Profession of speech therapist-defectologist: characteristics, specifics, features

The concept of “speech pathologist-defectologist”: what is the peculiarity of the profession

A speech therapist at a correctional institution is a generalist. The staff of the correctional group includes a speech pathologist teacher, educators and an assistant educator. A speech pathologist-defectologist, in turn, like a doctor, can be assigned to a specific group of students, or can supervise children of the entire institution. Everything will depend on the size of the groups and the specific mental development of the children.

The teacher helps to compensate for the speech deficiencies of each of the children, and also conducts individual work, just like the group speech pathologist teacher (typhlo-, oligophrenic-, teacher of the deaf, etc.), according to the child’s development, age and mental characteristics. A speech therapist in a correctional kindergarten interacts with a psychologist, a speech pathologist, educators and a pediatrician working with these children. As a rule, speech disorders in such children are secondary, that is, they appear against the background of a primary (main) developmental problem. And depending on what acts as the root cause, the work of the speech therapist-defectologist will be structured. Therefore, this specialist has access to the medical records of each pupil: the opinions of a neuropsychologist, psychiatrist and other doctors.

Defectologist and speech therapist for adults: are they needed and when to contact whom?

Not only a child, but also an adult may need the help of these specialists.

• It happens that it is necessary to correct speech defects that have been established since childhood (difficulties in pronouncing certain sounds, a lisp, problems with diction, rate of speech, etc.). This is especially important for people working in areas where there is constant communication and beautiful, intelligible speech is required. In these cases, you should contact a speech therapist - with the help of modern techniques, an experienced specialist will correct such deficiencies in a short time.
• A speech therapist will help if speech has lost clarity after dentures, as well as in getting rid of the accent in speech.
• If speech defects appear in an adult after a stroke or traumatic brain injury, the help of a speech pathologist is necessary.

There is a specialty of speech therapist-aphasiologist. He is engaged in the rehabilitation of people whose speech has completely disappeared due to a stroke or brain pathologies of various natures. This condition is called aphasia.

The sooner you start correcting speech disorders, the more confidently you can get a positive result. It is important to understand the difference between a speech therapist and a speech pathologist - this will allow you to go straight to the address without wasting precious time.

History of the profession

Defectology began to actively develop from the middle of the 20th century. The profession itself appeared relatively recently in our country. At the beginning of the last century, doctors and teachers identified the need to work with special children comprehensively in every area, which meant expanding the staff in correctional kindergartens and schools, since educators or doctors alone are not able to pay due attention to all children at once.

And already in Soviet times, the first research center was opened in the capital - the Research Institute of Defectology. Speech therapy itself did not immediately join the ranks of pedagogical sciences; specialists in this profile initially worked in the field of medicine in speech therapy centers.

Pros and cons of the profession of defectologist

pros

1. Providing assistance to children and adolescents.
2. The profession is important and necessary.
3. Career prospects.
4. Opportunity to combine practice with scientific activities.
5. The versatility of defectology.
6. Defectologists are specialists in demand in the labor market.
7. Social package, working with nice colleagues.

Minuses

1. The need to communicate daily with different people who are not always happy with the methods of the speech pathologist.
2. Difficulties that arise when communicating with children.
3. Psycho-emotional stress.
4. The success of the work carried out depends not only on the defectologist, but also on the parents, teachers, and doctors who are treating the child.
5. Small salary.
6. A huge number of job responsibilities.

Well-known teachers in the field of speech therapy and defectology

Speech therapy, as a branch of defectology, has been the subject of research by many scientists in the field of pedagogy and psychology. But the greatest contribution to the development of science and the development of programs to eliminate speech disorders was made by participants in the scientific school of L. S. Vygotsky.

Thanks to the work of such outstanding Soviet teachers as M. S. Pevzner, R. M. Boskis, R. E. Levina, A. R. Luria, this industry was formed.

But, if we talk about a narrower understanding of speech therapy work specifically within the framework of defectology, then it is necessary to note L. S. Volkova, who throughout her life was engaged in research in this area.

General characteristics of the direction

Defectology emerged as a scientific discipline in the mid-19th century. It was perceived as a social practice that was only possible through charity. The number of medical and pedagogical institutions for the deaf, blind, and mentally retarded gradually increased, and science collected an evidence base, became stronger, and found new methods of therapy and prevention. Defectology received a serious leap in development after the Bolsheviks came to power.

Content:

• General characteristics of the direction
• List of specialist responsibilities
• What symptoms should you consult a doctor for?
• Diagnostic and treatment methods

Defectology includes several sections of social pedagogy. Among them are typhlopedagogy, oligophrenopedagogy and speech therapy. Typhlopedagogy deals with the education and training of patients with visual impairments. Oligophrenopedagogy focuses on the education and social rehabilitation of mentally retarded people. Speech therapy studies disorders, speech defects and methods of their correction. This is precisely the difference between a speech therapist and a defectologist. A speech therapist is a highly specialized specialist, and speech therapy itself is a branch of defectology.

