- Features of work
- Where to study
- Who is a speech pathologist?
- How to get education remotely
- Employment
Currently, there is an increased interest in the profession of speech therapist. The main reason is the continuous increase in the number of children with serious speech disorders, complicated by various neurological abnormalities. Such problems require long-term complex treatment and a high level of specialist competence.
Adults also began to see a speech therapist more often. For example, people who have suffered a stroke and therefore have difficulty communicating. The services of a speech therapist are also needed for those for whom Russian is a non-native language, in order to learn correct pronunciation.
Features of the work of a speech therapist
Speech therapy affects the fields of pedagogy, psychology and medicine. This science deals with speech disorders, their prevention or correction using various teaching and educational methods. Many people wonder: is a speech therapist a teacher or a doctor?
A speech therapist is a correctional teacher who identifies and corrects speech defects that arise due to a person’s individual characteristics. If speech deviations are a symptom of any disorder or disease in the body, then this is the field of activity of a speech therapist-defectologist and doctors. The work of a speech therapist is in many ways similar to the work of a teacher in a school. He must have great patience with his students. It often takes a long time to achieve tangible results. He must be emotionally stable and sensitive, delicate and tactful. His desire for continuous learning and professional development is necessary.
Important nuances
School graduates are wondering: is it possible to somehow “facilitate” admission to the desired university by participating in various events and does the average grade point of the certificate play a role?
All this definitely makes sense, because the university can add up to 10 points for individual achievements! These include: victories in sports competitions, volunteer activities, a certificate with A's and much more.
The average score of the certificate does not play any role, since the results of the Unified State Exam are taken into account. For a certificate with honors, the university can award up to several points.
Where do they study to become a speech therapist?
You can study to become a speech therapist at a pedagogical university at the faculty of correctional pedagogy. To enroll as a speech therapist, you must have a secondary (complete) education and successfully pass exams (Unified State Examination) in the following disciplines: Russian language, social studies, biology.
Another option: to become a speech therapist based on higher pedagogical or defectological education. In this case, you can enroll in absentia in the direction of “Speech Therapy” at an institution of additional professional education.
Professional retraining programs in speech therapy will be a suitable option for working teachers. For example, if in the kindergarten or school where the teacher works, a vacancy for a speech therapist has become available and he wants to get it.
Tasks and Responsibilities
To eliminate speech defects, a speech therapist must determine the cause of their occurrence. At the same time, he also pays attention to the level of human development - how literate he is, to what extent his vocabulary is rich. A good speech therapist knows everything about the correct position of the lips and tongue when speaking; he knows a lot of tongue twisters and exercises for working on speech. These skills are used when seeing patients.
The speech therapist conducts classes with clients both individually and in groups.
Who is a speech pathologist?
This is the profession of a correctional teacher who corrects the speech of children and adults with disabilities (with pathologies of the speech apparatus, hearing organs and central nervous system). A speech pathologist-defectologist has special methods of communication and teaching. They make it possible to identify the cause of speech impairment in people of different ages and provide the necessary assistance in adaptation and speech development.
Studying in absentia to become a speech pathologist-defectologist is recommended for those who wish to deal with speech disorders with concomitant pathologies of the hearing organs, speech apparatus or central nervous system. You can get a diploma with such a narrow specialization through the professional retraining programs “Defectology”, “Oligophrenopedagogy”.
Advantages of professional retraining for a specialist in the field of correctional pedagogy:
- you can enroll without entrance tests;
- short training period (from several months to two years);
- affordable price (compared to paid university education);
- practice-oriented program (only specialized disciplines).
- diploma of the established form with qualification
The requirements for work experience as a speech therapist are not specified in the unified qualification directory, so it is enough to have the appropriate education to get a job.
Minuses
Like any other profession, it has its positive and negative sides. If we start with the disadvantages, then first of all it is working with “special” children. It's hard physically and emotionally. You can cope with such a load if you really have the desire to help. Working with such patients will be long and difficult, step by step, so the specialist requires enormous patience.
Russians said how often they look for a new job without quitting their previous one
Boss resigns and other signs company layoffs are coming
Unpublished interviews with John Lennon sold at auction for $50,000
One more minute - document management. If the work is carried out in a budget organization, then it will be necessary to keep many logs about all stages of treatment and progress. In private clinics or individual practices, the specialist determines the amount of paperwork for himself. But you won’t be able to completely abandon document management; there is basic reporting.
Lack of career growth can also be attributed to the disadvantages of the profession. You will not become a department head or a school director. Your task will be the same every day: the formation of purity of speech. The only leap you can make in the profession is to open a private practice and charge hourly wages.
