Awareness of the Language Norm by Speech Therapy Students as a Factor of Readiness to Work in an Inclusive Educational Environment

The work is aimed at studying the formation of language reflection and the peculiarities of awareness of the language norm by speech therapy students as an indicator of their readiness to work with children with disabilities. The research materials obtained from a sample of first-year students of the Faculty of Defectology of the Moscow State University (N=450; EG=100) are presented. The study was conducted in 2 stages, including the analysis of video recordings of samples of spontaneous speech and reading texts of varying complexity. The results obtained show the insufficient formation of language reflection and the difficulty of understanding the language norm by future speech therapists. The influence of the complexity of the text on the number and prevalence of errors in the reading test has been determined (with a significance of p<0,001 there are differences in the groups). Purposeful attention to their own speech and the speech of others, recording self-observations helped to increase the number of students who completed the tasks without errors (from 15% to 40%). At the same time, with a significance of p<0,001, it was revealed that students are better at detecting errors during self-control than testing others. The study proposes ways of improving the language reflection of the students for their better formation for working in an inclusive environment.

Introduction

The realm of education, including the inclusive educational setting, is characterized by distinct attributes and characteristics. These attributes encompass the establishment of social and cultural connections and collaboration [Praktika inklyuzivnogo obrazovaniya, 2023; Rubcov, 2019; Li Lingyu, Ruppar, 2020]. These characteristics are rooted in the utilization of a diverse array of instruments, means, and methods of communication, with speech standing out as a critical element.

Scholars emphasize the pivotal role of speech therapists in successfully integrating individuals into the educational context. This role arises from the detrimental impact of speech impairments on communication processes, socialization, and academic performance, among other areas. It necessitates the presence of particular professional attributes, such as strong communication skills, readiness to engage with diverse groups of individuals, and proficiency in therapeutic techniques [Alehina, 2023; Zvolejko, 2020; Serebrjakova, 2022].

It is worth noting the developments regarding the delineation of the distinctive features of speech practices and the establishment of a particular component in the educational landscape — a unified communicative framework, which serves as the foundation for fostering successful communication among students, monitoring children's language development, and exemplifying the use of standard literary Russian by all teaching personnel and employees of educational institutions.

The use of standard language is essential for all educators; however, speech therapists serve as models of exemplary speech, acting as "translators of the norms of speech in the native language and the cultural values embedded within it" [Silant'eva, 2012, p. 17].

Thus, the notion of an inclusive educational milieu encompasses the concept of a linguistic standard, which is of paramount importance in the field of speech therapy. The language standard is prescriptive in nature, serving as a regulatory framework for language use in terms of its structural aspects and various components.

It can be defined as a collection of linguistic resources and the rules governing their functioning that are accepted within a given socio-cultural context. The formation of the linguistic standard occurs through the consolidation of the most enduring (conventional) variants. Orthoepic, lexico-semantic, and grammatical standards govern the selection, application, and functional variation of linguistic units and relationships at the appropriate levels of language structure.

The linguistic norm serves as a crucial and steadfast reference point for the implementation of speech therapy. Simultaneously, it becomes an indispensable instrument in the professional realm. The linguistic norm operates in two dimensions: both in relation to the speech of the therapist themselves and in their assessment of the speech produced by others.

The utilization of this instrument is predicated upon the development of a comprehensive toolkit comprising stable and uniform linguistic resources, as well as the establishment of consistent rules for their application in communicative activities. This process entails a deep understanding of linguistic phenomena and fosters the development of reliable and automatic control mechanisms, both for self-regulation and for external evaluation.

In a diverse environment, collaborating with various groups of children broadens the perspective and viewpoint of the speech-language pathologist, allowing them to approach speech challenges through the lens of the concept of “non-standard speakers”. The professional's focus extends beyond mere manifestations of speech disorders, encompassing errors arising from difficulties in navigating communication situations, a lack of linguistic sophistication, challenges in mastering non-native languages, and more. [Bejlinson, 2009; Rahilina, 2014]

The capacity of a speech-language therapist to engage in metalinguistic exercises and exhibit linguistic reflection, their readiness to scrutinize spoken language, to perceive and professionally evaluate any discrepancies from the standard, as well as the purposeful comparison of spoken examples with the linguistic system and the standards for its use, constitutes a critical prerequisite for the accurate detection of deviations in speech and language development. According to [Ponjatijno-terminologicheskij slovar' logopeda, 2004], this entails the identification of various linguistic manifestations of erroneous speech, including deviations, infringements, and other irregularities.

