SPEECH THERAPY TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN YOUNGER SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN WITH INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS

Abstract

The article reveals the theoretical and practical foundations of speech therapy technologies aimed at developing communicative competence in primary school children with mild intellectual disabilities. The relevance of the issue is substantiated in the context of modern special education, taking into account the need to ensure effective verbal interaction for children with special educational needs. It is defined that communicative competence is a complex formation that includes speech activity, the ability to engage in dialogic and monologic speech, the use of communicative formulas, understanding of speech situations, and the emotional involvement in communication.The empirical part of the article includes an experimental study involving primary school students with mild intellectual disabilities. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in the level of communicative competence in the experimental group due to the implementation of a specially developed speech therapy program. Observed outcomes included increased speech initiative, improved dialogic skills, enriched vocabulary, better structured expressions, and greater emotional involvement in communication. Children became more active in group speech games, better understood instructions, and showed more independence in expressing their thoughts.The study concludes that the implementation of comprehensive speech therapy technologies, taking into account the cognitive, emotional, and social characteristics of children, is effective. The obtained results can be applied in the practice of speech therapists, special educators, and teachers in inclusive and special educational settings. The article also outlines directions for further research aimed at improving methods, developing adaptive programs, and creating an effective communicative environment for children with intellectual disabilities.