How to get a speech therapist education remotely
You can become a speech therapist by correspondence using remote technologies. It is simple, convenient and does not require interruption of work. Today, this form of training is available in many universities and continuing education institutions.
The Academy implements several distance learning programs in speech therapy.
The professional retraining program “Speech Therapy” is intended for teachers of preschool and school institutions.
Duration of training – 260 / 510 academic hours (from 2 to 4 months).
Main topics of study
- Regulatory and legal support for the education of persons with disabilities;
- Medical and biological foundations of defectology;
- Organization of speech therapy work;
- Fundamentals of special pedagogy and psychology;
- Types of speech disorders and methods of speech therapy.
Training according to the program will allow you to effectively manage the process of development of the individuality and personality of a child who needs specialized individual methods of education and training.
The advanced training program “Speech Therapy” is intended for practicing specialists who want to expand and update their knowledge.
Duration of study – 180 academic hours. (1 month).
The programs comply with the requirements of Federal Law dated December 29, 2012 N 273-FZ “On Education in the Russian Federation” and Order of the Ministry of Labor of Russia dated October 18, 2013 N 544n (as amended on August 5, 2016) “On approval of the professional standard “Teacher (pedagogical activities in the field of preschool, primary general, basic general, secondary general education) (educator, teacher).”
Choosing a program: defectology at Leningrad State University - Ucheba.ru
Anastasia Slyusar,
Leningrad State University named after. A. S. Pushkina,
Faculty of Defectology and Social Work
How did you choose the university and faculty?
Until the 9th grade, I didn’t know where to go, because I was interested in everything, but at the same time nothing “caught me.” I studied painting, and everyone thought that I would enter the restoration institute or go to study to become a designer. However, I wasn't really interested in that. At the same time, they told me a lot about Leningrad State University: what kind of professional teachers there are, what a good education students receive when they leave. In addition, many girls from my school study there and also told me about studying at this university.
It was not by chance that I entered the Faculty of Defectology and Social Work. It so happened that life brought me together with one teacher from Leningrad State University. She advised me to enroll in this particular department, and the girls from the university with whom I spoke also studied there. My future profession is in demand, there will always be work, and if there is work, there will be bread. In addition, there is the opportunity to engage in private practice, that is, work with children or adults individually. The work of a defectologist allows you to engage in correction with people of different ages.
Why did you initially become interested in defectology?
Before enrolling, I didn’t think particularly deeply about defectology: I didn’t even really understand what this science studies. I was told that a defectologist is a good profession, however, until I ended up at the university, it did not interest me. However, when I started studying at Leningrad State University and we began to study childhood and adolescent disorders, I realized that this was “mine” and I was really attracted to it.
How did you prepare for admission?
In the 10th grade, I took biology courses, since it was the most important subject for admission. In the 11th grade, I also attended courses and went to a tutor, but in other subjects (Russian language and mathematics). During the courses we examined tests in the Russian language, mathematics and biology. They repeated the rules, solved problems and examples. We were taught how to properly format the written part (Part C). In addition, I participated in the Olympiad, which took place at our university. I was very worried before entering: after all, university is an adult life, a great responsibility. But I passed the exams successfully, even better than I expected.
Tell us about your participation in the Olympics.
Unfortunately, I did not take a prize, but it was an interesting experience. The fact that the Olympiad was held in a different place (not at school), and the fact that I was surrounded by strangers, allowed me to delve into the process of passing the exam. In addition, there were a lot of questions on anatomy, so after the Olympiad I paid a lot of attention to preparing for assignments in this subject. This not only helped me prepare for the Unified State Exam, but is also helping me with my studies now.
The profession of a speech pathologist is now in demand, since every year the number of children who have speech problems is growing
What were your first impressions when you entered?
I was a little scared, since university is a different team, a different responsibility, not at all like at school. I have more independence because I live in a dormitory, and I need to think about myself. I was interested: new acquaintances, impressions, knowledge. We have a wonderful team, respected teachers. Even with my roommate, we immediately found a common language.
What pros and cons of training can you highlight?
There are very good teachers here: I believe that we will have a decent education. Everything is told in an accessible and interesting way. I want to absorb more and more knowledge. Thanks to many teachers and their love for their subject, we want to study even harder, not only to be interested in the given material, but also to study information on our specialty ourselves.
There is only one downside: our faculty is far away, and I live in a dormitory. It is located in the Leningrad region, in the village of Gorbunki (Lomonosov district), while the university itself is located in Pushkin. But you can look at this from different angles: there are advantages here too.
What disciplines are the main ones in your department and how are they useful for future specialists?
