For our pupils with profound and multiple learning disabilities we use Canaan and Barrie ‘on body’ signs. The ‘on body’ signs were developed to make signing, which is a visual means of communication, meaningful and relevant to young people with severe visual impairments and young people with multiple disabilities. It uses British Sign Language as a base, but they have been adapted to give maximum auditory and tactile feedback. ‘On body’ signing helps develop a young person’s natural gesture and helps them to have a better communication with world around them. There are universal Canaan Barrie signs, but the signs may be slightly different for each individual.
At Sheringham Woodfields we use the body signs to let a pupil with a profound and multiple learning disability know what is going to happen and then to use body signs which enable pupils to have a voice for example ‘more’, ‘stop’ and ‘finished’. We start with a core bank of signs and then extend them as and when we feel a pupil is ready.
For further information please talk to the class teacher who will be able to provide you with the signs that they are currently using with individual pupils.
Information can also be found here: