Constance Wong (Group A)

Case Study 1: Annie

I selected this case study allows me to explore ways, other than PECS, to communicate with children with disabilities.

Area of Intervention: Communication skills

The intervention: Makaton
Makaton is a pictorial and sign language communication system, developed in a hospital in England in the 1970s (Sellars, 2006). The Makaton design makes use of pictographic representations, the British sign language and encourages language development (The Makaton Charity, 2008). Similar to the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), picture symbol cards are used in Makaton. However, Makaton encourages its users to use speech along with signs and British sign language. Makaton also taps onto the use of facial expression, eye contact and body language in the process of communication (The Makaton Charity, 2008).

Effectiveness

Makaton is effective in helping to develop communication in persons with speech difficulties (Makaton Vocabulary Department as cited in Sellar, 2006). This method has been around for approximately 30 years and has been used by nurses to communicate with persons with speech difficulties in England.

In addition, Makaton can be adapted to other cultures accordingly and hence can be applied in the Singapore context. It uses very basic black and white pictorial symbols which make it easy to draw, should there be no picture card. Furthermore, sign language is also an alternative way to communicate. The main thing is about using speech while sign language and pictorial cards are aids to support the communication process.

The use of gesture, facial expression and body language is considered as communication and will allow the child to communicate in acceptable behaviours (Sellar, 2006; The Makaton Charity, 2008). Moreover, gestures are easier to learn as compared to verbal speech, because it’s the first language that we learn.

Evaluation

Makaton has a developed list of everyday words with pictorial symbols to help Annie if she is unable to use sign language and speech to communicate her needs.

Moreover, when using Makaton, Annie will be encouraged to say the word as she signs the word and match it with a suitable picture card (Sellars, 2008). This allows for the development of verbal language, at the same time, it helps Annie be understood. This will help reduce Annie’s frustration and hence the frequency of Annie’s biting in class. With encouragement to use Makaton, being able to communicate with others will also increase Annie’s confidence, so that she would not shy away when trying to correspond with peers.

Suggestions

Firstly, if I were the class teacher, I would need to learn and recognize the symbols used in Makaton as well as common sign language. I would also need to teach the class of children the more commonly used words so that the other class children can understand Annie. One resource that I can tap on to teach the class Makaton is through simple online lessons for children, available on BBC’s Cbeeies website.

Next, typically in a classroom for 6 year olds, labels would be written in words with little or no pictures. To include Annie, instructions and labels in the school has to reflect more pictorial symbols so as to help Annie and the classmates associate the symbols to the object in the classroom. For example, at the stationery corner, other than labeling “pencils”, a pictorial symbol of a pencil would be placed together with the word. If Annie needs help from her friends to get a pencil, she can show they the symbol for a pencil and her classmates would know what she wants. Hence, hen labels have pictorial symbols, it helps Annie communicate her needs and helps the children match the pictorial symbols when Annie needs to use a particular object in the room.

Lastly, I would want to educate children about accepting individuality. I can do this by reading books like Kevin Henkes’ Chrysanthemum, using story telling to teach children about being special and becoming aware of the different people around us. This would have an effect of Annie’s self esteem and she would not feel so awkward about have a disability.

References

Sellars, G. (2006, November). Learning to communicate with children with disabilities. (Cover story). Paediatric Nursing, 18(9), 26-28. Retrieved September 7, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

The Makaton Charity. (2008). Information for parents and carers of children who use makaton. Makaton. Retrieved Septemeber 7, 2009, from http://www.makaton.org/about/ parents.htm