What is Makaton®
The Makaton Vocabulary is a language programme which provides a basic means of communication and encourages language development in children and adults with communication difficulties.
It consists of a small core vocabulary of specially selected concepts/ideas.
These are considered to be most appropriate for the needs of children and adults with communication difficulties. The inital stages introduce the vocabulary required to exprss basic ideas. More complex concepts are introduced in the later stages.
There is also an additional resource vocabulary grouped into topics. The vocabulary was originally taught with speech and signs, but now speech and symbols are often used in combination. The choice of the method will depend on the needs of the child or adult with learning difficulties and people such as yourselves who play a significant role in their lives.
How did Makaton start?
The Makaton Vocabulary Project was originally devised in the 1970's by Margaret Walker MBE, Speech Therapist, as a practical research project to provide communication for adults living in hospital, who were deaf and had severe learning difficulties.
Following this, it was revised and expanded for use in the community with children and adults with a broad range of language and communication problems. It is now in wide spread use in Schools, Hospitals, Training and Social Education Centres, and in the homes of children and adults who have communication difficulties due to learning difficulties, multi-sensory difficulties, physical disability, autism and other specific communication problems.
