1:1 Teaching Assistant – Enhancing Communication with Makaton and PECS

For teaching assistants working 1:1 with Special Educational Needs (SEN) pupils in mainstream UK schools, few things are as impactful as mastering communication support. Many children with SEN, especially those who are autistic, are designated as having severe learning difficulties, or specific speech and language impairments, might be non-verbal or have very limited verbal skills. This can lead to significant frustration for the child, some truly challenging behaviours, and significant roadblocks to education and social interaction.

This article is your practical guide to two widely used and effective communication strategies for non-verbal pupils: Makaton and the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). Understanding and cleverly using these approaches can unlock a child’s potential, boost their independence, and dramatically improve their quality of life both in the school playground and beyond.

The Foundation of Communication: Why It Matters

Communication isn’t just about chatting; it’s about getting your needs, wants, thoughts, and feelings out there. For non-verbal or pre-verbal children, being unable to communicate effectively can feel incredibly isolating, like being stuck on a deserted island with no way to call for help. This can lead to a whole host of difficulties, including:

Frustration and Anxiety: Imagine needing a drink but not being able to ask, or feeling overwhelmed but having no words to explain. It’s a fast track to distress.
Challenging Behaviours: Often, behaviours that look like a meltdown are simply a child’s desperate attempt to communicate an unmet need or an overwhelming emotion. Think of it as their dramatic interpretation of “I need help!”
Limited Learning: Without a way to ask questions, respond, or interact, academic progress can hit a brick wall.
Social Isolation: It’s tough to make friends or join in when you can’t easily connect with peers and adults.
Safety Concerns: Being unable to communicate discomfort, pain, or danger puts a child in a vulnerable spot.

So, providing robust, accessible, and consistent communication tools isn’t just a nice idea; it’s a fundamental right. It’s the bedrock for a child’s well-being, development, and educational adventure. As a 1:1 SEN TA, you’re often on the frontline, helping to forge this crucial connection – basically, you’re a communication superhero.

Makaton: A Language Programme with Signs and Symbols

Makaton is a clever language programme that uses signs and symbols alongside speech to help people communicate. It’s designed to support spoken language and helps develop essential communication skills like attention, listening, understanding, memory, and expressing yourself. It’s particularly effective for individuals with communication difficulties, learning disabilities, and those who are Autistic.

How Makaton Works:

Makaton isn’t a full sign language like British Sign Language (BSL). Instead, it uses a core vocabulary of everyday words and concepts, presented through:

Signs: These are simplified gestures, often taken from BSL, representing words or ideas.
Symbols: These are clear pictures or icons that go hand-in-hand with the signs and spoken word.
Speech: And this is key – Makaton is always used with speech, never as a replacement. The sign and/or symbol acts like a little visual nudge to reinforce the spoken word.

The whole point is to give multiple ways to understand and express. For instance, when teaching “eat,” you’d say “eat,” make the sign for “eat,” and show the symbol for “eat” all at once. This multi-sensory approach helps that word truly stick.

Implementing Makaton as a 1:1 SEN TA:

Learn the Basics: Start by picking up the core vocabulary that’s relevant to your pupil’s daily life at school. The Makaton Charity offers brilliant training, resources, and apps. Even just knowing a few key signs can make a world of difference.
Consistency is Key: Make sure everyone involved – you, the class teacher, and ideally, parents – are all singing from the same hymn sheet (or signing from the same symbol book). Kids with SEN love predictability.
Integrate into Daily Routines: Weave Makaton into every part of the day:
- Greetings: “Good morning” (sign and speak, with a cheerful grin).
- Instructions: “Sit down,” “stand up,” “line up” (especially helpful for avoiding a human traffic jam).
- Needs and Wants: “Drink,” “toilet,” “help,” “finished.”
- Activities: “Play,” “read,” “draw.”
- Feelings: “Happy,” “sad,” “angry.”
Pair with Spoken Language: Always sign or show the symbol while speaking the word. It’s like giving the spoken word a visual superpower.
Encourage and Model: Don’t just expect instant Makaton mastery. Consistently model it yourself. When your student tries a sign, even if it’s a bit wobbly, respond enthusiastically! Validation is a powerful motivator.
Use Visual Aids: Stick those Makaton symbols up! In the classroom, around their desk. Create visual schedules to help with those tricky transitions – “First maths, then playtime!”
Focus on Functional Communication: Prioritise signs and symbols that let the child express their most urgent needs first. Empowering them to say “I want that!” or “Help!” can dramatically cut down on frustration.
Be Patient: Learning any new language takes time, even one with pictures. Celebrate every tiny success and keep that positive, encouraging vibe going.

