learning makaton

Former Member

Hi guys,

I want to learn makaton to help me communicate better with the children at volunteering. Does anyone know a good place to start? I know a few bits and pieces, but am really looking for a book or free online course to enable me to understand the children as best as possible

Thanks!

Former Member

http://www.makaton.org/aboutMakaton/

Former Member

do they definitely use makaton? sorry if that's a stupid obvious question haha. just that in special schools where I live they don't use makaton as much anymore they use signalong but it's pretty similar just more simplified.

I don't have any tips for learning it though sorry I think it's very hard to learn from a book and you just have to pick it up as you go along, that's what I do. it's hard to remember when you aren't using it all the time I think.

Former Member

Yea it's definitely makaton, spoke to our team leader about it. Thanks for the link melian I've looked on there before and there's not much in the way of free recourses. Might have to resort to watching some Something Special on cbeebies haha!

Former Member

I think Something Special is BSL? A lot of overlap between the two anyway

Former Member

piccolo wrote: »

I think Something Special is BSL? A lot of overlap between the two anyway

No it's makaton Justin comes to do makaton sessions with the kids sometimes, and on the cbeebies website it says it's makaton.

Former Member

Fair enough - it's so similar that I couldn't tell (I'm hardly advanced at BSL) and thought it was just a slightly different dialect!

Former Member

Something Special is probably a pretty good way to learn

littlemissy

My daughter used to be obsessed with something special and she learnt basics of marathon through watching it. Even just the basics like greetings, colours, prepositions etc. Justin does start to grate on you though.

I do think that the best way would be to just go in and learn as you do. Good luck