Abstract:

At the modern stage of development of society, the number of persons with speech disorders is constantly increasing. At the same time, in Ukraine children and adults with speech pathologies have the right to a necessary medical, psychological, and pedagogical support in the educational, healthcare, and social institutions. So it is getting necessary to train specialists using a comprehensive approach which includes pedagogical, psychological, clinical, psycholinguistic, neuropsychological aspects, and speech therapy. The experience shows that if we make a correct division of theoretical and empirical study hours directed at the vocational training of speech therapists, it is possible to train a qualified expert able to correct speech disorders of every nosology and organize education and correction in the pedagogical and medical educational institutions. Further, more narrow specialization of such experts can be provided with their participation in the seminars, masterclasses, etc. according to their job posts. We consider such an approach as one that can give more assistance in their future job seeking after graduating from HEI.

Our investigation was aimed at learning and characterizing of the system of speech therapists’ training, its advantages, and disadvantages.
HEI must train a speech therapist that would understand theoretical and empirical questions of special pedagogy and psychology, have a necessary basis of medical knowledge, master methods of organization of individual and group lessons with children of different age groups, and adults with speech disorders. It should also be a creative, responsible person, interested in self-realization and capable to adaptation to the modern educational environment that is constantly improving.

Taking this into account, we proceeded from two-stage training of speech therapists that would obtain qualification levels of bachelor and master. Theoretical and empirical analysis of scientific literature showed us specifics of training of speech therapists in different countries. We analyzed the curriculum for training of speech therapists in Ukraine and defined main directions of their education and disciplines providing them. We also made sociological investigation to find out positive and negative feedbacks about this way of training specialists.

Basing on the analysis of gathered data, we defined that such broad specialization allows future pedagogues to find a job in different institutions: kindergartens, comprehensive and special schools, rehabilitation centers for different patients, medical and social institutions, Inclusive Resource Centers etc. We also determined that the curriculum contains a normative and selective part, according to the aspects of speech therapists’ arrangement. It presents variously directed disciplines, which are offered for the study of future speech therapists in the corresponding amount of credits. It contains the normative disciplines necessary for the training of the speech therapist in accordance with the state standards of this specialty and, accordingly, the number of credits for their study and the number of academic hours for lectures, practical, seminar, and laboratory classes, and hours allocated for independent study. We also described the major professional competencies that future speech therapists should master while learning these disciplines.

Keywords:

Professional competencies, speech therapist, vocational training, master, bachelor.