To effectively perform their duties, future speech therapists must not only acquire knowledge about the structure and operation of the linguistic system, nor merely "memorize" the rules of pronunciation, vocabulary selection, sentence construction, and so forth, but also develop the ability to solve professional linguistic problems and recognize the language norm as a crucial instrument for their work in an inclusive setting [McDaniel, 2023].

The government has recently advocated for the modernization of teacher training programs for special education. In the period from 2021 to 2023, the Moscow Pedagogical State University (MPSU) implemented research projects commissioned by the Russian Ministry of Education, during which new approaches to designing educational programs were formulated.

One such initiative was the development of the Core of Teacher Training Programs for Special Education, which establishes a unified framework and content for educational programs [Model' podgotovki pedagogov-defektologov]. This initiative includes a mandatory extensive course in the Russian language with a focus on the practical application of linguistic knowledge acquired. Additionally, there is a discipline designed to address students' pronunciation deficiencies and foster clear, articulate oral communication and reading skills through the subjects of Speech Techniques and Speech Practices [Almazova, 2023].

Attention to linguistic norms has an impact not only on pronunciation but also on other levels of the linguistic system. The acquisition of normative speech and the ability to address professional linguistic challenges are cultivated and assessed through various training programs and practical exercises. Nevertheless, it is precisely the phonetic aspect of speech that serves as the focal point of particular attention, serving as the “calling card” of a speech-language pathologist [Almazova, 2023].

In light of the aforementioned, the objective of our research was formulated — to assess the preparedness of students pursuing a career in speech therapy to engage in inclusive educational settings by examining the characteristics of their linguistic awareness. The underlying hypothesis of this investigation is the supposition that a prospective speech therapist's readiness for professional practice is significantly influenced by their level of linguistic reflection. A key indicator of linguistic reflection development is the absence of errors in both oral and written communication, as well as the capacity to critically evaluate the quality of both one's own speech and that of others. Integrating the deliberate cultivation of linguistic reflection into the training programs for future speech therapists contributes to the development of their professional expertise.

Organization and instrumentation of the study

The research was conducted between September 2021 and April 2024 at the Department of Speech Therapy of the Faculty of Special Pedagogy of the Institute of Childhood at Moscow State Pedagogical University.

The participants were 450 first-year students aged 17–19 years who were enrolled in the speech therapy program. They formed the general population. The experimental group (EG), consisting of 100 individuals, was selected through random sampling.

Homogeneity of the population and the EG was ensured based on statements of professional educational preferences, mandatory secondary general education, and absence of disability status. Additional factors such as gender, work experience, and psychological characteristics were not considered, as their influence on the study outcomes was not assessed.

The research was conducted in two stages.

At the initial stage, an assessment was made of the conformity of the subjects’ oral speech and reading samples to the codified standards of the Russian language.

The procedure involved the recording of a video clip by the student (lasting no more than three minutes), which served as a self-introduction, followed by a video recording of the reading of the proposed texts, with no limit on the number of attempts. Subsequently, the participants were asked whether they had any mistakes in their videos, with a choice of one of three options: yes, no, or difficult to say.

The evaluation criteria encompassed the presence or absence of errors in both speaking and reading, as perceived by the examiner and the student themselves.

Moreover, during one academic term, all students underwent training in the course Speech Technique. The classes were designed to enhance the mobility and coordination of articulatory movements, improve diction, develop speaking and reading abilities, and foster a deeper understanding of linguistic norms and the development of linguistic awareness.

Throughout the course, the students documented their progress on video for subsequent review and analysis within the group. Additionally, they maintained self-observation journals to meticulously track their sensitivity to both their own errors in speech and those of others.

The subsequent phase of the study aimed to assess the development of the capacity to detect errors in one's own speech and that of others when presented with novel linguistic material.

