Sign language helps Hugh

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Reflection - what these stories exemplify

Key competencies

Using language, symbols, and texts, thinking, participating and contributing

This string demonstrates several of the key competencies in action for Hugh. Firstly, by using language, symbols, and texts via Makaton, Hugh’s world was opened up for him: he was able to be understood and to get his message across. This allowed Hugh to participate more fully in his classes and in everyday interactions with others. Hugh practised this new skill as he taught his peers and thus deepened his own learning. Hugh felt really proud of his achievements, as he could learn the signs as fast as his peers and remember them better than some of his teachers (thinking).

How might these stories strengthen Hugh’s identity as a learner?

Hugh showed motivation and perseverance in using Makaton to communicate and teach others (agency). Hugh’s learning occurred in the classroom, in the staffroom and in the learning centre (breadth). The stories span a year and Makaton will be ongoing (continuity). The secondary school Hugh will be attending next year is planning to build on the Makaton learning for Hugh and the staff.

This learning occurred with his home class and key people who work with Hugh at school and outside (depth). Hugh’s family is learning Makaton too.

For more information on the four dimensions of agency, breadth, continuity, and depth (ABCDs), refer to Narrative assessment: a guide for teachers.

Learning areas

Level 1 English

This string reflects learning in the Speaking, Writing, and Presenting strand of English, where Hugh expects his communications to be understood, responded to, and appreciated by his classmates and teachers.

Level 1 health and physical education

In the Relationships with Other People: interpersonal skills strand Hugh is expressing his own ideas, wants, and feelings with increasing clarity.

Effective pedagogy

What does this tell us about teaching and learning in this setting?

The staff persevered with finding a shared communication system for Hugh, his teachers, teacher aides, classmates and people in his life. When Makaton was introduced, the staff set realistic goals and kept raising the bar for Hugh as he achieved them. Some of the staff were surprised by the rate he could learn and his memory retention, which had not been recognised at school before (teaching as inquiry).

Makaton was used by Hugh in a variety of places as more and more people in his life learned the signs (providing sufficient opportunities for learning).

Hugh seemed to relate to signing and this made sense to us as we knew that Hugh had been introduced to Makaton when he was much younger (making connections to prior learning).

Staff who work with Hugh value learning from and with each other so providing the opportunity for Hugh’s community to learn Makaton was a logical step and this proved very successful (facilitating shared learning).

Reflective questions for the reader

“Are you aware of the variety of communication strategies and systems for students like Hugh?”

“What difference might an effective communication strategy make for any of your students? Could this reveal hidden strengths?”

“How do you fully utilise your teacher aide time in your learning community and provide professional development opportunities?”

Useful resources

Makaton vocabulary development project: Weblink: http://www.makaton.org.nz/resources.htm

Ministry of Education. (2002). Kia tūtangata ai: supporting learning: an introductory resource for teacher-aides/kaiāwhina supporting teachers of students with special education needs.

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