Learning Makaton

Learning Makaton

Makaton is the sign and symbol language used in the CBeebies show, Something Special. The children in Reception love this show and wanted to learn more about Makaton. Whilst learning about our school value inclusion and after reading the story ‘Freddie and the Fairy’, a beautiful story about a fairy called Bessie-Belle who can’t hear very well, the children were keen to learn Makaton.

Makaton signing: what it is and why use it?

Makaton is designed to support spoken language – signs are used with speech, in spoken word order to help children and adults to communicate. Using signs can help children who have no speech (either because they have communication difficulties or are very young) or whose speech is unclear. Using signing can help empower them to express what they want to say and alleviate frustration.

The use of Makaton signing is becoming commonplace in Reception and the children are using Makaton signs to help convey meaning, The signs used in Makaton are from British Sign Language (BSL), which is the language of the deaf community in Britain.

Take a look at the children singing one of our favourite nursery rhymes in Makaton -  'I Can Sing a Rainbow'