Is TESOL an efficient and appropriate methodology to teach people with Down’s Syndrome their 2nd language, Makaton.

“Makaton is a unique language programme offering a structured multi-modal approach, using signs and symbols, for the teaching of communication, language and literacy skills for people with communication and learning difficulties.”

The methodology of TESOL is, I am told, directly transferable to the teaching of any subject or skill. I am going to consider whether this methodology is an efficient and appropriate way to teach Makaton to Down’s people, who have often failed to develop their mother tongue adequately.

Adults with Down’s Syndrome often fail to develop language “naturally”. There are many reasons for this. Structurally they may have some hearing loss due to narrow ear canals and they may find the formation of sounds difficult because of their mouth structure. Many have some short -term memory and processing problems, so they do not find it easy to process input that is only auditory.

Adults with Down’s Syndrome often learn Makaton because they have insufficient functional mother tongue. Makaton can be seen as a language in its own right as it follows the usual grammar rules

Down’s people usually find it easier to process information presented through the visuo-motor channel rather than the auditory-vocal channel because there are usually short-term memory and processing problems (Broadley, MacDonald and Buckley, 1995). Thus Makaton uses their areas of greater ability, rather than their areas of deficit.

In a Makaton lesson, social greetings are used at the start, e.g. Good Morning. In a group session, this will be repeated with each participant, encouraging both signing and speaking the words. In a 1:1 session, the teacher greets the learner and may need to give help to return the greeting.

In the next phase, the material to be learnt is introduced. This may be as little as one word. The Makaton project recommends that no more than 5 words are introduced in one lesson. The sign for a word is made clearly by the teacher, along with the spoken word. A noun will be signed. A preposition will be demonstrated, visually describing the word. It will then be signed and the whole sentence spoken. E.g. “The ball is on the table”. However, not all words are signed. In this particular sentence, only “ball” “on” and “table” are signed but the whole sentence is spoken. Makaton is only used within correct sentence structure, with correct grammar. Pidgen Makaton is not allowed.

After each demonstration, there is the opportunity for each learner to practise it. In the example above, the teacher would not give all the signs but would typically indicate known words, e.g. “ball” and “table” and elicit the signs and speech from the learners.

There may also be some learners who can either sign or say “on” and they will be encouraged to produce the sign and speech prior to the teacher’s demonstration. Praise is demonstrated by the sign and word “good” but “no” is signed and said if an incorrect sign is produced. “Bad” is never signed for an incorrect answer.

In the last stage of a lesson, the Activate stage, students are asked questions such as “John, where is the ball?” and John is encouraged to respond with, for example, “The ball is on the table”. Down’s people generally have a great sense of fun so something ridiculous, like asking if the ball is on the ceiling may provoke laughter and more language such as “Spiderman walks on ceiling” or “Ball fall on floor”. This can stimulate more talking and use of the target language.

Makaton teaching and TESOL is that both are structured programmes with the students systematically working through the developed syllabus and workbooks. In Makaton, sequential stages of increasing complexity and communication priority have been identified and form the basis of the programme.

The Core Vocabulary is introduced in order to facilitate functional and purposeful communication as rapidly as possible.

Thus, the lesson structure and content laid down after much research into what works and what doesn’t in teaching Makaton is similar to TESOL methodology.

References:

Walker, Margaret. The Makaton Vocabulary - uses and effectiveness: Paper presented at the 1st International AFASIC Symposium of specific speech and language disorders in children, University of Reading, U.K.

Makaton - Frequently asked Questions

Powell, Gaye. Current research findings to support the use of signs with adults and children who have intellectual and communication difficulties

Pam Bentley