Makaton

At Havanah Pre-school our children learn Makaton signs and symbols alongside the exciting curriculum. Children learn signs that we use within our daily routines as well as topic words that we use within our learning. Throughout their time at Pre-school, children will learn signs linked to the amazing books that we explore, they will be able to construct sentences using Makaton symbols and also sign those sentences.

Makaton has been a key building block within our curriculum for the past 4 years and encourages children to explore and develop communication, language and Literacy skills.

The Role of Makaton in Supporting Early Writing and Sentence Structure

Communication is the foundation of writing, and for young children, particularly in preschool, spoken language development is closely supported through the use of visual and symbolic systems such as Makaton. Makaton enhances children’s ability to structure sentences by pairing spoken language with signs and symbols, making language more accessible, meaningful, and memorable.

The use of Makaton symbols helps children to visualize sentence structure and the sequence of ideas. By seeing and using symbols alongside spoken words, children are better able to understand how sentences are formed, how ideas link together, and how meaning is conveyed. This visual scaffolding is particularly supportive for children who are still developing spoken language, as well as for those with speech, language, and communication needs.

Makaton signing supports children to express themselves before they are able to do so verbally or in written form. By giving children an alternative means of communication, practitioners reduce frustration and increase confidence, allowing children to focus on the content of what they want to communicate. This mirrors the early stages of writing, where children use marks, symbols, and drawings to convey meaning before conventional writing develops.

As an essential communication tool within the setting, Makaton is used consistently by adults to model language, reinforce key vocabulary, and support sentence construction during everyday interactions, play, and focused activities. This consistent use ensures that all children, not only those with identified needs, benefit from clear, inclusive communication.By strengthening children’s understanding of language structure and supporting expressive communication, Makaton plays a vital role in laying the foundations for early writing. It bridges the gap between spoken language, symbolic representation, and written expression, supporting children to become confident communicators and, in time, confident writers.