"Who Can Benefit From Makaton Training?"

Who can benefit from Makaton training?

The first most important thing to note in answer to this question is that Makaton users will benefit the most from anyone who is involved in any part of their lives, in any way, learning this valuable communication tool. Shared knowledge of a person’s communication tool, such as Makaton, is essential to avoid a communication breakdown, to ease frustration and prevent withdrawal.

Every child, young person and adults should be able to engage fully with the world around them and be active members of their environment – be this in a hospital, in a classroom or in the wider community accessing venues and public services. We can do this by providing people with the ‘tools’ to be fully expressive and receptive to the communication taking place. By learning Makaton you are supporting thousands of people with accessibility to your service, organisation, venue, business and everywhere in-between.  

Makaton Training Within Healthcare and Frontline Staff roles

Integrating Makaton into team communication improves the healthcare experience for individuals and fosters empathy and accessibility. Healthcare professionals, such as nurses and therapists, undergo Makaton training to refine their skills in connecting with individuals facing challenges in verbal expression.

Makaton promotes a person-centred and inclusive approach within healthcare services, ensuring individuals receive tailored care in a supportive and understanding environment.

Embracing Makaton is a proactive step for healthcare settings seeking to elevate communication, improve individual well-being, and cultivate a genuinely inclusive atmosphere for individuals with diverse communication needs.

Courses are now available for Emergency Services, Dentistry, Learning Disability Team, Nursing and General Wellbeing designed in collaboration with the NHS and other services within Healthcare.

Staff at the Seashore Centre at Weston General Hospital having completed their Makaton Taster Workshop focussed on Healthcare.

Makaton Training Within Early Years & School settings.

I strongly believe that anyone supporting young children can benefit from learning and implementing Makaton, not only does this benefit children’s natural language development, it also provides equal opportunities in communication and language development for children.

Using Makaton within play, familiar songs and stories and within the general environment can really help children to see how Makaton fits with familiar words and concepts as well as supporting the introduction of new ones. By learning Makaton you can help with building communication prior to speech, enhance language development, build attention and listening skills, promoting fine and gross motor skills and using Makaton is enjoyable for everyone!

For further information about Makaton Training courses available

Makaton Training | Learn Makaton - Ali Makaton Tutor

Find out more about Makaton at www.makaton.org

References

• The Makaton Charity. (2024). Who Uses Makaton? Retrieved from https://makaton.org

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

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

• Department for Education. (2015). Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice: 0–25 years. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25

• The Makaton Charity & NHS Collaboration. (2024). Makaton for Healthcare Professionals. Retrieved from https://makaton.org

 **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