Emphasis is placed on anatomy (particularly the physiology of the nervous system) and psychology. I am a 1st year student, and we are still studying general scientific disciplines. The next courses will also include professional subjects. The sciences that we are studying now: psychology, pedagogy, ontolinguistics (it studies the development of speech), genetics, medical and biological foundations of defectology, special psychology - will become the basis for in-depth disciplines. Special psychology, by the way, studies the psychology of people with hearing, vision, musculoskeletal and other problems.
Does the psychology of such people have its own characteristics?
This is a question that has been studied for a long time: it cannot be described in one sentence. Speaking in general terms, all children with developmental anomalies have common characteristic patterns of mental development. For example, they may experience a slowdown in the speed of perception, underdevelopment of objective activity and motor skills, immaturity of goal setting, and impaired speech activity.
What medical and biological basis does defectology have?
Roughly speaking, defectology is the science of defects, that is, disturbances in the functioning of the body. And the job of a defectologist is to correct or compensate for these violations. To do this, we need to know the normal anatomy of the child’s body and its normal development.
In their work, defectologists use a number of special techniques that are different for different groups of nosologies (studies about diseases). There are many of these techniques, and we will be studying them for a long time. In addition, the defectologist always adapts any technique to the needs of each specific child, that is, individualizes it. In order to individualize the technique, you need extensive professional experience and a sincere desire to help.
What can you tell us about your classmates?
There are 34 girls in my team, we have no boys. All my classmates are literate and educated. Of course, as in any team, we have small conflicts, but we quickly resolve them and try to find a compromise. We became friends with the girls right away: if you need any help, no one will pass by, everyone will help. We all live in a dormitory together, you can go into each room, and you will be welcome. If there are difficulties in understanding the topic, the girls will always help.
What prospects do representatives of your future profession have?
After graduation, we receive the specialty “speech pathologist-defectologist.” This means that we can work both in regular schools and kindergartens, and in special schools of types I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII (schools for the hearing impaired, the hard of hearing and the deaf, the deaf-mute, the blind and visually impaired, children with speech impairments, children who have problems in physical and mental development, children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and mental retardation, children with dyslexia). In addition, you can conduct a private practice, which brings in a good income. The profession is in demand, as every year the number of children who have speech problems is growing. As for the diploma, I believe that since Leningrad State University is a state university, the diplomas issued here are highly valued. I know that most graduates work in their specialty.
How do you see your ideal future?
I'm not thinking about this yet. The main thing now is to graduate from university. Then I plan to go to study for a master’s degree, and at the same time I will work for three years in my village, since I entered the target field.
Have you already dealt with children who have developmental disabilities and with whom you will work in the future?
Even before studying at the university, I communicated with such people, but we will start working with them only from the 2nd year. A boy with cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy) studied at my school: he could go to a regular school, since his intelligence was preserved. This boy did not have brain damage or mental disorders (that is, all mental functions: perception, sensation, memory, thinking, speech - he was fine). He thought like a healthy child. I treated him like an ordinary person, helped him a couple of times, protected him from the bullying of ill-mannered schoolchildren.
www.ucheba.ru
Why is distance learning easy?
To become a speech therapist remotely, you only need a computer, tablet or smartphone with Internet access. You do not need to have special knowledge or install any additional programs on your computer.
For example, training at ABiUS takes place on the website in a distance learning system. The student is required to have only general computer knowledge. Thanks to the intuitive interface, the user navigates this system independently and without difficulty. Here he uploads the necessary documents, gets access to educational materials and practical assignments, and takes tests.
The student can ask questions related to the training by phone to his methodologist, who supervises him from the beginning to the end of the training.
There is no need to come to take the final exam; everything takes place online. Receiving a diploma or certificate is free by Russian Post.
What do you need to submit additionally?
Don’t forget about such an additional test as an interview with an applicant. It is here that the applicant can express himself and demonstrate his desire to study in this particular area of training.
During a personal interview, questions can be both professional and cultural.
Since this is a very responsible profession and it requires special skills, questions may be asked during the interview. Questions can be of a professional nature or of a cultural nature. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to purposefully prepare for it by reading professional literature.
History of the profession
Just 50 years ago, the profession of speech therapist was classified as a rare activity. Previously, people were not as eager to correct their speech defects as they are in modern times. And previously, incorrect pronunciation of letters and sounds was not considered a disease or a problem.
The first speech therapists appeared in the 17th century in Europe, where such specialists helped children with poor hearing to correctly pronounce words and sounds. Also in those days, it was mistakenly believed that speech defects needed to be treated with medications, and not with the help of exercises.
In the 19th century AD, speech therapy became an independent science, and as a result, official speech therapists appeared.
These people studied the causes of speech impediments and developed methods for treating such cases.
Modern specialists in their arsenal use not only methods for correcting the respiratory tract, ligaments and jaw components, but also knowledge in the field of defectology, psychology and pedagogy.
