Uniting Early Learning, where communication doesn’t depend on hearing 

On Auslan Day on 13 April, Uniting Early Learning (UEL) has reframed what inclusive education can look like, starting with communication. 
 

In UEL Aspley and UEL Toowong centres Auslan is being introduced to both deaf and hearing children, creating environments where all students can participate on equal terms. 
 
 

Rather than being used as a support tool for a small group of children, Auslan is taught across the entire class, building shared communication from the outset. 
 
 

Belinda, a Deaf Educator at UEL with over 20 years’ experience, says the shift changes how children relate to one another. 
 
 

“When everyone has access to communication, children connect differently. It changes the whole environment.” 
 
 

To mark Auslan Day, UEL centres will host a variety of engaging activities celebrating sign language. A highlight of the day will be a special visit by Belinda to The Lakes College Outside School Hours Care (OSHC), where children will take part in an immersive Auslan class, providing a hands-on opportunity to experience signing in action. 

UEL’s Auslan program reflects the organisation’s commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and cultural awareness across early learning environments, building confidence and connection for all children.  

Uniting Early Learning is an enterprise of the Queensland Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia.  


Image Caption: Auslan learning in action at Uniting Early Learning Aspley