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Not being able to communicate and be heard
Have you considered what it would be like to have little speech, and feeling as though no one understands you? Have you ever thought what it would be like to be surrounded by people with whom you want to share so much but have no way of being able to communicate this? Some children live in this situation every day, which can lead to frustration, lacking in confidence and having low self-esteem.
Breaking the barriers of communication
As a special educational needs (SEN) teacher for children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), I am given the challenge on a daily basis to improve children’s ways of communicating. I work with children aged 5-19 who experience mild to severe difficulties that can impact on their language; verbal apraxia, developmental language disorder, autism spectrum disorder and selective mutism as just some examples.
I was first introduced to Makaton 5 years ago and immediately saw the benefits of using this. Education professionals continue to find various appropriate forms of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for children with SLCN, but I could instantly recognise the need for Makaton to be used more widely in my setting. The combination of speech and signs gave children the visual means of communication that they needed; soon children were wanting to share their ideas and thoughts in all areas of the school. Children started using signing with singing and soon I could see that even those with complex SLCN, were given a voice, a purpose and the confidence to even perform!
The symbols coincided with this and just increased the understanding of words; these supported those particularly with ASD and selective mutism, making language a lot clearer.
Where should Makaton be used?
Whilst the classroom is a really good starting point for using Makaton, it is not limited to this environment. Just like your voice, Makaton can be used anywhere! Through the use of Makaton, children can find different places more accessible, such as restaurants, going to the farm and even just being at home. There are lots of places that will have trained staff and they might even be a recognised ‘Makaton Aware’ establishment.
How can I start using it?
Makaton can be implemented in the same way as you would do with words, just introduce a select few to start with. You can build up on these words, signs and symbols over time, as you see your children become more confident with it. Lots of modelling the use of Makaton to children can be helpful and they will benefit from being exposed to it in all different environments. My final suggestion would be, make it fun; the use of games, songs and stories are all known to benefit early language development and Makaton can too!
For more insight into Makaton, listen to the podcast episode below.
Key takeaways
- Makaton gives children an unaided form of AAC
- Makaton is not just for the classroom, parents/carers can use it too.
- Rich language opportunities come from all different environments; exposing children to Makaton contributes to enriching language and can have some really positive benefits.
Critical considerations
- Have you ever considered using Makaton before? Remember it’s not just about signing, it’s about the speech too.
- Did you know that Makaton is for children of all ages, not just babies and toddlers?
Explainer
AAC: Augmentative and alternative communication supports people in communicating in ways which are different to verbal, or in addition to verbal communication. This can include the use of physical/digital aids (aided AAC), or without the use of any aids (unaided AAC).
About the author
Watch the full podcast episode
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