Complete Guide To Makaton Flashcards: The Essential Guide

What Are Makaton Flashcards (And Why They’re So Helpful)?

Ever tried wrapping your head around the complete guide to makaton flashcards and felt a bit overwhelmed? I totally get it. Here's the thing—flashcards can seriously make life easier when you're looking to pick up new signs or just boost your memory skills without the hassle. They're like having a cheat sheet that breaks down all the tough stuff into bite-sized bits. And the cool part? With the Flashrecall app, you don't have to stress about when to review what; it does all the scheduling magic for you, so things just click over time.

Flashrecall even turns your study materials into ready-to-go flashcards, which means less prep work for you and more time for learning. If you're curious about fun ways to dive into makaton and make it a part of your everyday routine, check out our complete guide to makaton flashcards. It's packed with tips on making learning not just effective, but also fun. Grab a coffee, and let's dig in!

They’re amazing for:

• Parents learning to sign at home
• Speech and language therapists
• Teachers and TAs in SEN settings
• Carers and support workers
• Anyone learning Makaton alongside a child or adult

The problem?

Paper cards get lost, are annoying to remake, and you forget to actually review them.

That’s where a good flashcard app makes life way easier.

Why Use an App for Makaton Flashcards?

You can do Makaton with paper cards, but:

• You’ll run out of space
• You’ll forget to review them
• They’re hard to update or reorganise
• You can’t easily carry them everywhere

Using a flashcard app means:

• Cards are always with you (perfect for signing in the supermarket, bus, playground)
• You can quickly add new signs from photos, screenshots, PDFs, or notes
• The app can remind you when to review, so you don’t have to think about it

And this is exactly what Flashrecall is great at.

👉 Flashrecall app link:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

How Flashrecall Makes Makaton Flashcards Way Easier

Flashrecall is a fast, modern flashcard app for iPhone and iPad that works brilliantly for Makaton because it’s built around images, active recall, and spaced repetition.

Here’s how it helps:

1. Instantly Turn Makaton Resources Into Flashcards

You don’t need to type every card from scratch.

With Flashrecall, you can create cards from:

• Images – Take a photo of a Makaton symbol or sign chart and turn it into a card
• Screenshots – From PDFs, training slides, or online resources
• PDFs – Import a PDF and pull out the parts you want as flashcards
• Text – Type the word/sign name and add a description
• Audio – Record yourself saying the word
• YouTube links – Use video explanations to create cards
• Or just make cards manually if you prefer full control

So for a sign like “drink”, you could:

• Take a photo of the symbol
• Write “Drink – show me the sign” on the front
• On the back, add a quick note: “Hand shaped like holding a cup, tilt towards mouth”

All inside the app in seconds.

2. Built-In Active Recall (So You Actually Learn The Signs)

Active recall = instead of just looking at the symbol, you try to remember the sign first.

Flashrecall is built exactly for that:

• Front of card: Makaton symbol or written word (e.g. “More”)
• Back of card: Description of the sign, or even a photo of you doing it

You (or your child) see the card and try to perform the sign before checking the answer.

This is much more powerful than just staring at a chart on the fridge.

You can even:

• Make separate decks: “Core vocabulary”, “Food”, “Emotions”, “School”, etc.
• Practice a few cards every day instead of cramming once a week

3. Spaced Repetition & Study Reminders (So You Don’t Forget Everything)

The biggest challenge with Makaton is keeping it going.

Flashrecall has built‑in spaced repetition with automatic reminders, so:

• The app decides when to show each card again
• Easy cards appear less often
• Tricky signs show up more frequently
• You get study reminders so you don’t forget to practice

This means you and your child see “more”, “help”, “finished”, “toilet”, etc. on a smart schedule — just when you’re about to forget them.

No need to plan review sessions manually. Just open the app and it tells you what to practise.

4. Works Offline (Perfect For Real-Life Practice)

Makaton is most useful in everyday situations:

• At the shop
• On the bus
• In the park
• At school or nursery

Flashrecall works offline, so you can:

• Pull out your phone and quickly check a sign
• Review a few cards while waiting for an appointment
• Practise with your child anywhere, even with no Wi‑Fi

5. Chat With Your Flashcards If You’re Unsure

This is a really cool one.

If you’re not 100% sure about a sign or how to use a word in context, you can actually chat with the flashcard in Flashrecall.

For example:

• “When would I use this sign in a sentence?”
• “Give me simple phrases using this word.”
• “Explain this sign in simpler language.”

This is super helpful if you’re a parent or carer learning alongside your child and want extra explanation without googling every 5 minutes.

