Learning Makaton with PiP for Learning Disability Week

On June 25th, I attended a class to celebrate Learning Disability Week held by PiP. Pursuing Independent Paths (PiP) is a foundation in London that supports adults with disabilities in capacity building, gaining confidence and attaining general success in society. This involves providing training and education to work towards the principle goal of achieving what each individual's version of independence is. The class began with an introduction by Dani and Shona, telling me about their experiences with the company. This included Dani's job working with the register, ipads, administration, and also vocational training at fruitful to sell juices. Shona then followed, sharing her love of self advocacy and how the program helped her to attain an internship and skills for future employment, which she hopes will potentially be in a salon.

Following this introduction I was able to learn Makaton, which is a simplified form of sign language used by individuals with learning disabilities to accompany speech. The British version of Makaton in Australia is called Key Word Sign and has been shown to be very efficient for children and adults with communication delays or disabilities. At this point in the session, more students entered the class and I was able to learn some really fun signs such as 'sunshine', 'hot food' and my favourite 'exited'. It was wonderful to see the students so engaged and inspired to teach others. I felt privileged to get a glimpse into this amazing form of sign language and it has motivated me to continue learning and get better.

Sam as fundraising and Comms Manager at PiP, was one of the instructors and revealed that Makaton was integrated into PiP as classes switched to an online platform during Covid. This is because it allows for more direct and smooth communication in the conditions of small screens, lags or issues with sound that can occur with zoom. She expressed that it has truly benefitted the organisation and its students, even when allowed back into the building, where the barrier of masks could be overcome with these simple signs. The most challenging part of the class was getting tested at the end, which was light hearted and enabled me to demonstrate what I learnt. I did realise however, that the most important aspect in using this language, is the inclusion of facial expressions and feeling. It is a form of communication that is all about using your body and face to express yourself, which helps differentiate between the numerous signs that are all quite similar. Overall it was an incredible experience and I look forward to attending similar events such as this in the future.