USAGE OF RHYTHM IN PSYCHOCORRECTIVE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNGER SCHOOLCHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY IN THE CONTEXT OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Abstract

Introduction: the article deals with one of psychocorrective work direction with younger schoolchildren who have developmental delay and inclusively taught at comprehensive schools. Because of psychological and pedagogical features these children are in the majority of pupils who don’t cope with traditional school curriculum requirements. For systematic and successful education any child needs potential neurobiological readiness of brain systems and subsystems that provides the development of higher mental functions necessary for schooling. The results of neuropsychological investigations demonstrate that children with developmental delay are characterized by partiality of brain systems damage with failing of separate cortical and subcortical functions and larger integrity of higher regulatory processes. The most vulnerable subcortical brain system of physically disabled children is thalamo-hypothalamic complex. Its dysfunction appears both in neurological symptoms (neurometabolic endocrine syndrome, thermoregulatory and vegetovascular dysfunction, carbohydrate metabolism disorder) and psychological problems (developmental delay, absence of orientation to adult speaking as a behavior regulator, retardation in eye-mindedness and visual active thinking formation). It is recognized that hypothalamic structures mature rhythmically. Rhythmical stimulus, coming from environment are very important for them. Understanding the laws of brain process formation we can help develop child’s brain, using external rhythms in the psychocorrective support program for younger schoolchildren with developmental delay. The method of rhythms can be used in motor sphere correction of younger schoolchildren with developmental delay. Within the context of our investigation rhythm, using in folklore is considered as a condition of motor functions development of younger schoolchildren with developmental delay. Motor correction creates a necessary basis for normal higher mental functions operation, increases total power of verbal and nonverbal thinking processes, contributes to overcoming of behavior stereotypes, produces a base for motor providing of speech and language mechanism, form skills to control own behavior, assists in coping with muscle and body tension. In such a way motor correction creates a prerequisite for full psychical processes participating in reading, writing and mathematics acquisition. Results: the article deals with the results of investigation of motor functions of younger schoolchildren with developmental delay that inclusively taught at comprehensive schools. The supplied results are before and after psychocorrective work with the using of rhythm. The measurements for result comparison are kinesthetic and dynamic praxis investigation, reciprocal movements coordination. Diagnostic tasks combined traditional psychological techniques and neuropsychological tests. After sets of samples an own system of scoring was given. Each system took into account character, degree of severity and amount of introduced mistakes. Ball scoring was determined at the base of a scale: three balls – high level of samples making (motions are carrying out correctly, fast, clear), two balls – middle level (motions are carrying out correctly, consequentially, but reaction is delayed, specularity is existed), one ball – low level (needed hands position is choosing on the basis of samples, movements are very slow, specularity, echopraxia and perseveration are existed). As a result of investigation it was found that before psychocorrective work an average ball of all samples of motion block carrying out by schoolchildren with developmental delay was 1,41 point. While examining the position of reciprocal movements coordination (slow rate, disrupted evenness, modeling of both hands) very low characteristics (1,28 point) were found. After the corrective education an average ball of all samples of motion block carrying out by schoolchildren with developmental delay was 2,33. Discussion and Conclusions: the article deals with the structure of psychocorrective work on the development of motion sphere of younger schoolchildren with developmental delay. It includes numerous motion exercises on the development of general and articulate movements, finger exercises, exercises with eponymous and heteronymous cooperation of hands, legs, eye and tong. All the exercises contribute greatly to the reciprocal coordination formation. Every exercise is carried out under the clear rhythm of folklore texts. Folklore texts kept external rhythm to constantly repeated children motions and contributed to the general rhythm of brain structure. Poetical material with clear rhythmical structure had good influence on the children’s feeling. It generated poignant interest and positive emotions, didn’t stress during plural repetition, formed motivation for lessons, decreased emotional tension, contributed to the general activity. Rhythm and switching permitted children to learn how to simultaneously listen, remember and perform motions. These skills were successfully used by children during educational activity, when it was necessary to perform some actions simultaneously, for example, to write, to reflect rules, to remember sentences and etc. So rhythm of motions contributes to the development of subcortical structures of children’s brain, help adapt younger schoolchildren to the learning environment according to the curriculum.