Makaton

Makaton is a language programme using signs and symbols to help people communicate. Designed over forty years ago, it is aimed at adults and children with learning difficulties although it has been used more widely for children learning to speak. The signs and symbols can be used either as a main method of communication or as a way to support verbal communication and the development of early language.

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  • Makaton

    Makaton is a language programme using signs and symbols to help people communicate. Designed over forty years ago, it is aimed at adults and children with learning difficulties although it has been used more widely for children learning to speak. The signs and symbols can be used either as a main method of communication or as a way to support verbal communication and the development of early language.

    Evidence Rating: Moderate

  • Visualising and verbalising

    Visualising and Verbalising (Bell, 1987) is a technique used to help understanding of language in language-impaired students. Visualising and Verbalising aims to improve mental imagery skills, which then help listening and reading comprehension.

    Evidence Rating: Moderate

  • Maximal oppositions

    Maximal opposition therapy is an approach for speech and language therapists who are working with children who have unclear speech due to phonological impairment. The approach is based on the therapist’s analysis what children know about the adult speech system and what they need to learn to make their own speech clearer. This analysis helps therapists decide what elements of speech to target, so as to get the best results (Gierut, 1992; Gierut, 2001; Gierut, Elbert & Dinnsen, 1987).

    Evidence Rating: Moderate

  • Visual approaches to support speech and language

    The underpinning reasoning for this approach is that children who have language learning difficulties often show strengths in their visual skills (Archibold & Gathercole, 2006). The approach covers a wide range of ways of supporting children’s language learning through the use of additional visual clues.

    Evidence Rating: Indicative

  • Meaningful Minimal Contrast Therapy (MMCT)

    Meaningful minimal contrast therapy (MMCT) is an approach for speech and language therapists who are working with children who have unclear speech due to phonological impairment and is one of a number of contrast therapies which have evolved over the last two decades. The common aim of all these therapies is improved speech production in children with unclear speech due to speech sound difficulties (phonological impairment).

    Evidence Rating: Moderate

  • Thinking together

    Thinking together is a dialogue-based approach to the development of children's thinking and learning using talk as a tool for thinking. It connects the development of children's 'thinking skills' to the development of their communication skills and curriculum learning.

    Evidence Rating: Moderate

  • Metaphon

    Metaphon is an approach for speech and language therapists who are working with children who have unclear speech due to phonological impairment. Metaphon (Dean, Howell, Hill & Waters, 1990; Dean, Howell, Waters & Reid, 1995) is a cognitive-linguistic treatment that aims to increase metalinguistic awareness as a means of improving phonological change and speech sound production (Gierut, 1998).

    Evidence Rating: Indicative

  • Millieu teaching/ therapy

    Milieu Teaching/Therapy has a long history in the field of psychiatry and psychiatric nursing. It is a planned treatment environment in which everyday events and interactions are designed as part of therapy to enhance social skills and build confidence. The milieu, or "life space," provides a safe environment that is rich with social opportunities and immediate feedback from caring staff.

    Evidence Rating: Moderate

  • Morphological awareness training

    Morphological awareness training involves provision of linguistically explicit instruction in morphological awareness for children with language impairment to improve language and literacy outcomes. The intervention is over 10 weeks, children can take part in groups of 2-4, completing two 30-minute sessions per week. Evidence for this intervention comes from an experimental trial in schools where intervention was delivered by a Speech Language Pathologist.

    Evidence Rating: Moderate