WORKING ON DACTYL SPEECH WITH CHILDREN WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENTS

This article examines the theoretical and practical foundations of teaching dactyl speech to children with hearing impairments. Hearing loss can influence the development of spoken language, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, sentence comprehension and participation in everyday communication. In this context, dactyl speech—the representation of letters through conventional hand and finger configurations—can serve as a supportive educational and communicative resource. The article considers the pedagogical significance of dactyl speech, the aims and stages of teaching the dactyl alphabet, and the visual, motor and cognitive processes involved in learning dactyl signs. It discusses methodological approaches such as demonstration, practical imitation, reproduction, communication-based activities and differentiated instruction. Particular attention is paid to connecting dactyl forms with written words, spoken-language learning where appropriate, sign language and concrete objects or pictures. Examples of classroom exercises and assessment criteria are also presented. The article argues that dactyl speech should not be taught merely as a sequence of isolated hand movements: it should be embedded in meaningful communicative situations and adapted to each learner’s age, language experience, educational needs and preferred modes of communication. Systematic, accessible and individualized teaching can help learners recognize letter sequences, develop fine-motor coordination and visual memory, expand vocabulary, and participate more actively in educational and social settings.