Using objects to teach the meaning of Makaton symbols

Benefits of Makaton for Non-Verbal Pupils:

Reduces Frustration: Offers an immediate, accessible way to get messages across.
Supports Understanding: The visual element is a huge help for visual learners.
Promotes Speech Development: Makaton is designed to support speech, not replace it. Many children who start with Makaton eventually find their verbal voice.
Boosts Confidence: Successful communication makes kids feel like rock stars, encouraging them to keep trying.
Enhances Social Interaction: Helps children connect more easily with their friends and adults.

For a deeper look into how signing benefits children with Autism, you can refer to our dedicated article: Signing for Autism Article.

PECS: Building Communication Through Exchange

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is another incredibly effective augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system. It’s particularly famous for helping autistic individuals or those with other developmental disabilities learn to initiate communication. Developed in the 1980s, PECS teaches communication by getting individuals to exchange pictures for things they want. It’s built on principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA).

How PECS Works (The Six Phases):

PECS follows a highly structured, six-phase protocol to teach communication step-by-step:

Phase I: How to Communicate: The child learns to pick up a picture of something they want and hand it to you (the TA or teacher) in exchange for the actual item. It’s all about learning that communication works.
Phase II: Distance and Persistence: The child learns to travel to their communication book, peel off a picture, find you, and hand over the picture. This teaches them to be persistent little communicators.
Phase III: Picture Discrimination: Now, the child learns to choose from two or more pictures to request what they want. This is where their brain starts connecting specific pictures to specific things.
Phase IV: Sentence Structure: The child learns to build simple sentences using an “I want” picture plus a picture of the desired item on a sentence strip, which they then hand over. It’s like their first foray into writing!
Phase V: Answering “What Do You Want?”: The child learns to answer your question “What do you want?” using their sentence strip and pictures. This teaches them to respond when prompted.
Phase VI: Commenting: The grand finale! The child learns to comment on things they see, hear, or feel by building sentences like “I see…” or “I hear…” This goes beyond just asking for things and opens up a world of social interaction.

Implementing PECS as a 1:1 SEN TA:

Formal Training (Highly Recommended): While you can grasp the basics, formal PECS training (often from Pyramid Educational Consultants) is a smart move. It ensures you’re implementing the protocol correctly, capturing all those crucial nuances.
Identify Motivators: Before you start, become a detective of desire. What does your pupil really want? Could be specific toys, a favourite snack, screen time, or a beloved activity. These are your golden tickets, your “reinforcers.”
Create a Communication Book: Build a personalised book filled with clear, concise, and easily accessible pictures of all their motivators and other relevant items/activities.
Structured Sessions: PECS is taught in highly structured sessions, often with two adults initially (one to gently prompt the child, one to receive the picture and deliver the goods). Your role as the 1:1 TA is absolutely pivotal here.
Be Responsive and Immediate: When they hand you a picture, immediately hand over the requested item. This creates a strong, undeniable link between the communication act and getting what they want.
Fade Prompts: As the child progresses, gradually ease off on those physical and verbal prompts. The goal is for them to initiate communication all on their own.
Generalise Across Environments: Once they’ve got a phase down in a structured setting, work on getting them to use PECS everywhere: the classroom, the playground, the lunch hall, with different people.
Collaborate: Work closely with the SENCO, class teacher, and parents. This team effort ensures consistency and helps you discover new pictures and communication opportunities.

Benefits of PECS for Non-Verbal Pupils:

Teaches Initiation: A massive strength of PECS is its focus on getting the child to start communication, not just respond.
Reduces Challenging Behaviours: When kids can ask for what they need, there’s less frustration, leading to fewer meltdowns. It’s like magic!
Systematic and Evidence-Based: PECS is a well-researched intervention with a clear, step-by-step progression.
Highly Motivating: Because it gets them what they want, fast, kids are super motivated to use PECS.
Can Lead to Speech: While not the main goal, some children who use PECS eventually start speaking as they grasp the power of communication.

Integrating Makaton and PECS into the Mainstream School Day

As a 1:1 SEN TA, your role in weaving these communication systems into the fabric of the school day is absolutely critical. It’s not just about set “sessions”; it’s about embedding communication into every interaction, making it as natural as breathing (well, almost).

