Media terapi wicara Smart Hipo Talk untuk meningkatkan keterampilan berbicara pada anak penderita speech delay di Kelompok Dawis Kacang Tanah III, Kota Semarang

Abstract

Keterlambatan berbicara (speech delay) pada anak usia dini menjadi permasalahan perkembangan bahasa yang semakin banyak ditemukan akibat rendahnya stimulasi komunikasi dan tingginya penggunaan gawai pada anak. Kondisi tersebut juga ditemukan pada anak-anak di Kelompok Dawis Kacang Tanah III Kota Semarang yang mengalami hambatan dalam penguasaan kosakata, respons verbal, dan komunikasi dua arah. Kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan keterampilan berbicara anak penderita speech delay melalui penerapan media terapi wicara Smart Hipo Talk. Metode pelaksanaan kegiatan dilakukan melalui tahapan observasi dan wawancara mitra, pelatihan penggunaan media kepada orang tua, pendampingan terapi wicara, implementasi media terapi, serta evaluasi perkembangan kemampuan berbicara anak. Media Smart Hipo Talk dikembangkan berbasis audio-visual interaktif dengan pendekatan bermain sambil belajar untuk meningkatkan stimulasi bahasa anak secara lebih menarik dan komunikatif. Dari hasil pelaksanaan kegiatan diketahui bahwa penggunaan media Smart Hipo Talk mampu meningkatkan kemampuan anak dalam menyebutkan kosakata, menirukan bunyi dan kata, merespons instruksi verbal, serta melakukan komunikasi dua arah. Selain itu, keterlibatan orang tua dalam proses terapi juga meningkat sehingga stimulasi bahasa dapat dilakukan secara berkelanjutan di lingkungan rumah. Implikasi kegiatan ini menunjukkan bahwa media Smart Hipo Talk berpotensi menjadi alternatif media terapi wicara yang inovatif, praktis, dan aplikatif untuk mendukung penanganan anak penderita speech delay di lingkungan masyarakat.

Speech delay in early childhood is an increasingly common language development problem due to low communication stimulation and high use of gadgets. This condition was also found in children in the Dawis Kacang Tanah III Group in Semarang City who experienced difficulties in vocabulary mastery, verbal responses, and two-way communication. This community service activity aims to improve the speaking skills of children with speech delay through the application of Smart Hipo Talk speech therapy media. The implementation method of the activity was carried out through the stages of observation and partner interviews, training on media use for parents, speech therapy assistance, implementation of therapy media, and evaluation of the development of children's speech abilities. Smart Hipo Talk media was developed based on interactive audio-visual with a play-while-learning approach to increase children's language stimulation in a more interesting and communicative way. From the implementation of the activity, it was known that the use of Smart Hipo Talk media was able to improve children's abilities in naming vocabulary, imitating sounds and words, responding to verbal instructions, and conducting two-way communication. In addition, parental involvement in the therapy process also increased so that language stimulation could be carried out continuously in the home environment. The implications of this activity demonstrate that Smart Hipo Talk media has the potential to be an innovative, practical, and applicable alternative speech therapy tool to support the treatment of children with speech delays in the community.