Defectology, as a science, is supported by a colossal scientific base, which is intertwined with child psychology, psychiatry, neurology and pedagogy. An important part of the direction is special psychology. It includes deaf psychology, typhlopsychology, oligophrenopsychology and logopsychology. All of them are designed for people with certain developmental defects. Each type of special psychology deals with specific problems of the deaf-mute/blind/mentally retarded, studies the mechanisms of development of deviations, and develops methods of control and prevention.

Differences between a speech therapist and a speech pathologist

What is the difference between these two specialists, who perform essentially the same function? In both the first and second cases, the teacher is involved in the development of the child’s speech:

• formation of correct pronunciation: production, automation and differentiation of sounds;
• activation and expansion of vocabulary;
• development of the prosodic side of speech;
• compensation for speech disorders in GSD (general speech underdevelopment).

The most important difference is that, unlike a speech pathologist, a regular speech therapist works with children only with intact intelligence.

But the second specialist most often deals with children with disabilities in intellectual development. He works closely with a teacher-defectologist, with doctors (pediatrician, psychoneurologist), psychologist, educators and other specialists.

Techniques used

Speech pathologists-defectologists use time-tested techniques, including:

• Massage of the speech apparatus.
• Breathing, physical exercises.
• Gymnastics (articulation, finger exercises).
• Phonetic rhythm, logorhythm.
• Su-Jok therapy.

Instruments include: speech, actions, facial expressions, pantomime, gestures.

Physiotherapy, acupuncture, massage treatments, and medicinal treatment organized by specialized doctors are used as an addition to classes.

If necessary, speech correction can be performed for children who do not have concomitant pathologies. They teach articulation, pronunciation of sounds, letters, writing words and sentences. Children have not developed the perseverance and ability to concentrate required for long-term classes; the duration of one lesson is selected individually (within half an hour).

A tangible effect is observed with persistence, patience, mutual efforts on the part of the speech therapist-defectologist and the patient (parents), systematic, thorough training, characterized by a relaxed atmosphere that stimulates effective training.

In the Radio Beacon Health program, a speech therapist-defectologist answers the questions in detail:

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Indications for seeking help from a specialist

You should seek help from a speech therapist-defectologist if your baby has deviations from the norm in physical or mental development, namely:

• Vision problems (visually impaired and blind children).
• Hearing impairment (deaf and hard of hearing).
• Developmental delay (impaired attention, memory, thinking, perception and other cognitive mental functions), MMD (minimal cerebral dysfunction).
• Mental retardation or Down syndrome.
• Autism.
• Cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy), dysfunction of the motor system.

In some cases, with intact intelligence, but with instability of EMU (emotional-volitional sphere) and behavior, the child may also be recommended to work with special education teachers, including a speech pathologist-defectologist, if the child has speech problems.

When is this or that specialist needed?

In recent years, more and more children are faced with developmental disorders, and more and more parents are looking for a competent and experienced specialist. Children who, for one reason or another, have problems with adaptation, speech development, communication and learning at school or kindergarten need the help of a highly specialized specialist. The root of the problem may be as follows:

• birth injuries;
• infections acquired during fetal development;
• diseases that arise at an early stage of development;
• disorders of neuralgic and psychological nature.

This is only a small part of the existing reasons. More specifically, parents whose children have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, autism, echolalia, hearing or vision impairment often seek help.

Problems that a specialist in this profile works with

A speech therapist with a correctional profile solves the problems of secondary speech disorders in children who need specialized help. Children with disabilities, profound mental retardation, autism and cerebral palsy also have delays in speech development. Complications may include:

• The reluctance on the part of the child to make contact with an adult (this is especially noticeable in autistic people).
• In limiting the physical capabilities of children (if the motor system is impaired, complications in coordinating the muscles of the speech apparatus are observed).
• In misunderstanding or complete refusal of help on the part of the parents of a special child (protest against comprehensive medical and pedagogical care). Often correctional specialists are faced with the fact that adults cannot accept the fact that the child is “not like everyone else.” In this case, it is important to be able to reassure parents, explain and prove to them the need to work in a specialized institution or group. The sooner help is provided, the greater the chance of compensating for developmental deficiencies and socializing the child.

The most difficult thing for a teacher to do is work with children who have severe forms of disabilities.

Problems of defectology

In modern conditions, not all persons with disabilities receive assistance. There are children with a complex structure of the defect, for example, deaf-blind. Until the last century, they were all considered unteachable, until the famous American teacher Anne Sullivan showed an example of teaching such a child. It is her photograph that is the title of this article.

Her student, Helen Keller, lost the ability to hear and see after a serious illness. The girl's fate was unenviable - an orphanage. But Sullivan has proven that it can be adapted to society. Keller became an activist, writer, and lecturer. Her activities were widely publicized in society. However, in the modern world, teaching such children is associated with a number of difficulties.

The increased number of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) requires speech pathologists to develop new training programs. In the last century they were considered mentally retarded, but modern research has refuted this. Work with such children should be aimed at developing communication skills.

To summarize, we can say that a defectologist carries out extremely complex, but very important work. Important for both the baby and his parents. This allows children to be socialized as much as possible in society.

