THE ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACHES IN SPECIAL PEDAGOGY

Аннотация

Special pedagogy is a field focused on working with children who have disabilities or developmental impairments, and its effectiveness largely depends on psychological approaches. These approaches allow educators to consider the individuality, needs, and developmental dynamics of each child. This article analyzes the main psychological approaches applied in special pedagogy and their significance. Keywords: Special pedagogy, psychological approach, inclusive education, defectology, corrective pedagogy, intellectual disability, individualized education, speech therapy, pedagogy, psychology, cognitive, behaviorist, education, integration. Special Pedagogy is the science concerned with the education and upbringing of children with physical or mental developmental disorders. It develops based on the general principles of pedagogy while taking into account the specific educational activities of children with physical or mental impairments. The main objective of special pedagogy is to establish the scientific and theoretical foundations for organizing the education and upbringing of such children and to train defectology specialists accordingly. Special pedagogy also deals with the psycho-pedagogical and clinical study of children, identifying the causes of impairments, pedagogical classification, and categorization, providing individualized approaches in special education institutions, and preparing children with impairments for physical labor. Depending on the type of impairment studied, special pedagogy branches into areas such as surdopedagogy (hearing impairments), oligophrenopedagogy (intellectual disabilities), typhlopedagogy (visual impairments), and speech therapy (logopaedics). Each of these branches is a part of general pedagogy, and collectively they form thefield ofdefectology. In Uzbekistan, certain works have been carried out in the field of special pedagogy. For instance, for the faculties of defectology in pedagogical institutes, textbooks such as "Fundamentals of Oligophrenopedagogy" by Q.Q. Mamedov, M.I. Soatov, and P.M. Po‘latova, and "Speech Therapy" manuals by L.R. Mo‘minova and M.Y. Ayupova were created. In addition, scholars such as S.A. Aytmetova, M.Y. Ayupova, D.A. Gordiyenko, Q.Q. Mamedov, L.R. Mo‘minova, P.M. Po‘latova, V.S. Rakhmonova, M.I. Soatov, and R. Shomahmudova have published guides, programs, lecture notes, methodological recommendations, and articles dedicated to theoretical and practical issues of diagnosing, correcting, and overcoming developmental impairments in children. Main Objectives ofSpecial Pedagogy: -Involving children with developmental disabilities in theprocess ofsocialization, -Developing individualized educational programs, page478 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ISSN:2692-5206,ImpactFactor:12,23 AmericanAcademicpublishers,volume05,issue04,2025 Journal: https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai -Creating an adapted learning environment, -Establishinga system of pedagogical and psychological support. Psychological Approaches Used in Special Pedagogy: Activity-Based Approach: This approach, developed by L.S. Vygotsky and A.N. Leontiev, emphasizes that a child's psychological development is closely related to their activity. It aims to foster children's educational and play activities, encourage independent actions, and strengthen the connection between movement andperception. Person-Centered Approach: According to K. Rogers and A. Maslow, this approach stresses the importance of considering the individuality of the child, including their interests, abilities, and psychological needs. It involves developing educational methods tailored to each child's unique characteristics, enhancing motivation, creating a positive psychological environment, and fostering independenceand self-confidence. Behaviorist Approach. According to J. Watson and B. Skinner, the behaviorist approach is based on managing the educational process through shaping behavior. Its main principles include the use of reinforcement and punishment systems in the learning process, application of behavior correction techniques, and development of adapted teaching methods for children with special needs. Cognitive Approach. According to J. Piaget and L. Vygotsky, this approach is aimed at developing thechild’s thinkingprocesses. It includes thefollowing elements: - Teaching based onstages of cognitivedevelopment, - Developing children’s attention, memory, and thinking abilities, - Adapting theeducational process tothe child's level ofunderstanding. The practical significance of psychological approaches in special pedagogy lies in developing educational strategies tailored to each child’s individual needs, increasing the effectiveness of education by addressing psychological issues, establishing a system of counseling and psychological support for teachers and parents, and ensuring the social integration ofchildren with special needs. In Uzbekistan, significant work is al