- 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.
Who is a speech therapist? What is his job?
A speech therapist works at the intersection of medicine and pedagogy. If we delve deeper into structural issues, then speech therapy is part of special pedagogy, i.e. defectology. Although until the 60s of the last century it was part of medicine. In some countries, even now only a person with a medical education can be a speech therapist.
A speech therapist (see profession speech therapist) is a specialist in correcting speech disorders, and they occur in both children and adults; they can affect both oral and written speech, pronunciation and deep speech processes.
Essentially, a speech therapist is a coach, but not a sports coach, but a speech coach. If the problem is only in pronunciation, a speech therapist performs articulation exercises, teaches you to breathe correctly, and gives a massage. Helps to extract the correct sounds and trains their pronunciation - first separately, then in syllables, in words, etc., until these sounds are included in speech.
But diction is only the cosmetic side of the issue. Speech serves us to convey information, express thoughts and emotions.
Often parents do not realize that if at the age of three the child hardly speaks, uses fragments of words or gestures instead of phrases, they should not even go, but run to a speech therapist. Such a delay in speech development, if not corrected, will ruin the child’s life.
In this case, the speech therapist works on replenishing vocabulary, grammar, and coherent speech.
Speech therapy help is also needed for stuttering, anatomical disorders of the speech apparatus, etc.
Most speech problems are visible in childhood. But speech can be affected at any age - after an injury or stroke, for example. If a person has already had speech, a speech therapist helps to disinhibit it, and, if possible, return it to its former liveliness and richness.
Equipment
How to become a children's speech therapist? You need to purchase the necessary teaching aids for speech correction and visual material. These include various pictures, toys, educational games, and a cut-out alphabet. In addition, the office should have:
- large wall mirror for studying;
- small mirror;
- sound probes;
- stationery.
Also, the office should have furniture that is suitable for the child’s age, so it is best to choose tables and chairs whose height is adjustable. All methodological and didactic aids and stationery should be stored in the closet. And there should definitely be antibacterial wipes, and best of all, a sink so you can wash your hands. And, of course, the office should be clean and tidy.
What is the relationship between the work of a speech therapist and a neuropsychologist?
I would also add a neurologist to this list. The cause of speech disorders is often, although not always, neurological. For example, a child of about six wants to say “mousetrap”, but it turns out either “mousetrap” or “myfevofka”. For some reason everyone is having fun, but he doesn’t understand what’s wrong again. This is probably what it is - a violation of the innervation of the muscles responsible for articulation. And if you have porridge in your mouth, you don’t perceive someone else’s speech very clearly - these things are clearly related to each other. If, say, a child does not distinguish V and L by ear, he says wampa - without any ulterior motive. And everyone around again: “Ah! Oh! Come on, tell me correctly!” But he cannot say it correctly; for this he needs to develop phonemic awareness and train his language. In speech therapy terminology, such a disorder is called phonetic-phonemic underdevelopment. If you do not overcome it in time, your speech will not improve on its own, and in school you will also have mistakes in writing.
It happens that the diction itself is excellent, but the child stubbornly says “my jacket,” has difficulty remembering the words, or constantly reinterprets them. He just can’t remember that his friend’s name is Larisa, not Ralisa. The reason for this underdevelopment of speech may lie in the underdevelopment of speech centers in the brain. Stimulating them is primarily a medical problem, but it is also a job for neuropsychologists and speech therapists who are looking for workarounds. For example, what is not learned by ear can be supplemented with visual images, special logorhythmic exercises, etc. As a speech therapist, I teach such children to listen and hear, understand speech, describe, retell, answer questions, etc.
Speech disorders can be combined with mental retardation. Unlike mental retardation, it is most often surmountable, but this also requires the joint efforts of a neurologist, neuropsychologist and speech therapist.
Specialists also work together if speech is impaired as a result of a stroke or head injury.
The efforts of speech therapists are focused mainly on speech as such. Speech is impossible without normal brain function. She suffers if mental functions are suppressed or underdeveloped: attention, memory (especially speech-auditory memory), etc. The speech therapist also works on them, using special techniques. But to a much greater extent this applies to the work of a neuropsychologist. If, of course, he exists.
And a neuropathologist and neurosurgeon treat organic damage - the main cause of speech impairment.
It happens that problems with the vocal or articulatory apparatus interfere with normal speech. For example, there is a cleft in the palate, it makes the voice nasal, and diction also suffers. This is rhinolalia, its causes are eliminated by a maxillofacial surgeon. A speech therapist helps to bring the speech apparatus into working condition as soon as possible after surgery.
There are many options for speech disorders. Regardless of the reason, they cannot be overcome by fragmentary training. They require multifaceted, complex work.
Is it still possible to do without a certificate and advanced training?
Theoretically, yes, if you work with private clients as a speech therapist-tutor. You can register as an individual entrepreneur or register with the Federal Tax Service (since tutoring is essentially self-employment). But if you plan to correct the speech of “special” children, that is, work with stuttering, general underdevelopment of speech and other serious disorders, you still need to obtain a certificate, as well as improve your qualifications. And it’s not just a matter of prestige: an insufficiently qualified specialist may not only not help, but also harm the patient.
Author of the article
Yurkin Alexey
Where does a speech therapist work? Is a flexible schedule possible?
