The author of popular books on the psychological and pedagogical diagnosis of children Strebelova EA graduated from the Moscow State Pedagogical Institute. Lenin. Having received a specialty at the faculty of defectology, she worked for many years as a teacher and methodologist of a specialized kindergarten, then taught at the Department of Oligophrenopedagogy at MGPI.
She made an invaluable contribution to the development of methods for working with mentally retarded children, and for diagnosing deviations in the development of preschool children.
In 1999, she was awarded the Presidential Prize for her contribution to education. On psychological and pedagogical diagnostics, E. A. Strebeleva wrote more than 50 works, many of which are very popular, are handbooks of speech therapists, psychologists and doctors.
Diagnostics by tests
Simple exercises and tests are developed on the basis of many years of research and observation, which allowed us to create the EA method. Strebelova on the psychological and pedagogical diagnosis of the development of children, which has no analogues. It is precisely in view of its effectiveness that this method of working with children received such approval in the reviews of many parents about the results of work according to the principles of this technique.
Exercises include a variety of tests, explanations on how to conduct them, tables in which the results for analysis are entered. These tables are subsequently investigated. Based on them, it is concluded whether the child has developmental abnormalities. Early diagnosis by Strebelova EA helps to timely identify the lag, to do the examination, to correct the condition of the baby with the help of treatment and additional classes.
In the book “Orphans” on psychological and pedagogical diagnostics, teachers, defectologists, neuropathologists, educators of institutions will find a technique that can be used to determine the level of development of children without parents.
Diagnostics by Strebelova E.A. young children are especially relevant: the smaller the child, the faster you can fix development problems, prevent the occurrence of deviations or reduce them. At no other age can developmental problems be so effectively corrected.
The outstanding defectologists L.S. also dealt with this question. Vygotsky, S.D. Zabramnaya and others.
The influence of adults on the development of children
The basis is the provision that the child develops in the process of activity, assimilating social experience. In preschool age, these are games; they contribute to the development of motor skills, speech, thinking and perception, imitation of the actions of adults.
The ability to adopt skills and experience from adults is a criterion for successful development, and can be taken into account in the diagnosis of Strebelova EA in order to identify mental retardation. Therefore, the environment in which the child develops is so important when his personality and attitude to the world, social behavior are formed.
Speaking about psychotherapy, the author notes that increased conflict, neurotic aggressiveness is often associated with the dysfunctional environment in which the baby grows. Group and individual work with parents is important for adjusting the development of children. Psychological and pedagogical diagnosis by EA Strebelova helps to understand not only the problems in the development of the child, but also the fact that adults who surround him need to change their lives. Only an integrated approach will help to maximize the development of the child, taking into account his health and potential.
Diagnostic Tasks
Psychological and pedagogical diagnosis Strebelova EA aims to identify deviations, timely prevention and adjustment. It helps to identify the causes of their occurrence and the severity of violations, make a forecast, determine an individual work program, and give recommendations on changing the conditions of upbringing to parents.
In this case, biological and social factors of personality formation are taken into account, as well as the fact that at each age their balance is different. That is, the health of the child is important, the full-fledged activity of the neuro-anatomical and physiological structures that ensure the functioning of the brain and its development through social interactions, active development in the process of games, training, imitation of adults, character traits and the nervous system.
At the first stage, interaction with adults is more important for kids. And already as it grows - the ability to imitate, it is one of the important criteria that is taken into account when diagnosed by Strebelova at an early age. In place of imitation, and in its process, possibilities are manifested in the implementation of independent ideas in creativity. Therefore, at a very early age, emotional-physical contact is so important for the baby, causing a "revitalization complex", which is gradually replaced by substantive and verbal communication. But it’s impossible to organize every step.
Another important development factor is the spontaneous perception of the world, events, people, which affect its ideas and conclusions, the formation of the psyche. It is important to remember that at preschool age all mental functions develop, the foundation of cognitive abilities, the elements of will, self-esteem are laid, stable schemes of personal response to various situations are formed, a value system is formed. In the process of formation, they can be adjusted, and with age it is much more difficult to do, and often impossible.
Diagnostic Principles
Diagnosis of young children by Strebelova EA based on a number of principles that allow you to get an objective assessment of the condition of the child and give the right recommendations for its development.
- The principle of an integrated approach means that the child should be thoroughly examined to clarify the characteristics of development and behavior, the state of the emotional sphere, and interest in the cognitive process. That is, the diagnosis of development should be part of a comprehensive examination. If there is reason to believe that disturbances in mental development are manifested, methods should also be used to study the child’s development history, monitor his behavior, games, and also emphasize pathopsychological, neurophysiological research and others.
- The principle of holistic systemic training involves the study of the links between mental disorders and the causes that cause them, the establishment of the most important and less significant.
- The principle of dynamic learning involves examining the state of the child in the present, as well as in dynamics, taking into account the influence of development when using a special corrective program.
- The principle of qualitative analysis is especially important. All data obtained should be taken into account in the interaction of the child’s mental development and personality traits. It notes his personal attitude to the tasks, to the results of the work performed, to the nature of the errors. To get an objective picture, it is important to combine quantitative and qualitative approaches in diagnostics.
To assess the acceptance of the task, the child’s consent to perform it is taken into account, as well as the child’s interest in the test itself and communication with adults during its implementation. Moreover, the child can try to do it on his own, through trial and error, using visual orientation, imitation or unsystematic actions that do not meet the properties of objects. If he can act according to instructions, take into account the properties of materials, measure his efforts taking into account their fragility, we can talk about adequate actions.
When completing the assignment, you can take into account the child's learning ability, if he implements it by imitation using auxiliary gestures of an adult or speech advice.