6. Great For Any Level, Any Subject

Even though you’re using it for Makaton, Flashrecall is also great for:

• Languages
• School subjects
• University exams
• Medicine, business, anything you need to memorise

So once you’ve set up your Makaton decks, you can also use it for:

• Siblings’ schoolwork
• Your own study or job training
• Other communication systems or vocab

And it’s free to start, so you can test it without committing to anything.

👉 Get it here:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

7 Smart Tips For Making Effective Makaton Flashcards

Here are some practical ideas you can use right away.

Tip 1: Use Real-Life Photos, Not Just Symbols

Makaton symbols are great, but real photos help kids link signs to real objects.

In Flashrecall, you can:

• Take a photo of your child’s cup, favourite toy, snack, etc.
• Front of card: photo + word
• Back of card: how to sign it

This makes the vocab feel real and relevant.

Tip 2: Keep One Concept Per Card

Don’t overload a single card with too much.

Bad card:

“Drink / cup / thirsty / water” all on one.

Better:

• Card 1: “Drink” – show the sign
• Card 2: “Water” – sign + maybe a picture
• Card 3: “Cup” – sign + object

One idea per card = clearer, faster learning.

Tip 3: Group Cards By Situation

Make decks like:

• “Mealtimes” – eat, drink, more, finished, hungry, thirsty
• “Feelings” – happy, sad, angry, tired, scared
• “School” – teacher, book, toilet, help, sit, listen

In Flashrecall you can create separate decks for each, so when you’re at the table, you quickly review the Mealtimes deck together.

Tip 4: Practise Signs Before You Need Them

Use Flashrecall’s study reminders to do short daily sessions:

• 5–10 minutes a day is enough
• Do a quick run-through of key signs before school, nursery, or an outing
• The spaced repetition means the most important signs keep coming back

This way, when your child wants “more” or feels “tired”, the sign is already familiar.

Tip 5: Add Short, Simple Explanations

On the back of each card, write a clear, simple description.

Example:

• Front: “Help” + symbol
• Back: “Closed fist on open palm, move both up together”

You can also add:

• Notes like “Use this when they struggle with something”
• Little phrases: “Can you help me?”

Flashrecall lets you store all of this neatly on each card.

Tip 6: Use It With Your Child, Not Just Alone

Instead of you learning all the signs alone and hoping you remember them later, practise together:

• Show your child the card
• You both try the sign
• Celebrate small wins

Because Flashrecall works on iPhone and iPad, you can even let them “flip” the cards themselves, which makes it feel more like a game.

Tip 7: Review On The Go

The best part of having Makaton flashcards on your phone: micro‑sessions.

• Waiting for the bus? Do 5 cards.
• Sitting in a waiting room? Another 5.
• Bedtime wind‑down? Quick review of “feelings” or “day review” signs.

Those little moments add up fast, and the spaced repetition in Flashrecall makes sure you’re always reviewing the right cards at the right time.

How To Get Started With Makaton Flashcards In Flashrecall (Step‑By‑Step)

1. Download Flashrecall on your iPhone or iPad

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

2. Create a new deck – Call it “Makaton – Core Signs”

3. Add your first 10–20 signs

• Use photos of symbols or real objects
• Add the word and a short description of the sign

4. Turn on study reminders

• Set a small daily reminder (e.g. 5–10 minutes)

5. Do a quick session every day

• Try to sign before flipping the card
• Mark cards as “easy” or “hard” so spaced repetition can do its magic

6. Expand with themed decks

• Mealtimes, feelings, school, play, routines, etc.

7. Use the chat feature when stuck

• Ask for example phrases or explanations if a word feels confusing

Final Thoughts

Makaton is powerful, but it only really works when it becomes part of everyday life — and that means you need to remember the signs just as much as your child does.

Makaton flashcards turn learning into something simple and repeatable.

Using an app like Flashrecall just makes the whole process:

• Faster to set up
• Easier to stick with
• More flexible in real-life situations

If you want an easy, modern way to keep all your Makaton signs in one place, review them with smart reminders, and practise anywhere, give Flashrecall a try:

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

Set up your first Makaton deck today, and tomorrow you’ll already be signing more confidently.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the fastest way to create flashcards?

Manually typing cards works but takes time. Many students now use AI generators that turn notes into flashcards instantly. Flashrecall does this automatically from text, images, or PDFs.

Is there a free flashcard app?

Yes. Flashrecall is free and lets you create flashcards from images, text, prompts, audio, PDFs, and YouTube videos.

How do I start spaced repetition?

You can manually schedule your reviews, but most people use apps that automate this. Flashrecall uses built-in spaced repetition so you review cards at the perfect time.

What's the best way to learn vocabulary?

Research shows that combining flashcards with spaced repetition and active recall is highly effective. Flashrecall automates this process, generating cards from your study materials and scheduling reviews at optimal intervals.

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