Training Future Speech Therapists to Work with Preschool Children through Puppet Therapy

Abstract

The article considers the importance of using dolls in speech therapy
with preschoolers as an effective tool for the development of speech,
emotional stability and social adaptation of children. The doll, through
play activities, helps children master social roles, develop basic
communication skills and defend their own desires. In the framework
of therapeutic use of dolls, this tool acts as a powerful means of
correcting speech disorders, developing articulation skills and
expanding vocabulary.
Particular attention is given to the use of various types of dolls, such
as hand puppets, finger puppets, marionettes, and others, in the
context of speech development in children with articulation disorders
and phonemic hearing impairments.
The author offers practical recommendations for training future
speech therapists in the application of doll therapy, including
instruction in theoretical foundations, doll-making techniques, and the
development of speech therapy games and scenarios.
Due to its multifunctionality, doll therapy not only supports speech
development but also helps to relieve emotional tension, shapes
behavioral models, and stimulates the development of children's
personal qualities.
The integration of this methodology into the system of speech
therapist training provides a flexible approach to working with children
and promotes the formation of a humanistic approach in corrective
and developmental practices.