About Serga
Serga is a qualified Makaton tutor
All qualified Makaton Tutors go through robust training with the Makaton Charity. They need to have completed all stages of Makaton Training. In addition to this they need to pass a specific Tutor Training course, complete many practical and theory assessments and pass an observational assessment of course delivery.
Serga is a licensed Makaton Tutor – the license needs to be reviewed every year and tutors have to be up to date in their practice by taking annual refresher courses and registered as current Tutor with the Charity. Serga has a tutor license number and can provide this on request. All practising Tutors must undergo a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check and register with the ICO (Information Commissioners Office)
A career in teaching
Serga has spent her whole life helping others.
She has been an early year's teacher since her children were small and has helped numerous children on the journey to language acquisition. She is a linguist and herself had to learn English as an additional language from scratch as a child, so she knows just how hard it can be.
Serga trained as a teacher with a specialism in Special Educational Needs and spent the first part of her career in adult education working with adults with complex and profound needs. The communication difficulties of persons on the autistic spectrum became one of her ‘special interests’ and she has a great deal of experience in this particular field.
Serga wanted to find an alternative mode of communication and spent time learning British Sign Language but soon found that this was too difficult for the users she was working with. Happily, she came across Makaton and as soon as she had started her Makaton journey could not stop exploring the endless possibilities for its users. She had soon completed all the levels and started on her journey to become a tutor. She qualified as a tutor and has since been teaching a wide range of professionals including carers, teachers, teaching assistants, speech and language therapists and of course – parents!
Indeed, her enthusiasm for Makaton is such that she has given up her early year's role as teacher in order to concentrate on teaching Makaton both to professionals but also in house with users from all walks of life.
“It is such an enriching experience. I come away from every course, having met some wonderful people. It is heart-warming to come across so many ‘caring’ people who want to make the lives of other better and together we work on strategies to create the optimum learning experience for our users. I want to give our users the tools to LIVE THEIR BEST LIFE!”
How I teach
Approach
Both the online and face to face courses are very interactive!
“Practice makes perfect!”
Each Level has a set amount of new Makaton vocabulary to learn (signs and symbols), these are demonstrated by the tutor. Once familiar with the new concepts, we put them into practice in small groups (breakout rooms if on Zoom) until learning is embedded. Several presentations ensure understanding of the key elements of Makaton, eg keyword signing, design themes etc. At the end of each session there is always time to ask questions and talk about more specific needs and situations.
The vocabulary in each level has been carefully identified by the Makaton Charity as the most high frequency concepts required by our users.
Learning online
Whilst I have heard concerns before the course about online learning not being personal enough, the use of breakout rooms often allows individuals to develop relationships and of course it has the advantage of ‘distance being no object’ - this means that courses can be split into more than one session. This has the advantage that learning can be embedded through use between the sessions (not essential) and many course participants have found this beneficial.
Learning in person
It is always lovely to be face to face with someone and many of course participants find that as they tend to be from one locality, they continue to meet up even after the course finishes for further Makaton practice.
Makaton for parents and carers
Parents and Carers are their child’s first teachers and as such it is ‘essential’ to establish communication between parent and child. Everyday tasks such as getting up in the morning, asking for food and drink, sorting out problems, making friends and having fun all rely on the ability to communicate with each other. Without understanding of the others needs and wishes, small tasks can seem insurmountable.
As their child’s primary carer, parents/carers play an essential role in teaching their child and the child will ‘soak up’ learning like a sponge.
Comments from parents have included that learning Makaton has been ‘life-changing’ for them – what greater praise can there be?