Abstract:

Using an effective diagnostic test for Speech Disorders (SD) to assess the pronunciation ability of Vietnamese children is a necessary and urgent issue in Viet Nam. So far, there is almost nothing in Vietnamese Speech Assessment except “The spoken language test document” (Trương Thị Tuyết, Lilian van Erkel, 2009) and “Assessment Instrument for the spoken language in the Vietnamese speaking children” (Hoàng An, Kim Sanders, 2010) which are used in HANOI National University and HCM University of Pedagogy. These two authors suggest a test to evaluate the ability to speak consonants, and “the first, between and final vowels”. While the tones, diphthongs, semi-vowels as well as types, structures and other characteristics of Vietnamese syllables are not considered at all.

This study is carried out to verify the hypothesis: Speech assessment tests are useful only when their contents reflect correctly and completely the phonetic factors of Vietnamese syllabic structures.

The new tests are applied in HCM City for the Speech Assessment to 298 normal Vietnamese children selected by random with age from 2:6 to 6:1 as well as to 04 abandoned children with age from 4:4 to 7:3 who have speech disorders. The children will watch pictures containing the testing sounds and name them. The results comprehensively not only indicate the stages at which children can pronounce Vietnamese phonenemes, but also provide an effective instrument to diagnose Speech Disorders in Vietnamese children.

Keywords:

Vietnamese, preschoolers, speech disorders, speech assessment.