Disability History Month 2024: staff and service users spread festive cheer with Makaton Rudolph video
As Disability History Month draws to a close, staff and service users have come together to create a Makaton video to spread festive cheer.
Featuring the classic holiday tune 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,' the video showcases a joyful performance with Makaton signs. This collaborative effort celebrates the diverse abilities of everyone involved and brings Christmas to life in a truly meaningful way.
What is Makaton:
Makaton is a language programme that uses signs, symbols, and speech to help people communicate.
Makaton is used by people with a range of communication and learning needs, including:
- Very young children
- People with autism
- People with learning disabilities
- People who don't use speech
- People who have limited speech
- People who prefer not to sign
What is the difference between Makaton and British Sign Language:
- BSL is the primary language of the Deaf community in the UK, while Makaton is used to help hearing people with communication or learning difficulties.
- BSL has its own grammar, syntax, and word order, which is different from spoken language. Makaton uses signs and symbols in spoken word order.
- BSL has regional variations, with different signs and expressions used in different parts of the UK. Makaton uses signs from the sign language of the country where it's used, so the signs are the same across the country.
- BSL is a naturally evolved language, while Makaton was invented in the 1970s by British speech therapist Margaret Walker.
- BSL is not used alongside speech to aid communication, because it's not physically possible to sign and speak at the same time. Makaton uses signs to reinforce spoken speech.
We offer advice and support to people on every aspect of living with a learning disability, visit the website for more information
