How to start using Makaton

Here are our five top tips for using Makaton:

1. Using Makaton is fun!
2. Use signs and symbols as much and as often as you can.
3. Always speak as you sign or use symbols.
4. Offer lots of encouragement.
5. Don't give up!  It may take a while but it is worth it in the end.

It is important that only a few signs and symbols are used at the beginning. These will be the most important ones for the child or adult with communication difficulties. They will be chosen by the people who know the child or adult best. As they learn, more words will need to be introduced.

In the following video on the Something Special website, Makaton Tutor Kate Duggan provides some tips on how to start using Makaton:

Getting started

Matching words to symbols and signs

It is very easy to produce materials using symbols and signs, however, care must be taken in order that the correct symbol or sign is used both syntactically and semantically, and that the result is as meaningful as possible.

There is often more than one symbol or sign for the same word. There can be several reasons for this, for example:

The word orange can refer to a colour or a fruit.

The word 'can' may be a verb (I can) or a noun (a can of cola).

You can eat (with cutlery) or eat (with fingers).

An alternative may be culturally more acceptable.

A library can be a whole building or just a room within a building.