However, here, to obtain an objective assessment, a number of conditions must be observed. For repetition, you can show how to complete the task no more than three times, and with a speech you can evaluate the course of events and designate goals.
If a child moves as a result of learning from inadequate to adequate actions, we can talk about his development, while the lack of ability to complete the task indicates a violation of the emotional-volitional sphere, reduced intelligence. A normal child is interested in the results, he is upset, if nothing happens, he enjoys the success.
In order to make a correct conclusion about his condition, one must take into account whether he had development opportunities, whether the microclimate in the family was appropriate, and whether the living conditions were normal. Based on the early diagnosis of Strebelova, you can draw up an individual correctional program for the development of the child, give parents tips on education, make a pedagogical forecast.
Performance assessment
If after completing the tasks the child gains 34-40 points, it is considered that he has no deviations.
Four points are given for the test, which the child immediately begins to perform independently or in collaboration with adults.
The child receives three points if he is in contact with an adult, performs the task only after training, and acts adequately.
Two points are set when the child seeks to achieve the goal, acts adequately, but cannot cope independently after learning.
The child receives one point for inadequate actions, misunderstanding of the purpose of the task.
Features of development up to 3 years
The baby’s life is full of adventure and amazing discoveries. As soon as he begins to walk, his dependence on an adult decreases, he begins to zealously master the surrounding spaces, to study objects. Every day he gets more and more skills with which he learns to use things, and already in the third year of his life he determines the leading hand and the coordination of actions of both hands. Seeing a new subject, he wonders what can be done with it. Being engaged in various toys, he learns colors, shapes, weight, develops tactile sensations.
If he is offered a choice according to the pattern, then first he takes into account the shape, size, and then the color. In the second or third year of life, speech intensively develops in the process of communication and special studies. At an early age, the child intensively learns to communicate and show emotions, speak, perceive information, draw conclusions, move.
How research results are taken into account
To get the results of a child’s study, he is invited to complete a variety of tasks that are evaluated using a four-point system. Tables have been developed on the system for diagnosing the development of Strebeleva EA, in which tests, the name and age of the child are indicated, it is convenient to enter estimates and summarize them in them. In parental reviews, it is noted that this system is very convenient and practical to use at home, with additional classes for parents with kids.
How does the lag manifest
If a child has problems and developmental delays, then this is manifested in movements and games. The actions of such a baby are often unfocused, there is no interest in toys. Instead of asking what it is and what it is for, he can take a toy to throw it without exploring. Gait and movements are often not coordinated. There is also a lack of interest in the results, which can manifest itself in drawing lessons, in games.
Sometimes there is a weak development of neatness and independence skills, articulation and sound discrimination do not work well. Such children begin to talk only at the age of three, often this happens because there is no interest in the world around, there is no sufficient emotionality, which is noticeable even in the face.
Score using tables
It was to identify the real picture that a system of exercises was developed for diagnosing early development according to Strebelova EA in children aged 2-3 years. According to this system, it is planned to fill out a table in which there are columns of 2-2.5 and 2.5-3 years. It also offers various simple tasks. For example, assemble and disassemble a nesting doll from 2-3 dolls, put together a pyramid of three rings, put puzzles from 2-3 parts, choose cubes by color. Some classes are duplicated in type to exclude the influence of subjective factors.
It is proposed to find paired pictures, draw a track or a house. A child can draw scribbles, scribble something for a specific purpose, draw lines resembling a picture, or complete a task.
For each assignment there is an instruction that helps to put a mark. For example, a child can take apart and put together a matryoshka doll, do this by imitating an adult, try to cope on his own, but cannot compare the sizes, pull the matryoshka doll in his mouth or use it for knocking and throwing. This is considered a relative norm.
The feedback of many parents convinces us that conducting according to the method of E.A. Strebel diagnostics of the development of children will help in time to identify shortcomings in the formation of specific skills, evaluate them, give them characteristics, and then choose or draw up the right program to correct the condition, give recommendations for contacting specialists. Tasks are given on a principle from simple to complex, so they must be carried out in the order in which they are indicated in the tables.
Those who scored 10-12 points according to the results of tasks fulfillment belong to the first group, 13-23 - to the second, 23-33 - to the third, 34-40 - to the fourth.
Development recommendations based on testing results
Children of the first and second groups are recommended to increase physical activity, including a variety of movements for general development, strengthening back muscles, coordination and balance. They need more classes with adults, emotional communication and contact. They also need to learn to work according to the model and verbal instructions, to engage more in exercises and games that develop motor skills, a leading hand, coordination of movements, and stimulation of speech.
Other tables and tasks for early diagnosis Strebelova EA are offered for children aged 3 to 5 years. At this time, the child receives a new impetus in development, is literally overwhelmed with the information, knowledge, desire to share it with the outside world, but at the same time experiences certain difficulties associated with restrictions on the part of parents, insufficiently developed movements and speech. Preschoolers between the ages of three and five gradually master the ability to think, correlate events, deeds, and ponder actions in the mind, and not just in a visual and objective way.
It is at this age that objects and related activities are less interested in a child than objects and related human relationships. Appearing games appear that require several participants.
This is the time for the development of visual-figurative thinking, memory, and the formation of social attitudes. A child can act not according to the model, but according to verbal instruction, speech becomes from the accompanying event to the planning one.
For diagnosis by Strebelova EA appropriate tables are offered for children 3-4 years old, 4-5 years old, many tests are similar to those that were discussed above, but proposed in a more complex version. Their implementation will help to give the right advice on the development of the child and take timely measures to correct it.
The use of tests allows you not to miss the priceless time when even children who are lagging behind in development for various reasons can be strengthened with the help of exercises and creating a warm atmosphere of trust, and there are no other such periods in human life. Diagnostics Strebelova EA causes positive reviews of educators, doctors, teachers.