Now that you’ve attended the Level 1 training – what’s next?
The real impact comes when you begin using signs consistently in everyday routines in a way that feels natural and meaningful for the Makaton user you’re supporting.
Here are some practical ideas to help you keep going.
Makaton Signs at Home
Here are simple but effective ways to use Makaton as part of your daily routines at home:
• Mealtimes: Use signs for food and drink choices (e.g. eat, drink, more, finished).
• Daily routines: Embed signs into transitions such as, getting dressed, bathtime, bedtime. These routines repeat daily, making them ideal for reinforcing understanding and consistency in signs.
• Stories: Choose books with rhythm and repetition. In The Very Hungry Caterpillar, sign food items and days of the week. With Dear Zoo, introduce each animal by modelling the sign as you lift the flap together. Once the story is familiar, pause or lift the flap slowly to let the child anticipate and express the animal using speech, sign, gesture, vocalisation, or facial expression. For Goodnight Moon, add bedtime signs like goodnight, moon, stars, and bunny.
• Songs and Rhymes: Start with one sign per song (for example, star in Twinkle Twinkle). As the young person becomes familiar with the song/rhyme, add more. Repetition makes learning fun and natural.
• Play and Games: Follow the young person’s lead. If you’re building, model the sign for build; if playing with cars, use car or go. Expand gradually with colours, animals, and actions. Celebrate all attempts at communication, whether speech, signs, gestures, or facial expressions.
Makaton Signs at School, College or a Nursery Setting
For education professionals, here are ways to make signing part of your classroom environment:
• Circle time or morning registration: Use signs for names, greetings, days of the week, activities, and weather. These repetitive routines provide natural, daily practice.
• Visual timetables: Pair Makaton signs with symbols to support understanding of what’s happening next.
• Key vocabulary: Choose a few signs linked to current topics or classroom themes each week. Repeat them across activities and model them clearly.
• Whole staff awareness: It helps if all adults use consistent key signs throughout the day, not just in "communication time."
Encouraging Expressive Use (But Not Forcing It)
It’s tempting to look for signs back straight away but remember, receptive language develops before expressive language.
• Acknowledge all communication: If a child points, gestures, or vocalises, model the sign alongside them.
• Pause and wait: Allow extra time for processing before moving on.
Why Keep Signing?
• Makaton isn’t just about producing signs; it’s about supporting understanding.
• For many, signs reduce frustration and make the world feel more predictable.
• Use Makaton alongside other forms of communication: speech, vocalisations, gestures, eye-pointing, or AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) systems.
• Not all Makaton users will use signs expressively, but many benefit from the signs being used consistently around them.
• Not every young person will sign back, and that’s okay. What matters most is that they are benefiting from the clarity and security signs bring.
Final Thoughts
Embedding Makaton is a journey. By using signs naturally in routines, stories, songs, play, and learning, you're giving the Makaton user the tools to understand, anticipate, and in their own time and way, express. You create an environment where language is seen and heard. Whether at home or in the classroom, consistency and patience are key, remember that communication is more than words.
If you’d like further ideas based on your setting or child’s interests, or need support beyond Level 1, feel free to get in touch or ask about your next Makaton training session.