The procedure involved dividing students into pairs, where each pair read a text aloud. The reading was recorded on audio media. During the reading process, one member of the pair acted as the reader, while the other acted as a listener. The listener recorded any errors made by the reader. Afterwards, the reader listened to their own audio recording and identified any errors they had made.

The evaluation criteria included the presence or absence of reading errors and the detection or omission of errors during inspection. The errors identified in speaking and reading were categorized according to the methodology used in Russian speech therapy (8; 10).

The linguistic material to be evaluated included:

* Independent speech production by students — "Greeting" (T1)

* Reading of texts containing syntactically complex constructions, technical terms, proper nouns, and quasi-words — fragments of scientific, historical, educational literature, and linguistic fairy tales

The complexity of the texts was evaluated using the CEFR scale and the online tool “Textometer” for automatic analysis (for native speakers of Russian), which included metrics such as readability, lexical diversity, and word frequency. The texts for the first and second stages of the study had similar difficulty levels, ranging from 0 to 100 points.

Stage I:

* T2 — L.N. Gumilyov, “Rhythms of Eurasia: Eras and Civilizations”, excerpt 1 (67 points);

* T3 — G.A. Kashe, “Teaching Pronunciation and Preparation for Literacy Instruction for Children with Speech Underdevelopment” (80 points);

* T4 — L.E. Petrushevskaya, “Pusky Bity” (99 points).

Stage II:

* T5 — L.N. Gumilyov, “Eurasian Rhythms: Eras and Civilizations” (fragment 2), (63 points);

* T6 — R.E. Levina, “Fundamentals of Speech Therapy Theory and Practice” (87 points);

* T7 — L.E. Petrushevskaya “Tres” (91 points).

The process of data analysis and synthesis was conducted through the application of diary analysis methodology, coupled with the utilization of mathematical computational techniques facilitated by Jamovi 2.3.38, a comprehensive suite of statistical software tools. It is noteworthy that the Shapiro-Wilk test, employed to assess the normality of distribution, consistently exceeded the threshold of 0.75, rendering parametric statistical methods applicable for data analysis. The statistical analysis encompassed the calculation of the paired-samples T-test and the implementation of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), providing a comprehensive examination of the data.

Discussion of results

The analysis of the results obtained during the initial stage of the research has allowed us to draw the following conclusions.

Among the participants, 41 percent demonstrated phonetic disorders, manifesting as difficulties in articulating specific consonants, such as sibilant and hissing, fricatives, vibrants sounds and some others.

Additionally, 15 percent of the participants demonstrated exceptional proficiency in both independent expression and reading.

Furthermore, we have identified a range of linguistic deviations, including errors in word stress, alterations in syllabic structure, and disruptions in the phonetic structure of words, such as transpositions, elisions, and additions. Moreover, there were instances of discontinuous reading and pronunciation, as well as substitutions based on unproductive anticipations.

Table 1 presents the prevalence of various types of errors observed in students' oral communication and written texts during the first stage of the experiment, calculated as the proportion of students making specific errors out of the total number of participants.

Table 1. Prevalence of errors. Stage 1

Pairwise comparisons using the Durbin-Conover method showed less significant discrepancies in the number of errors between T3 and T4, with a p-value of 0.03 at a significance level of 0.05, compared to the differences between T2 and T3 or T2 and T4, which had p-values less than 0.001.

These findings suggest that the complexity of the text affects the frequency and nature of reading errors committed by students. Nonetheless, the nonlinear nature of the data suggests that it may be possible to isolate and assess specific text features that influence adult reading proficiency.

In addition to the aforementioned errors, other issues were identified, including unclear diction and a failure to adhere to the full phonetic style of speech, such as smudged pronunciation, an accelerated or slowed speaking rate, and violations of speech pauses. Lexical, grammatical and stylistic errors are also noted.

The EG survey revealed that a majority of students, specifically 70%, were unaware of the shortcomings in their own speech, confidently believing their responses to be flawless. A quarter of the participants, or 20%, encountered difficulty evaluating the quality of recorded speech samples. Meanwhile, 10% acknowledged errors in their completed tasks. These findings suggest a lack of linguistic awareness and a deficiency in linguistic reflection among the participants.

