Dubai: Makaton signing videos

At the Intercontinental hotel Dubai, chilling by the pool with Elyza playing in the shallow pool, I took a few minutes off pool time to go record a video using Makaton signs. Elyza's speech difficulties that come with her autism spectrum disorder (ASD), has made it challenging for her to communicate. So, we dived into one of her interest which is nursery rhymes. I would Makaton sign as I would sing the nursery rhymes.

Playing in the pool is a great place to be singing nursery rhymes and signing along. As I had just spent the last hour singing and signing on this nursery rhyme, I quickly took a few minutes out of the pool to record the video for her using the signs I used as we were singing and playing in the pool. Elyza loved the video! This made me want to do some others for her. So, each time I would have been signing and singing to a nursery rhyme, I would try to record a video and post it online for her to watch on YouTube kids on her tablet.

The basics needed to be covered, plus one of Elyza's interest is the alphabet, so the next one was by default to teach her the Makaton signs for the alphabet. Us staying at the hotel made things easier as it was holidays mood full on, it was fun singing time everywhere. We would even be signing the alphabet in the pool. Even the life guards have learned some Makaton signing with us.

We also went for colours as Elyza loves her colours. We find objects around the hotel and sign the colours. The reception front desk staff joined in learning the Makaton signs. Signing the colours of random.objects as they would greet us in the morning, or would surprise us with complimentary items and gifts.

As we did the nursery rhyme 12345 caught a fish alive, we stayed on numbers. Numbers are also one of Elyza's interest so we explored other nursery rhymes with numbers, such as 1-2 buckle my shoe.

As Elyza started copy the signs as we would be singing together, I opted for songs that would have corresponding faster signing to it. She loved it!! The signing she learned and it all became a fun time. A bit like dance movements to a song. The restaurant staff would sometimes join in as we would be singing and signing to Elyza's nursery rhymes.