Speech and Language Pathology Interactive Tools for Teachers at Initial Education Erasmus Project

Project Title

Speech and Language Pathology Interactive Tools for Teachers at Initial Education

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Disabilities – special needs; Pedagogy and didactics

Project Summary

The actual implementation of the project confirmed practically the expected impact related to the need for high quality education and the availability of tools for early recognition of speech and language pathology in children in the context of their personal development.

The need for such a project was confirmed by the Eurydice report on key data on early childhood education and care in Europe for 2014, published jointly with Eurostat. Its purpose was to give an idea of what constitutes high-quality education in early childhood through internationally comparable indicators, which were followed in the implementation of the project activities.

“Speech and language pathology” as a science is at the intersection of medical, linguistic, educational and psychological research areas. It focuses on the etymology, assessment (screening, identification and diagnosis) and intervention (promotion, prevention, counseling, therapy, referral, management, rehabilitation and education) of communication and swallowing disorders.

Speech disorder refers to a problem with the actual production of sounds (articulation, fluency, voice), while a language disorder refers to a problem in understanding or combining words to communicate ideas (receptive, expressive cognitive communication).

Literacy problems are still a real challenge in the EU:
– A large number of children have problems with learning their native language;
– Early speech and language problems cause later language disorders;
– Language proficiency influences academic achievement and success throughout life, as well as socialization.

The project created an online tool for detecting a speech and language pathology for teachers in kindergartens and primary schools with multiple sound tests, which is different for each language and tailored to the specifics of the spoken language in the respective partner country. In addition, different types of exercises were created to test and practice problematic sounds at different positions in the word, sentence, and short text to achieve problem sound automation.

The online tool was developed by the project consortium with various tests with fun activities for children such as games, flash cards and worksheets to make a preliminary assessment of potential speech and language disorders. Teachers (in kindergartens and primary schools) already use the tools and other support materials, describe what they hear from the child and at the end of the test the final result is visualized graphically. This result is calculated according to the well-known and accepted scientific and pedagogical tests for speech and language pathology. If the result indicates a speech disorder or a problem with the pronunciation of a certain sound, teachers have reason to inform the school psychologist to talk to parents about additional activities or consultation with an appropriate specialist.

The main goals of the project “SpeelPath4Teachers” were:
– Increasing the chances for education of children with speech and language difficulties / problems by creating tools for early recognition of speech pathology – to be used by teachers in kindergartens and primary schools;
– Intervention in the earliest stages of speech and language development through appropriate free support tools and materials;
– Supporting children in their education through a mobile application with exercises and a test to check for speech and language difficulties.

The tool described above is widely available on the Internet and can be downloaded freely from Google Play so that teachers, parents and caregivers have easy access. The resources will serve for a long period of time for general educational support, as well as for the development of language and speech skills (grammar, syntax, vocabulary, phonology and storytelling) for students of different ages.

The achieved intellectual results of the project are 5, of which 4 are approved for funding, and IO5 is developed in the form of self-participation and additionally funded by funds from PMI:
1. Speech and language therapy childhood education report
2. Benchmarks for speech and language therapy education
3. Speech and language therapy online tools
4. Resource pack for teachers at initial education
5. Usability evaluation report

The project also contributed to raising public awareness of the consequences of untimely intervention to prevent speech pathology or to alleviate language disorders. The results of the project are already used by teachers, NGOs and other stakeholders in their day-to-day work, as well as become part of additional educational support programs.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 270326,03 Eur

Project Coordinator

First Private School Leonardo da Vinci Ltd & Country: BG

Project Partners

• UNIVERSITY OF RUSE ANGEL KANCHEV
• PHOENIXKM BVBA
• SoftQNR D.O.O.
• International Association for Research and Development of Vocational Education and Training
• UNIVERZITETNI REHABILITACIJSKI INSTITUT REPUBLIKE SLOVENIJE-SOCA
• SDRUZENIJE NA NA RABOTESHTITE S HORA S UVREZHDANIYA
• THE NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY