Daily Makaton

Daily Makaton can be helpful in establishing and communicating routines. Repeating signs regularly builds up understanding. For LB, we have a core clutch of signs we use daily. Those signs include key phrases for everyday use. They do not replace language. As in our previous article, they supplement each other.

LB learns to anticipate as he gets familiar with signs. One example is with tasters, signalled by the Makaton ‘to eat’.

We also commonly use the ‘more’ and ‘finished’ Makaton signs.

More is a prompt if LB wants to continue an activity, for example singing. We’d use it by saying and signing ‘do you want more?’ LB is encouraged to make the sign himself. If he wants more, the singing continues.

Finished designates the end of an activity. An example of this would be ‘the story has finished.’ The sign is similar to curtains closing. LB knows when this happens we are moving on to something else.

Please and thank you are also included as essential basics. We use a Chinese sign for thank you as LB is half Chinese. This is a key point on the flexibility of Makaton. You can use any sign you like, as long as everyone is consistent in usage. If teachers, therapists, parents/carers are all doing the same thing it works!