Where to study to become a defectologist. History of the profession of defectologist

Please tell me where I can study to become a speech therapist?

In any pedagogical university.

Well, not in any pedagogical university, of course. It is better to study at a state higher education institution. Moreover, ideally, get a degree in speech therapy at some well-known university, so that you can then feel confident when looking for a job.

At the institutes there are both evening and correspondence forms of education. The duration of training varies - it can be 2-3-4 years.

But correspondence education, according to many, unfortunately, does not provide the same knowledge base as full-time education, and to a greater extent involves self-education.

What exams do you need to take to become a speech therapist?

Subjects that are taken upon admission to the defectology faculty - essay; Russian + oral literature; biology (anatomy and general biology); interview.

What will happen at the interview? What questions will be asked??

As a rule, you will need to be able to clearly justify your desire to obtain this particular specialty. The committee will get an idea of ​​your inclination towards the teaching profession. Also, during the interview, attention is paid to your speech, whether you yourself have any defects in sound pronunciation. If your speech is okay and you did well in your exams, the interview shouldn't worry you.

Which universities train speech therapists?

  • MPGU (formerly named after Lenin)
  • Moscow State Humanitarian University (formerly MGOPU) named after. Sholokhov

SAINT PETERSBURG:

  • RGPU named after. Herzen,
  • ISPiP im. Raoul Wallenberg
  • Leningrad State University named after. A. S. Pushkina

MIs it possible to become a speech therapist after the courses?

If you complete the courses without having a higher pedagogical education, then you will not be able to officially work as a speech therapist, since the right to conduct this type of activity only gives a full-fledged higher education. After all, many important disciplines are not taught in speech therapy courses.

I already have a higher education. Can I get a specialty in speech therapy as a second degree?

If you have a higher education (if you don’t want to go for 3-4 years of distance learning), there are ANNUAL courses for training speech therapists and defectologists.

In St. Petersburg - at the Wallenberg Institute, in Moscow - at Moscow State Humanitarian University. Sholokhov.

The Moscow State Pedagogical University also has a faculty for retraining specialists. They train teachers of the deaf, speech therapists and teachers working with mentally retarded children (oligophrenopedagogues). The duration of training is one year. On the basis of higher pedagogical education, you receive a second higher education. Nonresidents are provided with a hostel. At your place of work, as a rule, your position is retained and your salary is paid.

How long do retraining courses last?

Typically 1000 hours.

“Professional retraining under the Speech Therapy program is additional professional education designed for people who already have a secondary or higher pedagogical, psychological or medical education. This form of training was developed by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation as a convenient, inexpensive and quick way to get a second education and master a new specialty. In this way, this form of training compares favorably with a second higher education, since it is designed for a shorter period of study, is much cheaper, contains only special subjects and is as close as possible to practice.

Goal: training highly qualified specialists with deep knowledge in the field of speech therapy and professional knowledge of research methods of work.”

Are there any colleges that train speech therapists?

You can enroll in a pedagogical college after 9th grade, and after that in a university.
Some teacher training colleges train special education teachers. But there is no separate specialty “speech therapy” in pedagogical colleges.

There are a huge number of professions in the world aimed at helping people who evoke respect and deep gratitude: medical and social workers, teachers, rescuers, etc. However, none of them can compare in complexity and importance with the profession of a defectologist, whose representatives work with a special category of people - with abnormal children.

There are a huge number of professions in the world aimed at helping people who evoke respect and deep gratitude: medical and social workers, teachers, rescuers, etc. However, none of them can compare in complexity and importance with profession of defectologist, whose representatives work with a special category of people - with abnormal children.

It should be noted that the profession of a defectologist is unique in its own way, since it is at the intersection of several sciences: medicine, pedagogy, psychology, sociology, etc. It is these specialists who help children with mental development disorders socialize in society and give them a chance for a happy and fulfilling life in the future. And it is not surprising that increased demands are placed on those who dream of devoting their lives to this necessary and undoubtedly noble cause. After all, defectologists must not only understand that the fate of children with difficult fates depends on the quality of their work, but also be prepared for the difficulties that this profession poses. What are these difficulties? But we will try to talk about this in this article.

Who is a defectologist?


A highly qualified specialist who knows the methods and means of adaptation, training and education of children with mental and/or physical disabilities. Defectologists are usually divided into two groups: those who study, teach and educate abnormal children, and those who specialize in correctional pedagogy.

