A defectologist is a calling, an article on correctional pedagogy on the topic

• Who is a special education teacher?
• What is the job of a defectologist?
• Types of speech pathologists
• How do speech therapists differ from speech pathologists?
• What a defectologist should know and be able to do
• How to get an education as a defectologist
• How to remotely obtain qualifications as a teacher-defectologist at the Academy

Special pedagogy includes many interesting and in-demand professions. This includes a defectologist. There should be a special education teacher in every kindergarten where children with disabilities in physical and mental development are taught.

Who is a special education teacher?

The term “defectologist” combines two words. "Defectus" in Latin means "lack" or "absence." "Logos" is translated from Greek as "teaching". A special education teacher is a specialist who trains, educates and analyzes the development of children with mental and physical disabilities.

Speech pathologists can be both theoreticians, engaged in research work, and practitioners, interacting directly with children in kindergarten. The first ones work in the scientific field - they develop technologies for teaching children with disabilities and mental retardation. And practitioners conduct correctional classes with children. The main task of the practitioner is to create conditions for the maximum possible development of children and their adaptation to normal life. He does not treat illnesses, but makes corrections and helps students in accordance with his competence.

Article:

While working at school for the 2nd year, I encountered some problem, which prompted me to publish this material.
The problem lies in the expression: “Nobody knows who a defectologist is, but everyone knows who he should work with.” To my great regret, I am not only talking about parents. When it comes to a special education teacher, many parents panic. Many of them begin to be indignant - “What kind of defectologist!!! My child has no defects!!! He’s normal with us!!!” Many parents think that if a child goes to a defectologist, it means that he now has problems for life. More than once I have heard the phrase that a defectologist is a teacher who teaches, excuse me, fools. And the teachers would send all the children to him!! So who is this defectologist? What kind of horror story is this for parents?

A defectologist is a specialist who studies, trains, educates and socializes children with disabilities. A speech pathologist also works with children who have learning difficulties. In other words, a special education teacher works with children who do not understand and are not taught according to the general education school curriculum. He can also work with children who, for various reasons, do not master the general education curriculum a little or have difficulty learning. These are mainly primary school students. The work of a teacher-defectologist is the mental development of the child and the development of his cognitive abilities.

The profession of a defectologist is at the intersection of medicine and pedagogy and includes many specialties: teacher of the deaf (works with children with hearing impairments), oligophrenopedagogist (with mental disabilities), typhlopedagogist (with visual impairments), speech therapist (with speech impairments).

WHAT EXACTLY DO I DO? THE CONTENT OF MY WORK IS CONTAINED IN THE TASKS.

1. My work begins with diagnosis. Diagnostics are carried out more than once. And diagnostics are carried out only at the request of teachers and parents. I can't come to class and just take Petya or Masha. Diagnosis requires justification.
2. In parallel with the diagnosis, I identify the difficulties and problems that a child may have if the disorder is not corrected in time.
3. Based on the diagnostics performed and the identification of the child’s immediate developmental zone, an individual correctional and developmental program is drawn up for each child or group of children.
4. Then the correction process itself is carried out, which is carried out in group, subgroup and individual classes.
5. In parallel with the correction, dynamic observation of the child’s entire educational process is carried out, and not only in defectology classes.
6. There is also consultation between teachers and parents on issues of interest.

The purpose of my work, to put it in my own words, is correction! Those. correction of developmental gaps.

The work of a speech pathologist teacher contains many areas. The main ones are the following:

1 block “development of psychomotor and sensory processes.” This is a very large block, the main focus of which is to correct fine motor skills. After all, as you know, if fine motor skills are not developed, there is no writing, and if there is no writing, there is no coherent speech.

Block 2 “formation of spatio-temporal relations.” Here we study not only concepts such as “right and left”, but also such concepts as “upper right corner”, “lower left corner”, “2-dimensional and 3-dimensional space”. If this area is underdeveloped, problems with reading and writing may arise.

Block 3 “mental development”. This is also a very large direction in which HMFs are corrected, such as memory, thinking, analysis and synthesis, etc.

