Using Makaton to Help Students Develop Re-reading Skills

by Sharyn
(Australia)

I'm always on the lookout for new ideas to help with developing reading strategies. I recently came across a link to Nursery Rhymes to Sing, See and Sign. (http://www.scopevic.org.au/therapy_crc_r&p_nrsss.htm)

This is a marvelous resource which contains a picture song board using Picture Communication Symbols and a Key Word Sign poster (Makaton) for each of the 14 Nursery Rhymes. A song lyrics sheet highlighting the key signs is also available for each song.

I used the Makaton page (see part of one of the rhymes above)with students in groups of three. Each group had a different nursery rhyme. They had to cut out the pictures and re-assemble the nursery rhyme in order and add any words which were missing. Each time a new picture was pasted onto a large sheet, the students had to re-read their rhyme from the start in order to find the next picture, or decide if a word was missing.

It was interesting to listen to the students talk about their own versions of the nursery rhyme and I was surprised to find that some students had very limited knowledge of some of the more common rhymes.

After each of the groups were finished, they had to present their Nursery Rhyme to the rest of the class and point to the words as the group recited/sang them. This was really an enjoyable lesson for everyone involved. So far I have used this with a Grade 1/2 class and a Grade 2/3 class in my role as Literacy Support.