2017, 9
2017, 9
p. 4–9
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557
The article focuses on the role of the teacher in the play of preschoolers, which is very ambiguous. On the one hand, the play is the free, independent activity of children, which does not suppose intervention, much less adult leadership. On the other hand, fantasy play involving the typical differentiation between imaginary and real situations does not arise spontaneously, and the educator is the main condition for the creation full-fledged playing. The level of development of children playing, the desire and ability to play and the development of preschoolers depend on the position of the educator in regards to the children playing, and their game-playing competence. Different positions of the educator in regards to playing children are discussed: detached, didactic and supportive, which is based on game-playing competence. This article introduces the concept of “game-playing competence” which includes various components. There are three main abilities in game-playing competence: fertile imagination which allows the educator to overcome stereotypes and create new characters and plots; emotional expressiveness and artistry involving children in an imaginary situation; support initiation and autonomy in children, and their self-confidence. This requires communication skills and sensitivity to other people, allowing you to see and hear your partners. That can be difficult if the educator has clear understanding of how to play correctly and the children cannot do it. In addition, educators need to know child psychology and development games. In conclusion methods for developing these features in educators in the process of their professional training are discussed.
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2017, 9
p. 10–20
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549
This article explores the development of a child in a heterogeneous social group. The communication process for preschoolers in a heterogeneous social environment contains potential risks for the origin and materialization of various communication difficulties that are related to negative affirmations, incomprehension, rejection, unwillingness to collaborate with partners that possess different characteristics (nationality, health, family setting, behaviour etc. ). Heterogeneity is contemplated not only as a risk factor but also as a resource for children’s socialization, development of toleration, social flexibility, mobility, and communication competencies. The findings of two series of studies are presented: The first series (n=120) highlighted communication difficulties and types of communication difficulties for preschoolers in a heterogeneous social environment in kindergarten; the second series created psychological and pedagogical conditions for the development of toleration as a basis of constructive interaction for children in a heterogeneous group. The following types of communication difficulties for children in a heterogeneous group were identified: hyperactive, shy, and hysterical. It is shown that every type has specific communication difficulties associated with a low level of toleranca development. The results of an educational experiment are presented. The experiment was aimed at supporting preschoolers in overcoming actual communication difficulties through the development of structural components of toleration. The psychological and pedagogical conditions of this process are well justified (to ensure the readiness of educators to train preschoolers to be tolerant and to involve preschoolers in creative activities to design and transform the educational circumstances which create a socially heterogeneous environment).
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2017, 9
p. 21–27
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665
This article presents the experience of working with children with disabilities to correct issues in the communicative sphere. The aim of the study is to validate music therapy technologies used to improve the adaptive abilities of children with autism spectrum disorders and the delay of speech development. The essence of the method is in the orchestrating of a productive interaction for the child and overcoming communicative limitations through the inclusion of a musical instrument – the synthesizer. The article offers a tested sequence of steps for corrective measures which help to broaden the spectrum of communicative possibilities for the child. The main factors that determined the direction of the correctional and developmental work were the specific psychological and pedagogical features of the development of the child with these disorders as well as the educational and correctional potential of a musical instrument used in work with such group of children. During the ascertaining stage of the research, the assessment of the children’s functional abilities was conducted using the observation method, employing functional behavioral scales (Kazmin, 2015). This approach allowed similar characteristics among the studied groups of children to be identified. The sequence and content of the exercises during the training part of the experiment was aimed at a qualitative change in the indicators of the children’s level of maturity in their communication skills. A specific meaning and behavioral effect were appointed to a certain sound complex; labeling of the lessons’ stages was also used. As a result, along with qualitative changes in indicators that were common for both groups, some specific features of each of them were noted, appearing both in the working process with children and in a control group . The results of this work confirmed the effectiveness of a music therapy approach and, in particular, the use of the electronic keyboard synthesizer in correctional work on communication initiative development in children with disabilities. The study’s results were confirmed by the dynamics of these children’s functional development.
