September 23rd is The International Day of Sign Language. The day was established by the United Nations in 2018 during International Week of Deaf People to raise awareness of the deaf community and sign language users. It’s a day to recognise the importance of sign languages in preserving cultural and linguistic diversity, and to highlight the challenges faced by deaf individuals in everyday life.
This is a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn, and advocate, especially with children. By engaging in meaningful conversations and activities, we can foster understanding and inclusion from a young age.
Understanding the barriers the deaf community faces, such as limited access to interpreters, visual information, hearing loops, and public announcements, is an important first step in raising awareness and driving change. You can learn more and connect with the deaf community, such as Deaf Aussie Kids, and Deaf Australia online.
Learning sign language and exploring deaf culture can be a powerful way for children to connect with the community and become advocates for inclusion. Small steps can lead to a big impact, so we have some resources to share with you in honour of International Day of Sign Language!
There are more than 70 million deaf people worldwide, and they use more than 300 different sign languages! There’s also international sign language, used in international meetings and when travelling and socialising. You can learn international sign language here.
International Sign Language
ViewLearn Auslan
Auslan (Australian Sign Language) is the language of the Deaf community in Australia and has its own alphabet, sentence structure, and grammar.
Melrose Primary School has some useful resources that help us learn the alphabet and basic phrases in Auslan.
Learn Auslan
ViewBook Recommendations
Books are another impactful way to help children understand and appreciate the experiences of others. These two stories highlight Deaf characters and themes of communication, inclusion, and empathy.
Freddie and the Fairy
by Julia Donaldson and Karen George (Age 3+)
Freddie is a boy who wishes for a pet but struggles to be understood by a fairy who can’t hear very well, which causes the wishes to sometimes get a little mixed up! This picture book introduces children to the importance of communication and listening while appreciating everyone’s differences. And most importantly, to treat everyone with kindness.
El Deafo
by Cece Bell
(Ages 8+)
This funny and empowering novel illustrates the story of Cece, who is a young girl navigating school and friendships while wearing a bulky hearing aid. “El Deafo” is her superhero alter ego, which helps Cece explore what it means to be different and how to embrace it. It’s a heartfelt and relatable book that gives the opportunity to start important conversations about inclusion, identity, and self-acceptance.
Celebrating The International Day of Sign Language with children is a powerful way to foster empathy, inclusion, and curiosity. Whether you're learning a few signs or diving into a story, every small step helps build a more inclusive world.