Visual Schedules: Use Makaton symbols or PECS pictures to create visual timetables. This helps students understand the day’s flow, reducing anxiety around those sometimes-tricky transitions.
First-Then Boards: Simple “First [activity], then [reward/preferred activity]” boards using pictures can be a secret weapon for motivating engagement in less-preferred tasks.
Choice Boards: Empower the child by offering choices using pictures – “Do you want to play with the blocks or the cars?” (Because nobody likes being told what to do all the time, right?).
Reinforcement Stations: Keep the child’s communication book/pictures and their favourite motivators easily accessible in key areas.
Modelling for Peers: With care and safeguarding in mind, model using Makaton or PECS for the child’s classmates. This fosters understanding and encourages peers to communicate using these methods too.
Sensory and Emotional Regulation: Teach the child to use Makaton signs or PECS pictures to communicate sensory needs (“too loud,” “break time”) or emotions (“sad,” “calm”).
Consistency Across Staff: Ensure every adult who interacts with the child knows and uses the chosen communication system. This needs good communication with the SENCO and other support staff.
Data Collection: Keep simple notes on when and how the child communicates successfully. This data is gold for tracking progress, setting new communication targets, and informing EHCP reviews.

Challenges and Considerations for TAs

While Makaton and PECS are hugely effective, implementing them can have its unique challenges for TAs:

Time Commitment: Learning and consistently applying these systems takes dedicated time and effort. It’s not a five-minute job.
Resource Creation: Cutting, laminating, and organising all those pictures for PECS can feel like a part-time job in itself.
Fidelity of Implementation: It’s crucial to stick to the protocols (especially for PECS). Doing it half-heartedly won’t yield the best results.
Collaboration: You’ll be coordinating with teachers, other TAs, therapists, and parents to ensure everyone’s on the same page. It’s like herding highly intelligent, but sometimes very busy, cats.
Child-Specific Needs: What’s magic for one child might be a flop for another. Be ready to adapt and tweak!

To conquer these challenges, strong communication with the SENCO, access to proper training, and a truly supportive school environment are essential. Remember, you’re not just a cog; you’re a vital part of the communication team!

Neurodiverse Perspectives and Controversies Surrounding Makaton and PECS

While Makaton and PECS are widely used and effective, it’s vital for teaching assistants to be aware of the neurodiversity movement’s viewpoints and ongoing debates, especially concerning PECS. The neurodiversity paradigm argues that neurological differences, like autism or ADHD, are natural variations of the human brain, not things to be “fixed.” This perspective often prioritises the lived experiences and communication preferences of neurodivergent individuals themselves.

Neurodiversity Perspective on Communication:

The neurodiversity movement champions accepting and valuing all sorts of communication styles. They highlight that:

Communication is Broader Than Speech: It’s not just about talking. Gestures, body language, written words, visual aids, and even behaviours themselves are all valid ways to communicate. The goal should be to help individuals communicate effectively in whatever way works best for them, not just pushing for verbal speech.
“Double Empathy Problem”: This idea suggests that communication breakdowns between autistic and non-autistic people are often a two-way street, stemming from different communication styles, rather than just one person having a “deficit.”
Autonomy and Self-Determination: A core belief is that neurodivergent individuals should have control over their own lives and how they communicate. Their preferences should be respected and prioritised.
Masking and Authenticity: There’s a concern that some interventions might inadvertently encourage “masking” – where an autistic person suppresses their natural behaviours or communication styles to blend in. This can be incredibly tiring and bad for mental health.

Controversies and Critiques of PECS from Neurodiversity Advocates:

PECS, being rooted in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) principles, often faces the most pointed critiques from the neurodiversity community. While ABA is a vast field, some specific practices within ABA-derived interventions like PECS stir up debate:

