Margaret Walker (speech therapist)

Margaret Walker FRCSLT MBE (born 1938)^[1] is a British speech and language therapist who co-developed the language programme Makaton in the 1970s.^[2]

Margaret Walker FRCSLT MBE
Born	1938 (age 85–86)
Occupation	Speech and language therapist
Awards	Pride of Britain Award, 2019
Academic work
Institutions	Botleys Park Hospital, Chertsey St George's, University of London

Career

Walker was one of the three developers of the language programme Makaton. The name of the programme is derived from the first letters of the names of the three therapists who helped devise the programme in the 1970s: Margaret Walker, Katharine Johnston and Tony Cornforth.^[3]

Walker was awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists in 1986,^[4] and appointed MBE in the 1997 Birthday Honours for services to Healthcare whilst working at St George's, University of London. In 2019 she was recognised in the Pride of Britain Awards.^[5]

Publications

• (with Hooper, H) (2002). "Makaton peer tutoring evaluation: 10 years on". British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30, 38–42, BILD Publications
• (with Grove, Nicola) (1990). "The Makaton Vocabulary: Using manual signs and graphic symbols to develop interpersonal communication", Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 6:1, 15-28, DOI: 10.1080/07434619012331275284
• Walker, M & Armfield, I A (1987). ‘What is the Makaton Vocabulary?" Special Education: Forward Trends. 8 (3) 19-20
• Walker, M (1986). "Understanding Makaton", Special Children, 1, 6, 22-2
• (with Parsons, F S, Cousins, S, Henderson, R & Carpenter, B) (1985). Symbols for Makaton. Camberley, Surrey: Makaton Vocabulary Development Project
• "The Makaton Vocabulary: From Britain to the Antipodes", Australasian Journal of Special Education, 8:2, November 1984, 8-11, DOI: 10.1017/S1030011200021187
• Walker, M (1978). "The Makaton Vocabulary" in Tebbs, T. (ed.) Ways and Means. Basingstoke: Globe Education
• (with Cornforth, A & Johnston, K) (1974). "Makaton Vocabulary: Teaching Sign Language to the Deaf Mentally Handicapped", Apex, 2, 23-25

References

1. "Makaton". Oxford Reference. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
2. "Makaton – the signing system that changes lives". BBC News World Service. 11 November 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
3. Sheehy, K & Duffy, H (2009). "Attitudes to Makaton in the ages of integration and inclusion" (PDF). International Journal of Special Education. 24 (2): 91–102. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
4. "SLT Recognised at Pride of Britain". Bulletin: The Official Magazine of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists: 8. January 2020.
5. Wynne-Jones, Ros (29 October 2019). "Courage and humanity take centre stage at 20th Pride of Britain awards. The Special Recognition award went to Margaret Walker, a speech therapist who has transformed the lives of millions of people". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 10 August 2023.