Supporting the speech development in hearing-impaired children of pre-school age in family education conditions

Contact: Moroz Ludmyla, Ph.D. in Pedagogy, Associate Professor, Logopedic Department of Sumy Makarenko state pedagogical university, Sumy, Ukraine. The scientific interests: the problem of psychological and pedagogical support for children with developmental disorders; correction and development of motor functions in children with severe speech impairment.

Rudykh Alla, Master of Special Education, Teacher-Speech Therapist, Educational Center «Rozumka», Chernihiv, Ukraine. The scientific interests: the problem of psychological and pedagogical support for children with developmental disorders; development of speech in children with hearing impairment.

The proper speech development of children with hearing impairment is an important precondition for their full and comprehensive personal development, mastering quality education, profession obtaining and further successful self-realization in all life spheres is highlighted in the article. It is distinguished that the family as the primary and permanent center for training and education of children with hearing impairment, which promotes the child's speech development, helps the child to integrate into society. Moreover, it is stated that there are number of positive aspects of speech development of hearing-impaired children in the family: it proceeds in the most natural environment for the child, which positively affects its emotional and personal development; correctional and developmental work is closely connected with the child’s habitual situation and family life; before communicating with the child in everyday life, all family members are involved. These families need timely professional assistance and professional support for the speech development as a complex support component, in the system «teacher-child-family» is noted by the authors. The support of speech development is defined as purposeful, consistent and continuous activity in specially organized conditions, in accordance with the psychophysical and individual characteristics of hearing-impaired children. The basis of this process is the systematic, multi-component, coordinated work of the teacher (surdo pedagogue, speech therapist) and the child’s family, which is implemented on the following components: organized speech development with the participation of a specialist and parents, family counseling, proper organization of child’s living space and speech environment. The main speech component of hearing-impaired children is the classes combination with a specialist in a pre-school institution (a special kindergarten, a compensating group or with inclusive form of the educational process) with family cooperation. Consequently, if a child does not systematically visit a preschool institution, it is necessary to combine periodic work of a specialist (correctional developmental studios, centers, clubs, etc.) with parents’ independent work at home. Thus, parents should interact with specialists in any way, the oral speech development should have a holistic complex character, including all areas of pedagogical work.

Key words: hearing impaired children, support, development of speech, pre-school age, family upbringing.