Compliance-Based vs. Authentic Communication:
- Critique: Some neurodiversity advocates argue that PECS, especially in its early stages, can feel very compliance-driven. By withholding desired items until a picture exchange happens, it might teach a child to “perform” communication for a reward, rather than fostering a genuine, spontaneous desire to communicate. They question if this truly encourages authentic communication beyond basic requests.
- Counter-argument (PECS proponents): Proponents argue that PECS is designed to teach the initiation of communication, which is a major hurdle for many non-verbal individuals. They say the structured reinforcement helps build that foundational understanding: “I communicate, and I get what I want.” The goal is always to fade prompts and reinforcement to encourage spontaneity.
Physical Prompting and Body Autonomy:
- Critique: Early PECS phases often use physical prompting (like hand-over-hand guidance). Neurodiversity advocates worry this can infringe on a child’s body autonomy, teaching them that their body can be manipulated without their explicit consent. This can be particularly distressing for those with sensory sensitivities.
- Counter-argument (PECS proponents): Physical prompts are meant to be quickly faded in PECS as the child learns the behaviour. The aim is to create a strong link between the action and the outcome in the initial stages. They’d argue the benefits of unlocking communication outweigh the temporary use of highly structured prompting, which is designed to be as least intrusive as possible.
Focus on Requesting (Manding):
- Critique: PECS heavily focuses on “manding” (requesting). While requesting is crucial, human communication is much richer – it includes commenting, questioning, protesting, sharing information, and social chit-chat. Critics suggest PECS might overemphasise requesting at the expense of developing these broader communication skills.
- Counter-argument (PECS proponents): The PECS protocol explicitly moves beyond simple requesting in later phases to sentence construction, answering questions, and commenting. The argument is that requesting is a vital foundation that, once mastered, provides the motivation and framework for more advanced communication.
Generalisation and Context:
- Critique: Concerns are sometimes raised about whether PECS skills transfer easily to natural environments and with different people. A child might only use PECS in highly structured situations or with specific adults.
- Counter-argument (PECS proponents): PECS training specifically addresses generalisation across people, places, and materials. This is a core goal, and inconsistent generalisation is often linked to how consistently the system is implemented, rather than a flaw in the system itself.

Neurodiversity Perspectives and Makaton:

Makaton generally faces fewer direct critiques from the neurodiversity movement compared to PECS, largely because:

Less Compliance-Based: Makaton is more of an augmentative system used alongside speech, rather than a system built on behavioural conditioning for rewards. It feels less like “training” and more like an added layer of communication support.
Promotes Natural Speech (often): Makaton explicitly aims to support and encourage spoken language, which aligns with many families’ and professionals’ goals. The visual support can reduce the pressure of verbal output, potentially making speech easier to develop.
Flexibility: Makaton is often seen as more flexible and less rigid than the PECS protocol, allowing for more natural integration into daily interactions without the same emphasis on structured exchanges.

However, some very minor neurodiversity-aligned critiques might still pop up:

Perceived “Disabled”: Occasionally, there have been old concerns (and a few neurodiversity advocates) that using signs or symbols might make a child “appear more disabled” or could “prevent” speech. Research overwhelmingly shows that signing does not impede speech and often helps it along.
Vocabulary Limitations: While Makaton’s core vocabulary covers a lot, it’s not a full language. Some might argue that for individuals who could develop more complex communication, it might be seen as limited if not significantly expanded upon.

Implications for 1:1 SEN TAs:

As a 1:1 SEN TA, navigating these different viewpoints means:

Be Informed and Reflective: Understand the evidence for both systems, but also be aware of the critiques and the core principles of the neurodiversity movement.
Individualised Approach: The golden rule: communication interventions must be highly individualised. What works wonders for one child might be a no-go for another. Their unique strengths, challenges, and preferences (when you can discern them) should always guide your choice.
Prioritise Autonomy (where possible): As a child grows, involve them as much as possible in decisions about how they communicate. If they show a preference for one method, or a mix, listen and respect that.
Focus on Functional Communication and Quality of Life: At the end of the day, your goal is to help the child communicate effectively, reduce frustration, boost their participation, and enrich their quality of life. This should always be the top priority.
Collaborate with Professionals and Parents: Discuss any concerns or alternative approaches with the SENCO, Speech and Language Therapist, and parents. They’ll have the full picture and rationale behind chosen interventions.
Seek Training: Regardless of any debate, proper training in both Makaton and PECS is essential for effective and ethical implementation. Knowing the methodology ensures you’re using the system as intended, which can address some of the implementation-based critiques.

Conclusion: Unlocking Potential

The ability to communicate is a fundamental human right and the very foundation of learning, social development, and emotional well-being. As a 1:1 SEN TA, your dedication to enhancing communication for non-verbal pupils through systems like Makaton and PECS is truly life-changing. You’re not just teaching a child to express themselves; you’re giving them a voice, dialling down their frustration, boosting their confidence, and unlocking their full potential within the mainstream school setting.

Embracing these strategies requires a good dose of patience, unwavering consistency, and a deep understanding of each child’s unique needs. However, the profound impact – witnessing a child make their first independent request, or finally express a complex thought – is an unparalleled reward. It’s the moment you truly know you’re making a real difference, every single day.

1:1 TA Non-Verbal SEN Pupils: A Guide to Makaton and PECS