Cognitive Development of Pre-School Children With Language and Speech Disorders

Abstract

The modern educational situation in Russia shows that the number of children with developmental problems, including speech disorders in primary school is increasing. Therefore, primary education is beginning to focus on the problem of training and adaptation of the senior preschool children with speech disorders. The knowledge of cognitive development of preschool children with speech disorders will provide a theoretical basis for the creation of more effective corrective speech therapy programs taking into account the complex interactions of the higher mental functions of the child in the ontogeny which can contribute in overcoming the difficulties of preschool speech and the formation of a fully-fledged readiness for school. Language is an expression of human communication through which we can share ideas, information, emotions, and beliefs. Usually developing children learn the basics of language and speech in the toddler-preschool era. Language and speech skills serve a pivotal role in learning and social relationships. Delays in the early development of language and speech skills, which are prevalent in the population, may affect several fields of activity. The purpose of the study is to identify the characteristics of cognitive development of senior preschool children with phonetic-phonemic and general underdevelopment of speech. The factor analysis has shown that senior preschool children with speech disorders are characterized by cognitive development and intellectual readiness for school that comprise two factors: the understanding of the quantitative and qualitative relationships as an important component of intellectual readiness for school and general awareness of vocabulary.