Learning disabilities are conditioned by development and environment; therefore, the first signs can be recognized in the preschool population of children. Research shows that the timely identification of preschool children at risk of learning disabilities (henceforth TUT) in primary school, as well as the timely provision of appropriate help and support in areas of deficits, enable the acquisition of new skills at the beginning of school and reduce the need for intensive help and support in later years. In recent years, the number of students who have been experiencing learning disabilities in primary school is increasing rapidly. Moreover, there is a higher need for intensive forms of help and support, which is important in determining changes in the educational, social, economic, personnel, and other areas. Early preventive action is important when dealing with learning disabilities; therefore, it represents an important part of research and operation in special rehabilitation pedagogy. I believe a key preventive strategy, to reduce learning disabilities in primary school, is to conduct regular and systematic treatments that are focused on the development of vulnerabilities in preschool children with TUT and by working in small groups, playing and doing physical activities as part of a regular preschool program.
The main purpose of the research was to plan, implement, and evaluate the treatment of the children with TUT in the form of intensive training conducted in 26 meetings. The training included four preschool children, whose results from the obtained initial assessment indicated the presence of TUT signs. Moreover, the training included exercises of phonological awareness, graphomotor skills, orientation on the surface, as well as orientation in space; i.e., exercises from the areas where children have special needs, and therefore needed plenty of additional help and support. In order to gain insight into the possibility of preventive strategy within the regular educational program for preschool by a professional who is in daily contact with the child and has specific knowledge in the area of early development, we conducted an interview with an educator from the department involving children from the sample. We compared the results of the initial and final assessment of skills mastery in the areas included in the training. The results showed the effectiveness of the training, as all children showed progress in all areas of the development involved. Therefore, the training has made an important contribution to reducing TUT at the beginning of school. Furthermore, the interview with the educator confirmed the importance and diverse possibility of preventive action as a part of regular work by carrying out customized activities within the department.
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