Guest Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 I've done a web search - complete waste of time! - should have come here first! I have to do a whole school assembly next week and thought that I would introduce the concept of Makaton as we have children in Reception this year who we are using Makaton with. My class won't be at the assembly as the assembly is in the afternoon and my full-time children won't have started then. Has anyone got any ideas for I can positively introduce the concept of Makaton to the whole school? The assembly needs to last about 15 minutes. Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 Probably not what you are looking for but if you wanted to base your assembly on the concept of signs and symbols you can download traditional tales etc in sign form from "Widgit" for free. Hope this may help. Good Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 Maybe start with what sign language most children know, High five, handshake, nodding yes and no, thumbs up, even a song such as Mcdonald, Mcdonald, kentucky fried chicken and the pizza hut, with actions. From this talk about how some children who don't find it as easy to communicate as they do, use lots of signs. Show them some and see if they can guess a few. Then maybe teach them a song using makaton signs. Don't know much about assemblies, whether they can involve child participation so just guessing really. Good luck. I'd be interested to hear what you do though because I have a child starting in february who uses makaton and I will want to introduce it to all the children. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Sally Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 I think introducing them to familiar songs would be a good thing. A lot of children are now watching 'something special' so many may be familiar with the signs. http://www.makaton.org/resources/something-special.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/somethingspecial/ I work in a special school and we sign all of our songs and you will be surprised at how quickly they will pick them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 (edited) Thanks for the ideas so far. I've been doing it with my children and they are learning it really quickly and are enjoying it. What I really need, though, is how to introduce it as a concept: make all the children in the school be supportive of it, aware of its purpose and not see the children who use it as stupid or silly. Whilst the children in my current class will see it as 'normal' as we've been doing it from day 1 it is a totally alien concept to everyone else. Edited September 20, 2006 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfy Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 Don't have many ideas other than the ones mentioned - I introduced it in another setting through songs and this worked well. When I've been on trainning myself we have been introduced to some of the stories behind some of the signs, which has been interesting. We have also been asked to guess what some of the signs may be to show how simple it is. I'm introducing it at the moment into the nursery, so would be interested in how it all goes. Good Luck Elfy x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 I sometimes supply in a nursery that use Makaton. Is there somewhere I can look to familiarise myself with the signs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 (edited) Hi susan, we found the something special programme and the DVDs you can buy useful for simple learning for both staff and children. (see link above, we bought DVDs from Pink Cow) And you have them for reference to watch at intervals. There is also a song video by Dave Benson Phillips which we used but cannot find it anywhere , it was made a long time ago now, and would love a new copy, think he made it for charity. Had all the favourite songs signed, 10 fat sausages, twinkle twinkle etc. I think that peggy gave good ideas for introducing it at a concept, using thinks they already do etc. I know makaton is used with language as well but you could incorporate some without any to see if they know what is being communicated without any sound. Inge Edited September 21, 2006 by Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 Hi susan, we found the something special programme and the DVDs you can buy useful for simple learning for both staff and children. (see link above, we bought DVDs from Pink Cow) And you have them for reference to watch at intervals. There is also a song video by Dave Benson Phillips which we used but cannot find it anywhere , it was made a long time ago now, and would love a new copy, think he made it for charity. Had all the favourite songs signed, 10 fat sausages, twinkle twinkle etc. I think that peggy gave good ideas for introducing it at a concept, using thinks they already do etc. I know makaton is used with language as well but you could incorporate some without any to see if they know what is being communicated without any sound. Inge I agree totally. With working in a special school loads of our kids use Makaton and I learnt most of mine from watching those 2 programmes. I bought a new copy of the Dave Benson-Phillips video from amazon a year ago. Link to Amazon page My class last year LOVED Something Special and regulaly asked for 'Mr Tumble'. Apparently I've been told this week that there are new episodes of it on CBeebies over the weekend- 9am and 3pm Sat and Sun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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