Block 4 “normalization of the leading activities of age.” As you know, the leading activity of students during their age is learning. Unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone, especially for elementary school students and students enrolled in correctional programs of types 8 and 7. For them, as a rule, for a very long time the leading activity of their age is gaming.

Block 5 “formation of ideas about objects and phenomena.” In this direction, those problems that arose in connection with gaps in previous development are corrected. For example, the child did not go to kindergarten. Here such ideas as color, shape, size, etc. are formed. This is also a very important direction, because it is a prerequisite for the development of mathematical skills.

Block 6 “enrichment of vocabulary and development of coherent speech.” The name of this direction speaks for itself and, of course, it applies more to speech therapists, but a defectologist should not ignore it.

Block 7 “readiness to perceive educational material.” This block is aimed primarily at 1st grade students. It helps them prepare to learn a lot of new educational material.

Block 8 “formation of skills and abilities necessary for mastering program material.” This block is aimed mainly at students in grades 2-4. As a result of correction in this area, students develop the knowledge and skills that help them master the educational material.

As can be seen from the above, the teacher-defectologist does not teach children mathematics or the Russian language (although these classes are carried out in the correctional process). My classes are such that, first of all, I correct the cause of the difficulty that has arisen, as a result of which the impaired functions are corrected. For example, due to unformed spatial concepts, difficulties in writing and reading result. They can be compensated by work aimed directly at developing reading and writing (which is what the teacher does) as well as by developing spatial concepts in the child (which is what the defectologist does).

The defectologist's office is a kind of fairy tale where children end up.

The structure of my defectology classes is very diverse and interesting. The range of developmental aids is so large that children, while playing seemingly simple games with great interest, do not notice how they are learning something. Each lesson is a whole complex for the development of cognitive activity, motor skills, speech, phonetic hearing, etc. In the lessons, toys, paintings, books, a computer, sand, pine cones, buttons, puppet theater and many other various didactic materials are used.

Here are some examples of activities.

1. COGNITIVE COLORING PAGES

At first glance it looks like an ordinary coloring. What is actually being practiced is a math skill. Those. To color the picture, you need to solve the examples. A certain color corresponds to a certain number. As a result, not only mathematical skills are formed, but also sensory processes (color consolidation), spatial skills are consolidated and fine motor skills are developed.

2. WORKING WITH FLANELGRAPH.

In this lesson, space-time direction is practiced. The seasons are studied. It seems like nothing unusual, but children are wildly delighted when ordinary pieces of paper without glue are glued to fabric. For them this is real magic. In addition, thinking, fine motor skills, and speech develop.

3. WORKING WITH SAND.

Nothing unusual either... But if you close your eyes... Put your hands in this warm sand... imagine that the bright sun is shining in the sky, that birds are singing nearby... The result is the development of fine motor skills, sensory processes, imagination, and speech. You can also practice counting and reading skills in this tutorial.

4. WORKING WITH CLOTHESPENS.

Using clothespins we add the missing elements. As a result, not only fine motor skills are corrected, but also coherent speech, thinking, vocabulary, etc. After all that has been said and shown, I think every parent will change his opinion about correctional defectology classes and will want his child to attend such interesting and exciting classes.

And in conclusion, I wish you, parents, success, patience, wisdom in raising and teaching your children.

What is the job of a defectologist?

Defectologists can work in special centers for children with developmental disabilities, private educational institutions and in inclusive kindergartens. Inclusive education allows sick children to learn together with healthy ones.

A practical defectologist performs the following tasks:

• Conducts consultations and examinations of the child, studies the characteristics of his psychophysical development - the level of problems and deviations. Based on this analysis, he creates an individual program for each child.
• Conducts personal and group correctional classes in accordance with the developed training and development program.
• Monitors the dynamics and results of correctional classes. For example, children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, with the right approach and regular sessions with a defectologist, can completely compensate for their diagnosis and forget about it.
• Consults parents and educators on working with special children. To speed up the development and socialization of “special” children, parents should engage them in special exercises.

The specifics of the classes depend on what developmental problems the child has.

Advantages of the profession of a defectologist

It is not difficult to guess that the main advantage of the profession of a defectologist can be safely called the opportunity to help problem children, for whom this specialist is perhaps the only chance for a full and eventful life.

