Makaton in the UK is designed for British culture and uses signs drawn from British Sign Language (BSL). When Makaton is used in other countries it needs to be adapted to suit the local culture and dominant spoken and signed languages.
Unless spoken English and British Makaton are the dominant language and alternative/augmentative communication system (AAC) used by the communities and health or educational services accessed by the people you support, using British Makaton could be counter-productive and confusing for them.
Makaton has been adapted for use in France, Greece, Japan, Kuwait and The Gulf Region, New Zealand, North America and South Africa.
To find out more about Makaton in one of these countries, please click here for contact details.
To find out more about AACs and supporting people with communication difficulties in another country, we recommend contacting your local Special Educational Needs or Speech & Language Therapy Services.