Computerized Technologies in the Speech Correction

The modern era makes high demands on the personality. It should be harmoniously developed in all areas of life. Therefore, it is very important to identify a child in need of corrective care. According to world statistics, the number of speech disorders is steadily growing, so the urgency of the problem of timely detection and correction of speech disorders takes on a global character. Successful mastery of the skills of reading and learning written language in the first grade depends on the level of speech development of the child. This means that all aspects – pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar of the language – should be without violations.

In recent years, the contingent of the secondary school has undergone significant changes. Each year, the number of first grade children with various deviations in speech development increases, this contributes to the formation of a negative attitude towards learning and is one of the reasons for school failure.

Some speech problems that can be solved only within the framework of a special speech school. But a huge number of children have speech problems that can be solved within the framework of a comprehensive school, therefore speech therapy work in a comprehensive school takes an important place in the process of prevention and overcoming student failure.

The main task of speech centers is to correct defects in oral and written speech in children and to form the prerequisites (linguistic, psychological) for them to fully master general education programs, especially in their native language.

Innovative technologies in the correction of speech

To interest students, to make learning conscious, we need innovative approaches, individual development programs, new innovative technologies.

One of these innovations in the correction of speech of students is computer technology. The introduction of computer technology today is a new step in the correction of the student’s speech.

To correct the speech of schoolchildren, and most importantly, to increase the motivation of children to study, speech therapy centers use computer programs in individual and subgroup classes since they believe that these programs can serve as one of the ways to optimize the process of correcting speech of students.
Speech therapy centers conduct classes using new computer models. Students work with a computer in one lesson for a short time (5-10 minutes) and no more than twice a week (individually, depending on the age of the child, the characteristics of his or her nervous system).

Directions of corrective work using innovative technologies

• The development of coherent speech is a retelling (compilation) of text based on a series of plot pictures;
• Literacy is the formation of phonemic analysis skills;
• The formation of visual-spatial relationships;
• Work on sound pronunciation – articulatory gymnastics, automation of sounds, differentiation of sounds and letters;
• The formation of lexical and grammatical categories – word formation, inflection;
• Correction and health direction – games for the general development, fine motor skills of the hands.

Speech therapists use an interactive examination of children, interactive games, multimedia presentations for classes. This is a speech therapy computer program “Learning to speak correctly.”

The program allows you to effectively work on overcoming speech disorders in dysarthria, dyslalia, rhinolalia, stuttering, as well as in secondary speech disorders.

The program has more than 225 game exercises, combined into several thematic blocks representing the main areas of correctional work: Phonematics, Vocabulary and Sound Pronunciation, the development of cognitive processes, motor skills, etc.

Specialists also work with “Computer workshop for conducting speech therapy classes in elementary school” (a computer project). It is intended for the practical development of knowledge, abilities, skills with children 6-10 years old.

The workshop included 20 computer games and about 1,500 didactic exercises. Its main element is a computer game. Using elements of animation allows you to make the learning process at speech therapy classes more interesting and diverse. The game situation allows you to absorb material unnoticed by the child. The game allows you to show initiative and creativity. The didactic material is selected in accordance with the requirements of the general education program.

Advantages of using computerized technologies for a speech therapist

• the preparation of reports and schedules of all types of classes in electronic form reduces the work with paper information carriers;
• it allows making visual and didactic accompaniment to classes;
• a computer in speech therapy classes is not a goal, not an object, but a means of activating corrective work;
• the use of a computer in educational activities significantly saves the teacher’s efforts in preparing for the lesson, because many tasks can be preliminarily performed on the computer and demonstrated at the right time for students to complete.

In addition, due to the high speed of updating didactic material on the screen, a specialist saves time significantly in the lesson and it becomes possible to get the best result.

Advantages of using computerized technologies for a child

The use of computerized technologies in the correction of speech:

• increases the motivation of the child to speech therapy classes;
• forms the child’s active position of the subject of education;
• learns some basic actions with a computer;
• helps to increase the child’s self-esteem (reward system – computer heroes, then drawings with computer heroes);

Creation of motivation, an increase of emotional mood is one of the main components of the key to success in the prevention and correction of reading and writing disorders. We would like to note that the use of innovative computerized technologies will not replace a teacher. Only complementing each other, the teacher and the computer can achieve high results in the optimal time. New technologies make correctional work more interesting for students and more interesting for teachers. At the same time, work efficiency is high if computerized technologies are an integral part of a well-thought-out, pre-planned system of work to correct and prevent speech defects. In the future, specialists plan to use the computer for diagnostic purposes. They see the need to educate parents to correctly use a computer, in compliance with hygiene standards.