If we talk about more “earthly” advantages, then first of all it is necessary to note the demand for defectologists, who can easily get a job in their specialty both in medical institutions and psychological centers, and in preschool and school educational organizations. In this case, the defectologist can combine the work of a full-time employee with the provision of professional services privately. Naturally, this allows the specialist to receive quite a decent total income.

Taking into account the fact that the profession of defectologist is very rarely obtained, much less carried out professional activities, by “random” people, it can also be argued that the work gives the specialist pleasure. Moreover, he sees the result of his work with his own eyes.

Types of speech pathologists

There are several areas of defectology depending on the problems being solved. The following specialists are identified:

• Speech therapist - helps children correct their speech and identify individual sounds
• Teacher of the Deaf – works with children who have difficulty hearing
• Oligophrenopedagogue - works with children with mental retardation
• Typhlopedagogue - helps children with visual impairments adapt
• Orthopedic teacher - works with children who have impaired musculoskeletal system functions

This division in some cases may be conditional. Often, children with disabilities have impairments in several areas at once, so a professional defectologist with one chosen specialization must also understand other areas.

Defectologist salary

Photo source prostooleh/freepik

The salary of a speech pathologist in Russia depends on the region of residence and place of work. Thus, in government institutions, the salary of a specialist in this profile can be 15-20 thousand rubles, in Moscow and St. Petersburg - 35-60 thousand rubles. Work in private institutions (including the provision of private professional services) pays more. An employee can receive up to 80 thousand rubles per month. and higher (depending on job responsibilities).

How do speech therapists differ from speech pathologists?

Speech pathologists are often confused with speech therapists, so it is important to understand their differences.

Speech therapists work only with healthy children who pronounce certain sounds or words incorrectly. A speech pathologist works with children whose speech difficulties are associated with various diseases or developmental delays. For example, a child suffers from a disease of the central nervous system, so he has speech impairments.

If you plan to work with healthy children, you need to study to become a speech therapist. And if with children with disabilities (disabilities and developmental disabilities), contact a defectologist.

Disadvantages of the profession of defectologist

Working with children, especially with abnormal children, is characterized by increased psycho-emotional stress, which can cause chronic fatigue and depression for a specialist. Seeing children suffer every day (and many children understand that they are different from their peers and suffer from this) is very difficult, and only true enthusiasts of their craft can withstand such stress.

Another significant disadvantage of the defectologist profession is the meager official salary of a specialist working in government agencies. Unfortunately, judging by the size of the salary (and it is about 15-20 thousand rubles), the state shows its respect and interest in the work of a defectologist only in words, with which, as you know, “you will not be full.” Therefore, young professionals, before the appearance of private clients, should not count on solid incomes.

No matter how talented a defectologist is, the result of his work largely depends on the desire of the parents to help their child. After all, a specialist cannot work with a child throughout the day, so the bulk of the work falls on the shoulders of the child’s relatives and friends. And if parents do not diligently follow all the recommendations of the defectologist, then all the efforts of the specialist may be useless.

What a defectologist should know and be able to do

To work productively, a defectologist must have a number of personal and professional skills.

The main personal qualities needed by a defectologist are love for children and patience. Working with children with disabilities is much more difficult than with ordinary children. Children with disabilities and mental retardation perceive information more difficultly and require a lot of attention and a special approach, which can be difficult to find.

This specialty should be considered by those educators and teaching staff who consider working with children to be their calling. The teacher must be emotionally stable so as not to take the problems and illnesses of children too personally. The main task of a defectologist is to provide professional assistance, and not to empathize.

A defectologist must have deep knowledge in psychology and pedagogy, master the basics of medicine and understand how various deviations affect the overall development of the child. He must study and be able to apply methods of interaction with special children and their parents in order to correctly diagnose problems and find ways to solve them. This knowledge can only be obtained in a professional educational institution.

The work of a defectologist relates to special pedagogy. This is a difficult direction that requires a lot of dedication. But when students make their first progress, all the time and effort spent on classes pays off many times over. The correctional teacher feels proud of his students.

