This thesis aims to illustrate the role of preschool teachers in fostering the speech and language development of preschool children. Preschool teachers play a significant role in this process, as they plan and implement various activities designed to stimulate such development. Speech and language development is an extensive process spanning infancy, the toddler years, and early childhood. It is crucial for teachers to be well versed in developmental characteristics and potential deviations, as this enables them to guide children towards receiving appropriate help and support.
The thesis outlines speech and language development, key factors influencing this process, methods for fostering development, and disorders, milestones, and deviations associated with speech and language development. Exercises for strengthening the speech apparatus are included at the end of the thesis.
The empirical section aims to identify and demonstrate the role of preschool teachers in fostering the speech and language development of preschool children. The study was conducted using a questionnaire completed by 50 teachers from Slovenian kindergartens. The goal was to determine whether preschool teachers are familiar with the characteristics of speech and language development and potential deviations. We also sought to understand how teachers foster this development in preschool children. Furthermore, we investigated how frequently preschool teachers intentionally promote speech and language development through play. Finally, we also sought to determine whether preschool teachers lack the appropriate competences to foster speech and language development.
We employed descriptive and causal non-experimental pedagogical research methods. We found that the surveyed preschool teachers are largely familiar with the milestones of speech and language development and recognise them as part of their professional expertise. We also found that the majority of respondents are able to identify deviations in speech and language development. Furthermore, we established that most of the surveyed teachers foster speech and language development through activities such as reading picture books, stories, and fairy tales; conversing with children; asking questions; singing songs; reciting poems and verses; having children tell stories; and engaging in role play and social games. The surveyed preschool teachers regard play as a significant factor in promoting speech and language development. We also found that the majority of the surveyed preschool teachers do not perceive a significant lack of competence in fostering speech and language development; however, a small proportion do feel they lack these competences.
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