The name of the profession comes from the Latin defectus (flaw) and the Greek λόγος (teaching). In other words, a defectologist basically studies deficiencies (origin, patterns and features) and develops methods for their correction. Defectology cannot boast of a centuries-old history, since for a long time children with disabilities were either destroyed or left alone with their problems.

And only at the beginning of the 20th century, as a result of the active development of medicine, experts realized that deviations in mental and physical development are not a death sentence. Such children can and should be treated. Doctors and scientists such as Philippe Pinel, Jean Itard, Ekaterina Gracheva, Lev Vygotsky, Louis Braille and many others made a great contribution to the development of defectology.

Over the years defectology has undergone significant changes: from a theoretical science studying the developmental features of abnormal children, it has grown into a practical teaching aimed at developing and implementing effective methods for correcting congenital or acquired deficiencies. In parallel with this, the profession of defectologist was divided into several narrow specializations, each of which deals with a specific area:

  • speech pathologist - studies and tries to correct speech disorders and defects;
  • defectologist-teacher of the deaf - engaged in training and education of children with hearing impairments;
  • defectologist-typhlopedagogue - specializes in the education and training of children with visual impairments;
  • speech pathologist-deaf teacher - works with deaf-blind children;
  • defectologist-amblyologist - is a specialist in the field of adaptation and social rehabilitation of visually impaired and blind children;
  • defectologist-oligophrenopedagogue - deals with the training, education and social rehabilitation of mentally retarded children.

Regardless of the area of ​​activity responsibilities of a speech pathologist include: examination of the child, identification of violations, clarification of the circumstances of the occurrence and development of violations, prescribing and conducting correctional classes, measures aimed at adapting abnormal children to society, developing rehabilitation programs, carrying out measures to prevent certain violations, research activities, consulting services and etc.

What personal qualities should a defectologist have?

Despite the fact that a defectologist can work with both children and adults, the main emphasis of the specialist’s work is still aimed at correcting the development, raising and training the younger generation, which requires a special approach. Therefore, such a specialist must, first of all, have a penchant for working with children, patience and observation. In addition, perform your duties efficiently work as a speech pathologist It helps to have such personal qualities as:


And most importantly, the defectologist must see in children who do not fit into the generally accepted framework a full-fledged personality. Of the professional knowledge and skills necessary for a specialist to perform his work, extensive knowledge in the field of biology, psychology, special and age-related pedagogy, vocational guidance, sociology and jurisprudence deserve special attention. In addition, the defectologist must regularly monitor innovations and discoveries in his field, attend training courses and master classes, and strive for professional self-improvement.

Advantages of the profession of a defectologist

It’s not difficult to guess that the main advantage of the profession of a defectologist we can safely call it an opportunity to help problem children, for whom this specialist is perhaps the only chance for a full life full of positive events.

If we talk about more “earthly” advantages, then first of all it is necessary to note the demand for defectologists, who can easily get a job in their specialty both in medical institutions and psychological centers, and in preschool and school educational organizations. In this case, the defectologist can combine the work of a full-time employee with the provision of professional services privately. Naturally, this allows the specialist to receive quite a decent total income.

Taking into account the fact that the profession of defectologist is very rarely obtained, much less carried out professional activities, by “random” people, it can also be argued that the work gives the specialist pleasure. Moreover, he sees the result of his work with his own eyes.

Disadvantages of the profession of defectologist


Working with children, especially with abnormal children, is characterized by increased psycho-emotional stress, which can cause chronic fatigue and depression for a specialist. Seeing children suffer every day (and many children understand that they are different from their peers and suffer from this) is very difficult, and only true enthusiasts of their craft can withstand such stress.

Another significant disadvantage of the profession of defectologist is the meager official salary of a specialist working in government agencies. Unfortunately, judging by the size of the salary (and it is about 15-20 thousand rubles), the state shows its respect and interest in the work of a defectologist only in words, with which, as you know, “you will not be full.” Therefore, young professionals, before the appearance of private clients, should not count on solid incomes.

No matter how talented a defectologist is, the result of his work largely depends on the desire of the parents to help their child. After all, a specialist cannot work with a child throughout the day, so the bulk of the work falls on the shoulders of the child’s relatives and friends. And if parents do not diligently follow all the recommendations of the defectologist, then all the efforts of the specialist may be useless.

Where can you get a profession as a defectologist?

Medical University and professional retraining of doctors and nursing staff. Training takes place on a part-time basis using distance learning technologies, which allows you to combine study with work. The training program is based on relevant educational and professional standards.

