PURPOSE: to check the knowledge of children educators about speech development and describe an speech therapy instrumentation action. METHODS: The study was conducted in two public schools of kindergarten at Belo Horizonte. We developed and applied the following tools: Map Speech; Rating Scale Strategy and Open Issues. Maps and Speech Strategy Rating Scale were completed by teachers before and after instrumentation; the Open Question post-instrumentation answered. Between steps we performed an instrumentation development for the teachers covering speech, information on how to identify children with speech disorders, when to refer them to the speech therapist and how to stimulate the right speech in the classroom. The sample consisted of five teachers for students from 4 to 5 year old. RESULTS: Phonemes that have suffered major changes in the occurrence, indicating an improvement in the perception of teachers after instrumentation were:/p/, /λ/, /<img border=0 width=6 height=7 src="../img/50-10ent01.jpg" />/, c/l/v e c/r/v. There was a perception of educators in reducing rates of inappropriate speech, comparing pre-and post-instrumentation (37% to 4.4%), which shows that the instrumentation has changed the perception of teachers on the students' speech. Teachers reported that the instrumentation assisted in the identification of normal and speech problems of children. CONCLUSION: the instrumentation for the development of speech, performed by speech therapists, is a measure that contributes for prevention and health promotion aiding the teaching practice of the teachers.
Training; Childhood Education; Speech; Health Promotion; Public Health
