The children with speech disorders who attend kindergartens in Chisinau will be able to benefit from the assistance of a logopedist in the preschool education institution. The General Division of Education, Youth and Sport of Chisinau signed an order to implement the regulations concerning the work of logopedists in general education institutions starting with the new school year. Until now the parents whose children attended kindergartens where there was no logopedist had to file an application to the Psycho-socio-pedagogical Center for being assessed and then for benefitting from the necessary assistance. With the implementation of the given regulations, logopedists could be hired in kindergartens by the administration of the institution.
Contacted by IPN, Svetlana Gorea, head of the Psycho-socio-pedagogical Center , said that by these regulations the go-ahead was given to education institutions to hire logopedists. The institution’s administration will be responsible for the hiring. This will also have to provide the logopedist with an office. Currently, logopedists work in schools and in about 40 kindergartens. Earlier, logopedist groups worked, but their activity wasn’t regulated by the Education Code and these weren’t efficient as the children who were enrolled in these groups on September 1 weren’t transferred to the next level even if their problem was solved. The regulations are designed to regulate the activity of these specialists in each institution that could ensure activities in groups of children and individually.
In practical terms, logopedist assistance will be provided at the suggestion of educators and after all the groups are assessed as of September 1. Priority will be given to preparatory groups and the upper group. When the beneficiaries are identified, the specialist will decide the working method – either in a small group of at most five children or individually, depending on children’s problems.
Svetlana Gorea said that by implementing these regulations the access to logopedist services is simplified given that the logopedists of the Center were in demand with parents. The waiting list was compiled for half a year in advance. The parents could also use the services of logopedists for money, but in kindergartens these services will be free. Everything depends on the kindergarten’s administration that will be responsible for the employment of the specialist.
According to specialists, speech disorders are often met and if they are not removed at an early age they can reappear in school. These deficiencies can lead to wring and learning disorders. When a child with speech disorders is not assisted by a professional, psychological problems appear. A child with speech disorders in school can distance himself and severe personality disorders can appear.