As we mentioned above, defectology “stands” at the intersection of many sciences. However, the predominant direction is still pedagogy. Therefore, if you feel a calling and want become a defectologist, then you will have to turn your attention to pedagogical universities, on the basis of which the Department of Defectology operates. It should be noted that during the training process, students not only have to learn the basics of teaching and the features of working with disabled people, but also learn to provide the first necessary psychological and medical assistance in emergency situations. In other words, you will receive a pedagogical education with a medical focus.

At the moment, specialists in the field of pedagogy are again becoming in demand, and one of the most popular areas is defectology. What does a defectologist do? He does everything possible to prepare a child with lagging physical, speech, mental or intellectual development for school. Such children need adaptation in society, and often it is with the help of a defectologist that significant progress can be achieved.

Defectology, in turn, is divided into several other specialties: deaf pedagogy, oligophrenopedagogy, typhlopedagogy, speech therapy. Teachers of the deaf specialize in children with hearing impairments. oligophrenopedagogues teach children with mental retardation; typhlopedagogues specialize in children with visual impairments. Speech therapists work with all types of speech disorders and do not specialize in anything specific.

The profession of a defectologist, like any other, has its own specific pros and cons. It is worth considering them in more detail.

Pros of the profession

  • Short work day– most speech pathologists working in budgetary institutions are released after just four hours, which makes it easy to combine several professional interests or devote more time to yourself and your family.
  • Great vacation: defectologists can afford to rest almost the entire summer, because their vacation lasts as much as 56 days (this again applies to budgetary educational institutions).
  • Social significance of the profession: teachers help children, even with the most severe disabilities, get back on their feet and become, if not full-fledged, then still an independent member of society.
  • Huge space for self-realization: There are a great variety of different teaching methods that can be mastered through seminars and courses. Particularly creative people can even develop their own method and use it.
  • Opportunity to conduct private practice: many parents are willing to pay a lot of money for individual lessons with their child. It is enough to gain a clientele, and then you can forget about financial troubles, because satisfied parents will definitely recommend a good specialist to their friends.

Cons of the profession

  • Often you have to work with very difficult children; children with extremely severe disabilities need a defectologist. You need to be prepared for this, otherwise what you see may shock you.
  • Unfortunately, in kindergartens the services of a speech therapist-defectologist not very well paid– the average salary ranges from 15,000 to 35,000. However, if you keep in mind the short working hours, this seems quite fair.
  • The competition is quite big, because experienced specialists can remain so until a very old age, and young personnel need to try to find their place in the sun.
  • Very often it turns out that classes have absolutely no effect. This can undermine professional self-confidence. You need to understand that all children are completely different, and what one person can do with ease, another may never learn. Of course, the task of the speech pathologist is to do everything possible so that the child can speak, read and write, but success can be achieved over the years.

What qualities should a defectologist have?

Each profession requires a certain set of personal qualities that its representative must possess. Below are a few tips that will help you become a truly excellent specialist and win the hearts of clients.

  1. Like any other teacher, a defectologist must love children with all his heart, feel and understand them. It is unlikely that without this anything will work out; the work will only be a burden.
  2. Stress resistance will help you not to despair in difficult situations and always look at things positively.
  3. When working with sick children, it is very important to have compassion and patience, because they are not at all to blame for their learning disabilities. On the other hand, such children are distinguished by their devotion and kindness. With an affectionate attitude, they most often respond in kind.
  4. Mindfulness is very important when working with children. A defectologist must find an approach to each child, find common ground with him, and learn as much as possible about his character and interests.
  5. Responsiveness is also important. The child must feel that he is important, that the teacher really cares about him and wants to help him, and is not just mechanically doing his job.
  6. Tactfulness when working with difficult children is simply necessary. Under no circumstances should you allow yourself to say something unnecessary, focus on the child’s physical disability or comment on his appearance. This can offend anyone, and for children with mental disorders, such behavior can be a big blow.

Where else can you work?

Despite all the disadvantages, this specialty is popular in pedagogical universities, which still indicates its demand. A young specialist will find a job in a kindergarten or correctional school in any case, but here are a few more employment options:

  1. It's not just children who have speech problems. People with diction disorders, survivors of strokes and other injuries can turn to a speech pathologist.
  2. With the education of a defectologist, you can also work as a nurse or nanny for children with disabilities.
  3. Many teachers take summer jobs as counselors at children's camps. This is a great opportunity to earn money without leaving your main job.

A defectologist is not the easiest or most problem-free profession, but it can become a true calling for those who love children, want to make the world a little better and are not afraid of difficulties. At the moment, more and more young people are choosing this particular specialty to study at the university, which is good news, because there are still many children with developmental disorders, and only defectologists can really help them.