What are the responsibilities of a speech pathologist?

A specialist in this profile works with special children as part of the educational program of a correctional institution. A speech pathologist-defectologist conducts:

• diagnostics of speech development of children with developmental problems;
• prevention and correction of sound pronunciation, general speech deficit;
• work with impaired writing and reading;
• work on developing the correct speed and rhythm of speech;
• correction to eliminate voice disorders.

His responsibilities include:

• Diagnose children according to their age, mental characteristics, maintain individual speech therapy examination cards for each child.
• Work closely with the parents of each student or pupil, providing the necessary information about the dynamics of academic performance and speech development, and provide advice on various issues within his competence.
• Conduct systematic individual and subgroup classes to eliminate speech problems.

What kind of work does he do with children?

Teaches, educates, introduces them to the world around them, and more - this is what a defectologist does with children. This is not the most complete list of activities. They depend on the type of violation. The overall goal is to develop motivation for learning.

At the first stage, the teacher-defectologist conducts an examination. It affects all aspects of development. It is checked how children make contact, how they react, and what their pace of work is. Thinking, understanding of instructions, visual and auditory perception are examined.

Based on the results obtained, the teacher divides the children into groups. Pupils in them have approximately the same level of development. It is not possible to conduct group lessons with some children: autistic people fall into this category; these children are more often assigned to individual lessons due to the specific nature of this developmental disorder.

Classes are conducted in several directions:

1. At the first stage, familiarization with the surrounding world is carried out. Ideas about it and its laws are formed. They develop attentiveness and responsibility for their actions.
2. The second stage is the development of elementary mathematical concepts. During classes, the defectologist talks about the size, shape of objects and other characteristics.

Much attention is paid to sensorimotor development. Separate work is being carried out on the development of sensations. For this purpose, finger pools are made with various cereals and small toys. It is useful to prepare aromatic food, study vegetables, fruits, berries, touch them, examine them with your fingers. All this helps children develop different sensations.

Children with mental retardation have problems with games. It is difficult for them to contact someone and follow the rules. Therefore, they need the help of a speech pathologist. He competently guides the actions of his students and helps them find a common language with each other.

Consultations for parents are also indispensable. A defectologist can answer all their questions, give advice and help cope with the child’s problems.

How to become a speech pathologist, what is necessary for this?

What do you need to do to become a correctional speech therapist? To become a teacher in this field, it is not enough to take regular courses; it is a document of higher education that will be needed to work in this field of activity.

Specialists of this profile receive education at the Faculty of Psychology and Education.

Studying at the department of special (correctional) pedagogy and psychology in the relevant field allows students to receive a bachelor's or master's degree upon completion (subject to passing the second stage of higher education) and subsequently work as a speech therapist in correctional schools or preschool educational institutions.

In addition, it is necessary to have both certain professional and personal qualities.

The first include:

• Teacher's competence.
• Ability to apply knowledge acquired at university in practice when working with special needs children.
• The desire to improve your skills, implement a correction program and engage in self-education in order to improve your qualifications, and constantly learn something new.
• Responsibly treat your activities, carry out high-quality work to eliminate speech problems.

The second ones include:

• Love for children (showing empathy).
• Patience, stress resistance.
• Resourcefulness and ability to think creatively.

Important personal qualities of a defectologist

Defectologists work with children suffering from acquired and congenital diseases, so they must be patient, love children, and responsible. Every day, correctional teachers face joy and sadness, there are also conflict situations, so inner peace, harmony and endurance are important.

A defectologist must be a friendly, peace-loving and very enthusiastic person who is ready to devote himself entirely to his favorite work. A correctional teacher may not like children, but he is obliged to treat his little pupils with respect and understanding.

1. Responsibility.
2. Patience.
3. Caring.
4. Equilibrium.
5. Strictness.
6. Objectivity.
7. Makings of a leader.
8. Communication skills.
9. Creativity.
10. Attentiveness.

Specialist salary

On average, a teacher’s salary is slightly higher than that of a special education teacher, but their work schedule is different. The difference in financial terms depends on several factors, due to which the following can be noted:

• In government institutions, workers' wages are somewhat lower, since they belong to budgetary organizations. Private preschool educational institutions and accredited schools pay employees a larger monthly salary, however, requirements and conditions may differ (work on weekends, in a room with cameras installed, etc.).
• The salary depends on the teacher’s salary and the number of groups of children with whom he conducts classes.

Most speech pathologists-speech pathologists have an additional workload of lessons with students with whom they study privately at home. This practice is widespread in the country; it is due to the need for systematic correctional classes with special children. The hourly wage for a teacher is significantly higher than in an educational institution.

Defectologist's place of work

Defectologists are in-demand specialists who can find employment in the following public and private educational institutions:

• boarding schools;
• children's centers;
• kindergartens;
• sanatoriums;
• specialized school institutions;
• medical centers.

Very often, experienced speech pathologists engage in private practice, working with one or more students. Correctional teachers are in demand in institutions specializing in the education, treatment, and socialization of children and adolescents.