Preservice teachers’ motivations and perceived benefits of undertaking an introductory course in Auslan

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First published online 24th June 2025.


Why was this study done

Inclusive education is becoming more important in schools, including better support for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students. However, many teachers have little or no training in Auslan (Australian Sign Language).

This study was done to understand why preservice teachers (teachers still in training) choose to take an introductory Auslan course and what benefits they believe it provides for their future teaching careers.

What the study did

The researchers gathered information from preservice teachers who completed an introductory Auslan course as part of their university studies. The study focused on students’ personal reflections and perceptions and explored:

  • The reasons students enrolled in the course
  • Their experiences while learning Auslan and
  • What benefits they believed the course gave them.

What the study found

The study found that preservice teachers were motivated to take the course for several reasons, including:

  • A desire to be more inclusive in their future classrooms
  • Personal interest in learning a new language
  • Wanting to better support Deaf and hard-of-hearing students and
  • Interest in communication diversity.

Students reported several perceived benefits, such as:

  • Greater awareness of Deaf culture and communication needs
  • Improved confidence in supporting diverse learners
  • A broader understanding of inclusive teaching practices and
  • Increased empathy and cultural sensitivity.

In addition, many participants felt the course helped them think differently about communication and accessibility in education.

What this means

The findings suggest that introductory Auslan courses can play an important role in preparing future teachers for inclusive classrooms.

Providing opportunities for preservice teachers to learn Auslan may:

  • Strengthen inclusive education practices,
  • Increase confidence in working with Deaf students and
  • Promote more culturally responsive teaching.

Overall, the study highlights the value of incorporating language and inclusion-focused training into teacher education programs.

This study was conducted by:

Dr. Tracey Sempowicz, Dr. Rebecca Burtenshaw, Dr. Aruna Devi, and Dr. Peter Grainger.

To read the full article, visit the journal.

For other accessible formats, please see the column to the right.

Disclaimer: The QDRN has utilised generative AI to refine the wording of this plain language summary.

First published online 24th June 2025.


Why was this study done

Inclusive education is becoming more important in schools, including better support for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students. However, many teachers have little or no training in Auslan (Australian Sign Language).

This study was done to understand why preservice teachers (teachers still in training) choose to take an introductory Auslan course and what benefits they believe it provides for their future teaching careers.

What the study did

The researchers gathered information from preservice teachers who completed an introductory Auslan course as part of their university studies. The study focused on students’ personal reflections and perceptions and explored:

  • The reasons students enrolled in the course
  • Their experiences while learning Auslan and
  • What benefits they believed the course gave them.

What the study found

The study found that preservice teachers were motivated to take the course for several reasons, including:

  • A desire to be more inclusive in their future classrooms
  • Personal interest in learning a new language
  • Wanting to better support Deaf and hard-of-hearing students and
  • Interest in communication diversity.

Students reported several perceived benefits, such as:

  • Greater awareness of Deaf culture and communication needs
  • Improved confidence in supporting diverse learners
  • A broader understanding of inclusive teaching practices and
  • Increased empathy and cultural sensitivity.

In addition, many participants felt the course helped them think differently about communication and accessibility in education.

What this means

The findings suggest that introductory Auslan courses can play an important role in preparing future teachers for inclusive classrooms.

Providing opportunities for preservice teachers to learn Auslan may:

  • Strengthen inclusive education practices,
  • Increase confidence in working with Deaf students and
  • Promote more culturally responsive teaching.

Overall, the study highlights the value of incorporating language and inclusion-focused training into teacher education programs.

This study was conducted by:

Dr. Tracey Sempowicz, Dr. Rebecca Burtenshaw, Dr. Aruna Devi, and Dr. Peter Grainger.

To read the full article, visit the journal.

For other accessible formats, please see the column to the right.

Disclaimer: The QDRN has utilised generative AI to refine the wording of this plain language summary.