Thomas Pattison School's Auslan music video

1. Interpreting the English text into 'meaning'. The students and staff look at the English text together and brainstorm the meaning of each line according to their own personal experience.

For example: 'Can you hear it?'

Students brainstormed and agreed that it is appropriate to sign 'Can you feel it?' as it is something that they do to appreciate music.

2. Work on each line to come up with an appropriate Auslan (Australian signed language) translation.

3. Gloss the Auslan signs underneath each line on OHT sheet for choir members to follow while feeling the music.

For example:

Can you hear it; do you feel it running through your veins?

YOU FEEL (WITH BOTH HANDS) GOOSEBUMPS (DIFFERENT LOCATIONS)

I can hear it, I can feel it but I can't explain

ME FEEL EXPLAIN IMPOSSIBLE

Do you know that there's place where we can all be free?

WE (point out) APPRECIATE MUSIC

Never know what you'll discover if you come with me

COME JOIN (LOOK AT) YOU WILL PAH

4. Choir members to feel the beat of the song using drums and loud speakers. This enables the members to memorise the rhythm and timing of the song to finetune their translation of the song.

5. Choir members to rehearse the song for feedback from competent Auslan users to check if it makes sense.

6. The final translation to be filmed and printed for rehearsals.