"What is Makaton? A Beginners Guide to Supporting Communication"

Makaton is a communication tool that is inclusive to all children and adults. But it is something that not everyone will be familiar with. Hopefully within this blog I will be able to answer some commonly asked questions about what Makaton is, why it is something that many people use.

Using Makaton to support communication is something I have done since the age of 16, I first fell in love with the use of Makaton whilst being introduced to it in college way back in the 1990’s! I realised just how life changing this powerful communication tool could be when doing my first ever placement in a Nursery.

A non-speaking, 3-year-old child using hand gestures to support his requests, wants and needs and of course his favourite activities. I was mind blown, this child’s life could’ve been one filled with frustration or withdrawal, however, thanks to the amazing staff at the setting who had all undergone some level of Makaton training and by working closely with his family, ensuring consistency, Makaton was very much embedded into everyday practice within the nursery ensuring that staff were all familiar with common signs and symbols and had a good understanding of Makaton, all of this meant the child was always in an inclusive communication environment where they could be understood.

So, what is Makaton?

Makaton is a unique way of communicating that is not only for those who have delayed speech and language or other communication struggles, but it is inclusive and accessible for all. It is a communication tool that incorporates speech, signs and/or symbols. Signs are used alongside speech rather than instead of. The symbols are used particularly for those with limited speech or those who are unable to sign.

Makaton is used throughout all age groups, its used in Early Years to support natural language development and to support play and learning for those with learning difficulties, its used in Health & Social Care supported living settings, care homes, hospitals and in the wider community, it's also used to support people post-stroke, with an acquired brain injury and those living with Dementia.

Although there are set signs for Makaton, it is important to remember that these are flexible and can be adapted for the individual if needed. For example, if they struggle to do a certain sign this could be adapted slightly to better suit them.

Similarly, to the sign aspect of Makaton the symbols should also be flexible. Although you can print off or recreate the official version of the symbol you should also be able to draw one on the spot when needed. This is why the symbols are simple drawings that basically depict what is being communicated.

Children eagerly participate in a story session, using Makaton sign to tell the story of Dear Zoo

Why bother using Makaton when there's no learning difficulty or speech delay?

You might be wondering why people bother to use Makaton if a child has no additional needs or speech delay. Communication is an incredibly important skill needed within everyday life; in fact, it is arguably one of the most important skills for a person to possess. But communication is not only in speech, but people also typically use their body language including hand gestures, eye contact and facial expressions as well as speech. This is all part of Makaton, hence why it is such a successful communication programme.

Without some form of communication, we would struggle to complete many everyday tasks such as building relationships or asking for food and drink. A child’s understanding often develops at a faster rate than their speech. Signing therefore can be a useful tool during this time, helping reduce a child’s frustration when they are struggling to communicate their needs, wants, thoughts and feelings.

A question people often think about is: Will the use of Makaton and signing delay or discourage a child from speaking? This is not the case; in fact Makaton has been purposefully designed to support a child’s speech development. Research suggests that the use of signs and symbols actually encourages the development of spoken word. It really helps children to have another form of expression especially when sharing how they are feeling.

Resources & Training

If you’ve found this blog interesting and you would like to learn more about Makaton here are some recommended places to look! Videos are not meant to replace official Makaton training but a great resource if you would like to find signed songs, stories and a variety of topics and see what using Makaton is all about!

Makaton is a communication tool that is inclusive to all children and adults. But it is something that not everyone will be familiar with. Hopefully within this blog I will be able to answer some commonly asked questions about what Makaton is, why it is something that many people use.

Using Makaton to support communication is something I have done since the age of 16, I first fell in love with the use of Makaton whilst being introduced to it in college way back in the 1990’s! I realised just how life changing this powerful communication tool could be when doing my first ever placement in a Nursery.

A non-speaking, 3-year-old child using hand gestures to support his requests, wants and needs and of course his favourite activities. I was mind blown, this child’s life could’ve been one filled with frustration or withdrawal, however, thanks to the amazing staff at the setting who had all undergone some level of Makaton training and by working closely with his family, ensuring consistency, Makaton was very much embedded into everyday practice within the nursery ensuring that staff were all familiar with common signs and symbols and had a good understanding of Makaton, all of this meant the child was always in an inclusive communication environment where they could be understood.

Resources & Training

If you’ve found this blog interesting and you would like to learn more about Makaton here are some recommended places to look! Videos are not meant to replace official Makaton training but a great resource if you would like to find signed songs, stories and a variety of topics and see what using Makaton is all about!

For training: www.alimakatontutor.com

For resources: www.makaton.org

For videos: SingingHandsUK - YouTube

References

• The Makaton Charity. (2024). What is Makaton? https://www.makaton.org

• Walker, M., & Grove, N. (1990). The Makaton Vocabulary. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 6(1), 15–28.

• Grove, N., & Walker, M. (1995). The Makaton Vocabulary. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 30(2), 121–135.

• Light, J., & McNaughton, D. (2014). Communicative competence for individuals who require augmentative and alternative communication. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 30(1), 1–18.

• von Tetzchner, S., & Grove, N. (2003). Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Developmental Issues. Whurr Publishers.

• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. (2024). Supporting People with Communication Needs. https://www.rcslt.org

• NHS England. (2023). Accessible Information Standard. https://www.england.nhs.uk/ais

• Singing Hands UK. (2024). Makaton Songs and Learning Resources. https://www.youtube.com/@SingingHandsUK

**Disclaimer**

The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and thoughts and information expressed in these blogs are from my own personal thoughts and real life experiences, they do not contain advisory content. While always striving to provide accurate and up-to-date content, there are no guarantees about the completeness or reliability of any information. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. 

All information on the site is provided in good faith, however, no representation or warranty is made of any kind, expressed or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information on the site.

These blogs are created from my own personal experience and are for general information purposes and are not, in any way, advisory. Where needed I have included research and reference links and further reading articles.

At times I have used AI generated content to reword my own thoughts and may include AI research of  information relevant to the blog and to create images relevant to my blogs, however whenever possible I have used my own images with permission from those featured in the images. My blogs are open to fair use.

Any questions or queries please do get in touch - alimakatontutor@gmail.com