Speech therapists work in educational and medical institutions. A speech therapist in education is called a teacher-speech therapist, in medicine - simply a speech therapist.
Speech therapists in medicine work in clinics and departments for people with speech pathologies, with consequences of stroke, in maxillofacial surgery clinics, etc. They conduct appointments in clinics, work in orphanages, etc.
The salaries of speech therapist teachers in some kindergartens, mass and correctional schools are still maintained. And also in commercial development centers. A free schedule is possible if the speech therapist works exclusively privately. The salary of a speech therapist is 20 hours per week. Some speech therapists work in two places at once: in the morning in one place, and in the afternoon in another. If desired, you can combine work in an institution with private practice. Usually these are classes with wards at home, which, let me tell you, is quite difficult.
Room
It is also necessary to select a suitable room for a speech therapy room. The ideal location is close to educational institutions (schools, kindergartens) and on busy streets. A speech therapy room does not require a room that is too large. It is enough to design the waiting area and the office itself in which you will conduct classes.
The premises must comply with all SES and fire inspection requirements. Set up a corner with useful information for parents about speech development. Place a soft sofa and a hanger to make customers feel comfortable. The office does not need to be decorated too brightly so that the child is not distracted during classes. You can add famous children's characters as interesting original accents so that the child feels comfortable in class.
What is bad about being a speech therapist?
This is working with children and their parents, which in itself is not bad, but difficult. It is difficult to find a common language with a child if he is already so overwhelmed that he is afraid to talk at all. It is difficult to call a child to order, especially if he does not understand speech well, if his memory is weak, his attention is unstable.
It is difficult to convey your recommendations to parents, who often do not understand the seriousness of the problem. Yes, they want the child to finally learn to speak. But first of all, they are concerned with those very “defects of fiction”, and not with speech as a whole. The more severe the violation, the more reluctant they are to complete homework.
Now I work at a school for children with severe and multiple developmental disabilities. Their speech difficulties are a consequence of motor and intellectual impairments. Many of our students have behavioral problems, so-called disorders of the emotional-volitional sphere. To win over such a child and set him up for work requires diabolical ingenuity and absolute dedication. Speech pathologist, speech therapist, psychologist, subject teachers - we all work in the same team.
It's difficult, but we like it.
The abundance of papers, plans and reports that have to be compiled for the delight of education bureaucrats is annoying. I will never learn to fill out a journal without making mistakes!!!
But what’s really bad is what’s happening in education now. I don’t know how long this misfortune will last, but many kindergartens and schools have lost their speech therapists and speech pathologists. And in many Russian cities there are none at all. If we talk cynically, I should be glad: the fewer speech therapists in kindergartens, the more private lessons there are for speech therapists.
But, as I already said, one speech therapist in the field is not a warrior. The more complex the problem, the more specialists need to be involved. What kind of future awaits a child if he speaks his native language like a foreigner? How will he find friends? How will he finish school? What profession will he master? This is a very serious problem.
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.
Who absolutely cannot do this job?
An irritable person, gloomy, self-righteous, a person prone to violence (including psychological violence) will not be able to work as a speech therapist.
You must be able to quickly respond to a constantly changing situation, adapt your methods to the child, and not the child to the methods. There are no universal methods and techniques, no master keys that fit all locks. We need flexibility.
You need artistry, you need playfulness. Although no one will give you an Oscar for this.
When you sit one-on-one with a student, you must be able to be “here and now” and put aside everything that is not related to this communication. If you are not ready to peer and listen closely to your students, nothing will work.
Make colorful booklets that can be left in educational institutions, hospitals and shopping centers. Create a group on social networks where you will communicate with parents and share useful information on speech development. And the best advertising is the reviews of grateful clients who have benefited from your classes.
How to become a speech therapist and where to start? Talk to those who work in this specialty, ask what they consider the most important in their work. But the main thing is the desire for self-development and the desire to help people speak beautifully and correctly, and for this you need to improve your skills and abilities.
Qualities of a specialist
It's difficult to make choices before leaving school. Many universities and colleges are open to graduates. For a speech therapist, such qualities as patience, tact, and morality are important. You need to be able to find an approach to parents and convince them of the need for correctional help.
In order for a speech therapist to be in demand, he must have high qualifications. He must wisely choose correction means, be able to carry out diagnostics, plan work, and use the basic principles of training.
Ethics is of great importance in this profession. The parents of the sick child are in a state of shock. Some of them find it difficult to recognize their son or daughter’s defect. They will refuse to start working on a fix.
The speech therapist must control himself. Disdain and disgust are not allowed. You need to be able to keep your distance and not judge your parents.
Another main quality of a speech therapist is clear and competent speech. There should be no burr, lisp, or other defects. An abundance of colloquial expressions, spelling errors, etc. is not allowed.
The teacher's speech is a model for the child. Therefore, he strives for the ideal. You need to want to work with children, help them cope with difficulties.
How much do they get
Each speech therapist has his own approach to working with patients, which affects the effectiveness of the treatment they provide. This factor has a great influence on the level of earnings of a specialist. At the initial stage of his career, such an employee receives 20-30 thousand rubles.
As his professionalism grows, he can already choose his place of work. If in budgetary organizations defectologists are paid 35-45 thousand rubles, then in private companies their earnings reach 60-70 thousand rubles. Professionals running private practices earn from 80 thousand rubles if they have a client base and proper organization of work.
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