Forecasting as a Resource of Socialization of Children with Speech Disorders

Abstract

The ability of children to predict the development of events is considered by many Russian and foreign scientists as one of the key resources for their social adaptation. The success of mastering social anticipatory models by children affects their success in communication, their communicative flexibility, and the variability of communication tools that they use depending on the context and qualities of the subjects of communication. The purpose of this research was to identify the relationship between forecasting capability and indicators of successful socialization in preschoolers with speech disorders. The study involved 54 children aged 5–7 years with a general speech underdevelopment of I–IV levels who attend preschool educational institutions of Russia. The following methods were used: “Prognostic stories” (Akhmetzyanova, Artemyeva), “Try-to-Guess” (Peresleni), “Emotional faces” (Semago), “Methodology for studying the compliance of a preschooler with the rules of a normative situation” (Bayanova, 2015), and “Pictures” (Smirnova, 2005). We have identified such features of forecasting activity of preschoolers with speech pathology as a violation of the mechanisms of memorization and “reading” information from memory with intact mobility of thought processes; difficulties in predicting emotions in future situations; insufficient development of cognitive function of forecasting activity. The empirical study confirmed close correlation between indicators of forecasting and socialization: forecasting actions, emotions, level of verbalization, and the use of speech and language means in forecasts are associated with communicative competence of preschoolers. Forecasts of actions depend on the maturity of children’s self-control, and forecasts of emotions are influenced by the maturity of children’s self-control and self-service skills. The study allows us to suggest the need for creating special classes for children with speech disorders aimed at developing their ability to anticipate future events and successful social behavior.