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2017, 9
p. 28–37
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419
This article describes the findings of research on children’s preferences for interaction in relation to a change in one facial measure - increasing the distance between the inner corners of the eyes (Orbital Hypertelorism Syndrome). This modification has perceptive (related to the processing of the face as a specific object of perception), socio-psychological (related to eye contact between people) and clinical (related to genetic diseases) meanings. The hypothesis for the expected reduction in positive perceptions of faces with symptoms of orbital hypertelorism was formulated on the basis of the documented negative attitude to children with facial abnormalities (cleft lip and palate). Preschoolers (n=140) were shown pictures of children and women with both increased and normal distance between their eyes. Preschoolers expressed their willingness to play with the children and to interact with an adult as an educator choosing one of the options: consent, refuse, or indefinite answer (experiment 1); consent or refuse (experiment 2). The results did not confirm the hypothesis. Rather, the indefinite answer was the primary choice for the perception of the pictures in all three groups: boys, girls, and adult women with the facial features (experiment 1). Comparison of positive and negative answers (experiment 2) showed an equal willingness to interact with people regardless of the symptoms of orbital hypertelorism. The obtained results are interpreted as a reaction to the novelty of an atypical face, which deviates from average measures. The findings are discussed in a broad social context, including short-term contacts with strangers and special needs children with atypical facial features.
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2017, 9
p. 38–47
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677
This research focuses on the problem of psychological health and its structural components. The aim of the research is theoretical analysis and empirical study of the relationship between features of older preschool children’s relationship to nature and their psychological health. It was assumed that there is an interdependence between the features of the perceptual-affective component of a child’s relationship to nature and his relationship with himself within the structure of psychological health. The article provides insight into modern research in the problem of psychological health and validates the model of psychological health as a system of personal relationships, which includes relationship to yourself, relationship to others, and relationship to the world, in particular the natural world. A distinctive feature of the model is the importance of emotional contact with nature and the subjective perception of it, along with dialogue and emotional interaction between people. The diagnostic program was designed on this basis. It offered the opportunity to explore features of children’s psychological health at the ages of 5-7, including their personal relationship to nature. The program includes diagnostic methods in the form of conversation, a verbal associative test, projective techniques and the author’s modified technique using a projective method with materialization as described in the children’s test “Diagnostics of emotional relationships in the family” (Bene, 1999). 156 children at the ages of 5-6 and 6-7 years have taken part in the empirical research. It was shown that the development of the perceptual-affective component of child’s relationship to nature is reliably linked with their emotional state, the features of self-awareness, and their social position in a group of peers.
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2017, 9
p. 48–57
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746
This article examines British early childhood education; regulation of the educational process for early (preschool) age children; and the features of content, organization and the estimation components of education in preschool stage. The author presents the translated documents and conducts comparative analysis of the legislative acts of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Russian Federation to identify the characteristics of English preschool education. After studying the history and development of early childhood education in Great Britain, the author pays special attention to the Education Act and the National Curriculum and the documents accompanying this legislative act that regulate the activity of educators: Statutory guidance «Early years (under 5s) foundation stage framework (EYFS)», «EYFS learning and development requirements: exemptions for children», «Early years foundation stage profile: exemplification materials» and «Statutory guidance on sex and relationship education». The analysis of the structure of the National Curriculum makes it possible to draw the first conclusion that it significantly differs from the Federal Educational State Standard of early childhood education, but the ideas embodied in both documents are similar and reflect the features of preschool age, and emphasize its self-worth. The analysis of documents and guidebooks accompanying the National Curriculum also makes it possible to draw a conclusion about the importance of pedagogical monitoring, as these documents are aimed at supporting educators in conducting diagnostics.
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2017, 9
p. 58–69
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587
Many studies have identified the positive link between imaginary play and emotion regulation in laboratory settings. However, little is known about how play and emotion regulation are related in everyday practice. This article examines how families use play as a tool to support young children’s emotion regulation in everyday family life. Two middle-class Australian families with children aged three years were studied over a six-month period (n = 30.75 hours of video observations and interviews). Findings show how manipulative play was used by parents during every day routines to mediate children’s emotions. Parents and children interact together to create an emotional zone of proximal development (ZPD) through play, suggesting that the development of emotion regulation is not an individual practice as identified in the literature, but collectively constructed. This study opens a new angle for understanding for a dialectical relation between manipulative play and children’s emotional development.
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