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.

Key words: doll therapy; therapeutic use of dolls; speech therapy work; training of future speech therapists; preschool children; speech development; art therapy; play-based technologies; emotional development; corrective and developmental work.