METHODOLOGY FOR STUDYING THE LEVEL OF SPEECH DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN WHO STUTTER

Abstract

This article presents a methodology for studying the level of speech development in children who stutter within the context of inclusive education and pedagogical university training. The study is based on the assumption that speech development in children who stutter should be assessed not only through fluency symptoms, but also through a broader system of indicators that includes phonetic-phonemic skills, lexical and grammatical development, coherent speech, communicative behavior, speech tempo-rhythm, and the child’s participation in dialogic interaction. The proposed methodology integrates logopedic, pedagogical, and psychological approaches and is designed for educational settings where diagnostic results are expected to guide corrective and developmental support. Particular attention is given to the principles of complexity, developmental sensitivity, ecological validity, and child-centered assessment. The methodology includes a staged diagnostic procedure, a combination of standardized and practice-oriented tasks, qualitative and quantitative scoring criteria, and guidelines for interpreting the results across different levels of speech development. The article also outlines conditions for reliable data collection, ethical interaction with children, and the role of collaboration among speech therapists, teachers, and parents. The proposed framework is intended to support future specialists in inclusive education in making evidence-based decisions for individualized intervention planning and monitoring the dynamics of children’s speech and communication growth.