Makaton

Makaton is a method of communication that conveys meaning through a combination of hand signs and symbols along with facial expressions, eye contact, and objects. It differs from sign language in that it is intended to be used by people who can hear. Originally developed in the 1960s to help psychiatric patients communicate with caregivers, Makaton is used by people who have difficulty with verbal communication because of a speech impediment or other limitations on speech. The use of symbols also helps facilitate communication for people who speak a different language. Some parents teach Makaton to their pre-verbal children as well. Those who use it say that it improves communication and reduces frustration experienced by those who cannot communicate fluently or clearly with speech.

Background

Makaton was developed in the 1960s to help deaf and mentally challenged residents of the Botley Park Psychiatric Institution in London, England. Speech and language therapist Margaret Walker and two colleagues, Kathy Johnson and Tony Cornforth, recognized that the residents were often frustrated by their inability to communicate with the institute’s staff. They were also vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment if they could not tell anyone what they saw or experienced.

Walker and her colleagues created a system of communication that combined hand signs, simple line drawn symbols, and as much spoken language as possible. Their goal was to provide a way that nearly anyone could use to communicate regardless of any speech limitations. They based their hand signs on British Sign Language (BSL) and decided to only convey the key words in a sentence, not every word. Walker and the others established a basic vocabulary of about three hundred concepts that covered the core ideas used in everyday conversation. To name their new communication system, Walker, Johnson, and Cornforth combined the first few letters of each of their first names and formed the Makaton Vocabulary Development Project.

After Makaton was developed in the 1960s, its creators continued to refine it. By 1976, they were holding training workshops to teach others. The process became increasingly used with schoolchildren who had trouble with verbal expression. When it was originally developed, Makaton consisted solely of hand gestures. However, in 1985, simple line drawn symbols were added. These made it possible to communicate with people who did not know or could not learn the hand gestures. It helped quickly and easily communicate more involved concepts. It also aided people who spoke a different language or who were learning a new language.

Overview

Makaton is a form of sign language that uses a combination of signs and symbols to facilitate communication. It was originally based on the hand gestures used in standard British Sign Language. However, unlike traditional sign language used by those with hearing impairments, Makaton is mostly used to augment spoken language, not replace it. It is used by adults and children who are not able to speak or who have limitations on their speech, not their hearing. Another difference between Makaton and sign language is that the signs and symbols are used in the same sentence structure as spoken language.

Makaton is always used in conjunction with spoken language. Gestures and symbols are used at the same time as the words they represent are spoken. The speakers will also use body language, facial expressions, and non-sign language gestures such as pointing or indicating motion in a direction. It is also extremely flexible and can be readily adapted for different purposes.

Makaton is particularly useful for those with intellectual challenges, learning disabilities, developmental delays, physical impairments to speech, or who are on the autism spectrum. Parents sometimes teach key signs or symbols to children who are too young to speak to enable them to indicate when they are hungry, thirsty, tired, or want to continue or stop an activity. Regardless of how Makaton is being used, spoken words are always incorporated by at least one person who is part of the interaction.

A speech therapist might teach Makaton to an adult stroke patient who cannot speak clearly. The lesson can enable the patient to express needs and thoughts to family and friends. A court advocate or teacher might use it to help a new immigrant communicate even though neither speaks the other’s language. Parents might use it with a baby or toddler who has not yet learned how to speak. The vocabulary and signs used in each circumstance are different. People can learn what they need to communicate without learning a full language.

In some cases, Makaton has become a permanent means of communication. For others, signs and symbols are used until the person learns how to speak to convey their thoughts and needs. In these instances, the signs and symbols will gradually fade from use and be replaced by spoken language.

As an alternative communication system, Makaton helps people of all ages and abilities express their thoughts and feelings. This accomplishes what its creators originally envisioned, which is reducing the frustration that comes from not being understood and protecting vulnerable people from abuse or mistreatment. The system helps ensure people’s needs are being met. It also enhances relationships between those with no communication limitations and those who are more limited. Makaton can also help develop language skills by modeling verbal communication and enhancing the ability to use it.

In 1983, the Makaton Vocabulary Developmental Project (MDVP) became a charitable trust. By the year 2000, the project had expanded from Great Britain to a total of more than forty countries. In 2007, MDVP was transferred to the Makaton Charity. The Charity became a central point for training, educating, resource creation and distribution, and support for Makaton users.

Bibliography

Groveand, Micola and Margaret Walker. “The Makaton Vocabulary: Using Manual Signs and Graphic Symbols to Develop Interpersonal Communications.” Augmentative and Alternative Communication, July 2009, www.researchgate.net/publication/232078129‗The‗Makaton‗Vocabulary‗Using‗Manual‗Signs‗and‗Graphic‗Symbols‗to‗Develop‗Interpersonal‗Communication. Accessed 15 March 2019.

“The History of Makaton.” Makaton South Africa, www.makaton.co.za/page/history. Accessed 15 March 2019.

“Key Word Sign Australia.” Scope, www.scopeaust.org.au/services-for-individuals/specialised-communication-services/key-word-sign-australia/. Accessed 15 March 2019.

“Makaton.” Integrated Treatment Services, 2019, integratedtreatmentservices.co.uk/our-approaches/speech-therapy-approaches/makaton/. Accessed 15 March 2019.

“The Makaton Charity.” Makaton, 2017, www.makaton.org/aboutMakaton/default. Accessed 15 March 2019.

McGovern, Cat. “Makaton: We’ll Swear by It.” University of Roehampton, London, urweb.roehampton.ac.uk/roehampton-writes/previous-editions/summer2007/Features/makaton.html. Accessed 15 March 2019.

“What is Makaton?” British Broadcasting Corporation Newsround, 6 March 2019, www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47440277. Accessed 15 March 2019.

“What is Makaton?” Singing Hands, 2016, singinghands.co.uk/about/what-is-makaton/. Accessed 15 March 2019.