Requirements for a defectologist

Photo source prostooleh/freepik

Among the professional requirements for a defectologist are the following:

1. availability of higher professional education;
2. work experience in the specialty;
3. knowledge of developmental and special pedagogy and psychology, anatomical-physiological and clinical defectology;
4. knowledge of methods and techniques for preventing and correcting developmental disorders;
5. the desire for professional growth and familiarity with the latest discoveries in one’s field (attending advanced training courses, master classes, seminars, conferences, reading professional literature, etc.).

Not everyone is capable of working as a defectologist. If you have a diploma and professional knowledge, a specialist requires work experience and the possession of certain character qualities.

A defectologist is a specialist who works with children who have psychological or physical developmental disabilities. This profession is complex, requiring the employee to have deep knowledge and certain personal qualities. To work as a defectologist, you need to obtain a higher education. The job responsibilities of a specialist in this profile include examining children, identifying deficiencies, searching for the cause of the disease, helping them adapt to the outside world, etc.

How to remotely obtain qualifications as a teacher-defectologist at the Academy

If you have a university diploma, you can undergo a professional retraining program at the Academy. You can choose one of the areas of special pedagogy: Defectology, Speech Therapy, Typhlopedagogy, Oligophrenopedagogy. After completing it, you will receive a diploma with a qualification and learn how to effectively manage the development process of a child with disabilities.

Training takes place in a distance format. You sign up for the program and complete it in a convenient schedule, at any time convenient for you in the LMS system on the Academy website.

There is no need to install any additional software. The program meets the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard and professional standards, and the Academy has a state educational license, so having this diploma and knowledge from the course will give you the opportunity to work in various institutions as a special education teacher.

The program developers are highly qualified specialists with extensive experience. Each student receives individual support; all questions during the training process are answered by an assigned methodologist.

Upon completion of training, a diploma of professional retraining of the established form is issued with the assignment of qualifications. The education document must be entered into the state database of the FIS FRDO and sent free of charge to any region and city of Russia.

Where can you get a profession as a defectologist?

MASPC invites you to take professional retraining courses for defectologists. We offer advanced distance education technologies with the issuance of a standard diploma.

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As we mentioned above, defectology “stands” at the intersection of many sciences. However, the predominant direction is still pedagogy. Therefore, if you feel a calling and want to become a defectologist , then you will have to turn your attention to pedagogical universities, on the basis of which the Department of Defectology operates. It should be noted that during the training process, students not only have to learn the basics of teaching and the features of working with disabled people, but also learn to provide the first necessary psychological and medical assistance in emergency situations. In other words, you will receive a pedagogical education with a medical focus.

Many people are interested in whether it is possible to obtain a special defectology education in specialized courses (that is, in an accelerated version), provided that the future specialist already has a diploma in pedagogical or medical education. No you can not. You will still have to enter a pedagogical university at the department of defectology. True, the period of study in this case will not be the traditional 5 years, but only 2-3 years.

And of course, when choosing an educational institution, it is best to give preference to leading pedagogical universities in Russia , which include:

• Moscow Pedagogical State University;
• Russian State Pedagogical University named after. A.I. Herzen;
• Tomsk State Pedagogical University;
• Volgograd State Social and Pedagogical University;
• Chelyabinsk State Pedagogical University.

North-Eastern Federal University named after M.K. Ammosova

Yakutsk

[44.03.03] Special (defectological) education

Russian New University

Moscow

[44.03.03] Special (defectological) education

Moscow City Pedagogical University

Moscow

[44.03.03] Special (defectological) education

Moscow City Psychological and Pedagogical University

Moscow

[44.03.03] Special (defectological) education

Murmansk State Humanitarian University

Murmansk

[44.03.03] Special (defectological) education

Moscow State Regional Social and Humanitarian Institute

Kolomna

[44.03.03] Special (defectological) education

Irkutsk State University

Irkutsk

[44.03.03] Special (defectological) education

Russian State Social University

Moscow

[44.03.03] Special (defectological) education

Leningrad State University named after A.S. Pushkin

Pushkin

[44.03.03] Special (defectological) education

Far Eastern Federal University

Vladivostok