Children make their own music with sign language

SMILING for the camera, these kids showed the rest of us how to enjoy life as they celebrated International Day of Sign Language.

Around 50 children at Hadrian School in Benwell, Newcastle, joined in with the project, spearheaded by Sarah McGuinness.

Now their video, which shows youngsters with special educational needs, has been a hit on the Friends of Hadrian School Facebook page, after getting more than 12,000 views.

“We have had so much positive feedback,” said Sarah, 25, of Chapel House, Newcastle. “The children just look so happy.” The video was to celebrate the International Day of Sign Language last month but it took Sarah about two months to create, filming around lessons and other usual school commitments.

“The video was made by me with the support of staff,” said Sarah. “Everyone can see how happy all the children are and to capture that in a video like this was magical.”

Sarah chose the song Make Your Own Kind of Music to base her video on, with the youngsters singing and signing the lyrics while playing and dancing to the music.

The song was sung by Mama Cass Elliot in the 1960s and more recently by Paloma Faith.

“It’s such a happy song that I thought it was perfect for the video,” added Sarah, who started working at the school as a volunteer in 2012 and then became a support assistant in 2015. The children at the school use Makaton sign language to help them communicate and Sarah is a member of the Makaton Choir, run by Peter Rooney in Newcastle, who helped Sarah learn the signs for the song.

Sarah added: “I have always had a love for Makaton signing, which is what we use as a means of communication in school.

“Some children frequently use it as a method of communication alongside talking but we encourage all children to sign.

“I chose this song because it’s uplifting and it demonstrates that our kids ‘sing their own very special song.’ I am so proud of the children – how well they learned the songs and the signs.”

The children featured in the video are aged between four to 11.