BSL vs Makaton

Different language options

Makaton is designed to help hearing people with learning or communication difficulties.  It uses signs and symbols, with speech, in spoken word order.

BSL is the language of the deaf community in the UK.  It is a naturally evolving language, with its own grammar, word order and has regional variations.

What are the differences between Makaton and BSL?

Makaton

• The aim of Makaton is to help people communicate through speech, so when the user is able to say the correct words they are then encouraged to speak rather than sign.
• Makaton uses action signs that look like what they represent (i.e. the sign for 'book' looks like a book opening).
• Makaton uses a common vocabulary and words that are used in everyday language.
• Makaton is simpler to use and learn than BSL.
• Makaton is widely used for very young children who aren't yet speaking and children with speech, language and learning difficulties.

British Sign Language (BSL)

• BSL is a language just like English or French, and has grammar and syntax rules like any other language.
• BSL is widely used by people with moderate to severe hearing impairments such as deafness.
• BSL is widely seen on many UK television channels and is available on-demand services such as BBC iPlayer. 
• Incorporates Sign Supported English and Finger Spelling.

What are speech, language and communication needs and who is affected?

• 7% of children have speech, language and communication difficulties as their main difficulty. This is also referred to as specific language impairment and is often severe and complex. There is no obvious reason or cause for these difficulties with language, although non-verbal skills are often well developed.
• 3% of children have speech, language and communication difficulties as part of another condition such as autism, hearing impairment, general learning difficulties etc.
• Of these 3%, an estimated 1% of children have the most severe and complex speech, language and communication difficulties that prevent them from expressing their basic needs. 

Sign Supported English

• The NHS describes Sign Supported English (SSE) as a method of communication that uses BSL signs, but the structure and grammar is based on spoken English. This means the signs follow the exact order they would be spoken in.
• This variation of BSL doesn't require any knowledge of BSL grammar structure, so it is easier for hearing people to learn. It is often used in schools where deaf children are taught alongside hearing children.

Finger Spelling

• Finger spelling is a method of spelling words using hand movements. Finger spelling is used in sign language to spell out names of people and places for which there is not a sign. Finger spelling can also be used to spell words for signs that the signer does not know the sign for, or to clarify a sign that is not known by the person reading the signer.

• Finger spelling signs are often also incorporated into other signs. Finger spelling is a method of communicating with the hands which is closely linked to sign language. However unlike sign language, it is not a language in its own right and does not have grammatical structures and syntaxes. Rather, it is a way of spelling out words instead of interpreting them as a gesture. This means that anyone who knows the finger spelling alphabet can communicate – though, it can be a lengthy process as every letter has to be spelt and is therefore not widely used for general conversations.