question types and respond appropriately without voicing
Practise turn-taking: hold three 5-minute signed conversations where you ask and answer at least 10 questions
Use non-manual features (brows, head tilt, mouth patterns) to mark questions and negation in 20 signed utterances
Comprehend a 5-minute signed dialogue and summarise its main points in 6 signed sentences

A recorded 5-minute two-way signed conversation with a partner, annotated for question and negation markers

Week 4

Produce 15 minutes of sustained signed monologue across three prepared topics without fingerspelling fallback
Repair communication breakdowns using five explicit clarification strategies in live conversation
Deliver a structured 4-minute signed explanation with clear sequencing and referent establishment
Self-assess three recordings against a handshape, location, movement and NMF rubric

A 4-minute signed explanation recorded and scored on a 5-point rubric, with two specific improvement targets written down

Week 5

Comprehend two 5-minute authentic signed texts at near-natural pace, noting 10 unfamiliar signs to research
Expand to 150 cumulative productive signs including topic vocabulary for school, work and health
Use spatial mapping and constructed action in two signed narratives of at least 3 minutes each
Fingerspell and decode 100 words at moderate pace with 90% accuracy

A transcript-style written summary of two signed texts plus a recorded 3-minute narrative using spatial reference

Week 6

Sustain a 10-minute signed conversation on an unseen topic with only two breakdowns
Comprehend a signed text containing unfamiliar vocabulary and infer meaning from context in 8 of 10 cases
Adapt register: sign the same message formally and informally and identify the differences
Practise interrupting, agreeing, disagreeing and seeking clarification appropriately in signed dialogue

A recorded 10-minute unscripted signed conversation with a breakdown log showing strategies used

Week 7

Complete two full timed mock comprehension tasks and score at least 75% on each
Record a full mock production task under exam time limits and self-score against the rubric
Run a 12-minute mock interactive exchange covering personal, social and vocational topics
Target your three weakest subskills identified from mock results with 90 minutes of drills

A scored mock exam pack: comprehension score, production rubric score and interactive feedback notes

Week 8

Re-run one full mock per domain and improve each score by at least 10% over week 7
Consolidate a personal list of 40 persistently difficult signs and drill them to fluent production
Rehearse exam-day routines: pacing, requesting repetition politely, and managing nerves in signed delivery
Review all error logs and confirm every previously flagged item is resolved or re-drilled

A final comparison sheet showing week 7 versus week 8 mock scores across all three domains

Week 2: Can fingerspell and decode 60 words at 90% accuracy and produce 80 topic signs without voicing

Week 4: Holds a 5-minute two-way signed conversation with correct question and negation marking

Week 6: Sustains a 10-minute unscripted signed conversation and infers meaning of unfamiliar signs from context

Week 8: All three mock domain scores improve by at least 10% over week 7 and error logs are cleared