Today I provided a free Makaton session to a group of fantastic adults with learning disabilities and older people from Central Bedfordshire Council. Everyone was amazing and it was great to see some old faces from 20 years ago……one of which still remembered me and my car!

I was trying to make Makaton accessible and motivating so that the staff can continue it, going forwards. I love signing to music as I feel this is the best way to make Makaton accessible to anyone and everyone. Today we learnt the 10 signs needed for ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ by The Tokens. Some of the people knew Makaton as a user but perhaps did not use to regularly, but the signing prompted them to remember the signs for colours and songs. It was totally magical and I can’t wait for next week……

This week the group learnt the following signs and saw the matching symbol (Widgit symbols):

1. Jungle

2. Lion

3. Sleeps

4. Tonight

5. Quiet

6. Near

7. Village

8. Darling

9. Don’t

10. Fear

What an amazing achievement for 30 minutes!

During one of the musical sections of the song we mimed playing the saxophone. Unfortunately my saxophone was floppy as I thought the bit you blow into was letting air out……so I glued it shut with super glue (no extreme actions here!) but it kept going down so I think it had a slow puncture. However this did not deter my enthusiasm…..!

Makaton is developing a workshop for people who are getting forgetful and their carer. I’m attending a webinar (ooooo get me!) in August about it so I’ll let you know about it then, but perhaps this is something that some of the people attending today’s zoom session may benefit from in the future……?