Using Fluency-Building Approach to Increase the Knowledge and Fluency of Signing with Preschool Teachers: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Keyword signing, an augmentative communication strategy, is known to promote language acquisition in young children, yet staff in educational settings often receive insufficient training, leading to low retention and usage rates. This pilot study examined the feasibility and impact of a Precision Teaching-based intervention designed to improve preschool teachers’ proficiency and fluency in Makaton signing. Eleven teachers from a mainstream preschool in North Wales, with limited prior training, participated in a six-week intervention involving fluency training with 238 Makaton signs. Pre- and post-intervention assessments measured knowledge acquisition, and post-intervention tests evaluated fluency through retention, endurance, and application. Results demonstrated significant improvements in participants’ signing proficiency, with high retention and application of skills even after periods without practice. These findings suggest that Precision Teaching may offer an effective, time-efficient approach to improving sign language fluency in educational settings. Implications for teacher training and future research directions are discussed.