It is worth noting that similar findings regarding the errors committed by speech therapy students in their written work have been reported in the literature [Almazova, 2014; Sun'ko, 2021]. Alongside the general low level of written literacy, the studies also highlight a lack of self-control, particularly in terms of self-assessment. Data were presented on the outcomes of self-checks of dictations, where 20% of students across different courses failed to detect between one and four errors after the teacher re-read the text [Almazova, 2014].

The second phase of the experiment yielded the following results. The proportion of students who demonstrated error-free reading increased to 40%.

Table 2. Prevalence of errors. Stage 2

The types of reading errors remained unchanged, but their frequency decreased (see Table 2). The diaries of all 100 students showed an improvement in self-monitoring and sensitivity to the mistakes of others.

Let us examine some excerpts from the diaries:

Example 1 shows motor difficulties in oral language that were overcome as a result of the exercises: "I did the exercises. At first everything was difficult, half of the exercises were not successful, everything hurt, especially the muscles of the mouth. But then I started to get better. After a month of working on diction, I felt that my muscles were relaxed and at peace. The quality of speech became better, but sometimes the diction "falls". At times I can speak clearly, distinctly and understandably, but then I can say things that are slurred and the sounds are not clear.

Example 2 demonstrates the influence of the emotional component on reading the text: "It was also difficult to read the text. This was due to the many scientific terms and new words. While reading on camera or in the audience, in the presence of someone, I felt very excited and tried to read as fast as possible. I decided to practice this and started reading texts on my phone camera, which was advised by the teachers in our course. After a while, I began to feel pauses between sentences, a sense of intonation, and my reading speed changed. I began to understand where to read faster, where to read slower, where to read louder and where to read quieter. Gradually it became easier. After attending the course my speech, diction, pace and pronunciation became clearer and cleaner. I could notice a difference when reading and listening to my recordings.

During the evaluation of audio recordings, 85% of students identified errors. There were occasional instances of hypercorrection, when non-existent mistakes were noted due to excessive self-control.

To analyze the results of the second phase, we used the Jamovi software. A Student's t-test was performed to compare self-control with control at T5, T6, and T7. At a significance level of <0.001 in both cases, it was determined that self-control was more effective in detecting errors compared to control.

Key findings of the study

1. The work in an inclusive educational environment demands from the speech-language pathologist a readiness to provide targeted speech therapy services to all student populations, including them in a variety of activities, and establishing connections with a diverse range of communicants. In all instances, the speech-language specialist should act as a model of correct speech, employing the Russian language both as an instrument and as the medium for corrective intervention.
2. In the experimental group of students beginning to master the profession of a speech therapist, there is a lack of awareness of linguistic norms, an undeveloped linguistic reflection, and a weakness in speech self-regulation, which hinders the development of the necessary professional competencies. The errors revealed in spoken speech and in written tests indicate insufficient practice in reading aloud, the rapid fatigue of students when reading, and/or a lack of control over the accuracy of the statement. There are difficulties in predicting what will be read, hesitancy when performing a speaking task, and hypercorrection. It is noted that the accentual norms are not fully formed, and the students have a limited worldview, lacking knowledge of cultural phenomena.
3. The identified difficulties in applying the linguistic norm and the insufficient level of assessment of the quality of one's own and others' speech indicate a need to incorporate specialized disciplines (modules) into the curriculum for future speech therapists.
4. Structured and targeted training for would-be speech therapists facilitates a rapid enhancement of their self-regulation and control over the accuracy of their reading and verbal expression, fostering a conscious approach to linguistic norms. The correlation between the complexity of texts and their comprehension underscores the importance of developing a specialized corpus of materials for honing professional reading and speaking abilities.
5. The investigation into the state of articulation and linguistic reflection of prospective speech therapists represents a promising and crucial scientific and methodological endeavor. Longitudinal research in this domain, encompassing a broad demographic, with the implementation of a comprehensive multidimensional assessment of findings, and the comparative analysis of the efficacy of training models and methodologies, is essential for the development of scientifically rigorous educational programs for professionals whose work directly contributes to the normalization of speech and communication among children integrated into inclusive educational settings.

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