The corrective and developmental potential of physical education for preschool children with speech delay

Abstract

Abstract: The article addresses a relevant issue of physical education in working with preschool children with delayed speech development. It has been determined that physical education serves as an effective means not only for improving physical fitness but also for enhancing mental and speech development, as it activates compensatory mechanisms, stimulates speech activity, and promotes the child’s overall harmonious growth. Purpose. To determine the corrective and developmental potential of physical education for preschool children with delayed speech development. Methods. Analysis of scientific and methodological sources; theoretical methods including analysis, synthesis, generalization, and comparison of data from scientific and methodological literature related to the research topic. Results. Based on the analysis of contemporary scientific research and publications, it was established that physical education is one of the key factors influencing the development of older preschool children with delayed speech development. Motor activity contributes to improving the functions of the central nervous system, movement coordination, and fine motor skills, which are directly related to the enhancement of speech processes. A differentiated approach to the use of movement games and coordination exercises has been analyzed. These activities promote the formation of correct breathing, improvement of articulatory motor skills, and the development of attention, memory, and speech rhythm. The analysis of scientific sources revealed a number of issues that remain insufficiently explored in the field of physical education for children with delayed speech development. These include the lack of systematization of movement games according to age characteristics and levels of physical fitness, an insufficient number of methodological approaches to evaluating the influence of different types of play on specific components of motor and speech development, and the need for unified approaches to integrating movement games into corrective and developmental programs. The article also highlights the promising potential of digital technologies (video analysis, mobile applications, interactive games) for monitoring the effectiveness of physical education sessions and tracking individual progress among children. Conclusions. Physical education demonstrates a pronounced corrective and developmental potential in working with older preschool children experiencing speech difficulties. Movement games, breathing, and coordination exercises contribute to motor development, stimulate speech activity, and improve children’s overall psycho-emotional well-being. The effectiveness of such sessions is ensured through systematic implementation, individualized approaches, and the combination of play-based and corrective methods. The use of physical education means in the educational process should be regarded as an important condition for the harmonious development of five to six-year-old children with speech development disorders. Keywords: preschoolers, speech delay, older preschool age, physical education, movement games, correction, physical exercises.