How to help a child develop?
There is a concept called the “zone of proximal development.” It was introduced into psychology by the famous Soviet psychologist L.S. Vygotsky. The zone of actual development is the child’s skills that he performs independently, without the help of adults.
Also, in preschool age, a child actively develops many mental functions, and with the assistance of an adult, he can learn a lot. You just need to do it not FOR him, but TOGETHER with him. What a preschooler can do with the help of an adult, a little later he will be able to do on his own. This is called the zone of proximal development. If you want to teach your child something, do it with him first. In addition, this is how we develop his confidence in his abilities.
We are always in a hurry to get somewhere, and it seems easier and faster to do something for the child. But then we expect that he himself will be able to put away toys, cut out paper and put clothes in the closet.
Children are capital in which you need to invest time and attention, and they will pleasantly surprise you.
Speech development
At preschool age, the centers responsible for speech functions mature in the child’s psyche, and the process of mastering native speech is completed. The little man's vocabulary increases significantly. At six years old, a child’s active vocabulary contains 2500-3000 words. This is three times more than that of a three-year-old child.
However, these indicators depend entirely on the environment in which children grow up. Preschoolers have a large vocabulary if their parents talk to them a lot and read fairy tales and stories with them (this is how they become familiar with literary speech).
This period is characterized by the so-called word creation of children - the ability to form bizarre forms of words or use words in an unusual meaning.
What is a work program?
The work program is an important tool for the implementation of educational programs of preschool educational institutions, as well as an integral component in the work of a teacher, including an educational psychologist. This is stated in Art. 48 of Federal Law No. 273 of December 29, 2012 “On education in the Russian Federation.” It says:
“Teaching staff are obliged to carry out their activities at a high professional level, to ensure the full implementation of the taught educational subject, course, discipline (module) in accordance with the approved work program " (Article 48 of Federal Law No. 273)
Also, Federal Law No. 273 of December 29, 2012 “On Education in the Russian Federation” establishes the meaning of the work program in the education system, which is included in the concept of “educational program”, as an integral part of the complex of basic characteristics of education, as well as in the concept of “approximate basic educational program" as a structural unit of educational and methodological documentation. This is stated in Federal Law No. 273 in Art. 2 clause 9, clause 10.
Based on all of the above, you can determine what a work program is.
A work program is a normative document based on the educational program of a preschool institution, the content of which is adapted to the specific conditions of the group and reflects the age and individual characteristics of children’s development. (O.A. Voronkevich, T.Yu. Sedacheva, E.A. Yakimova) [1]
Thus, we can conclude that it is necessary to develop a work program by preschool teachers, including educational psychologists.
LEADING ACTIVITY – GAME
So, play plays a major role in the mental development of preschool children. Going through certain age stages, it transforms depending on the degree of development of the baby:
- 3 – 4 years – director’s play;
- 4 – 5 years – the game becomes figurative and role-playing;
- 5 – 6 years – the game takes on a role-playing orientation;
- 6 - 7 years old - preschoolers play according to the rules established for each game.
Each game, to one degree or another, reflects some area of activity, as well as relationships. The game gradually ceases to be manipulative - using only objects. Its essence is transferred to a person, to his activities. Therefore, the child perceives the actions of adults as not only an objective, but also a subjective example.
The game has enormous developmental and educational significance. During games, children learn to fully communicate with each other: share, negotiate, help, conflict. The game develops motivation and the needs of children. In role-playing games with complex plots and actions, preschoolers actively develop their creative imagination. The game helps the child improve voluntary memory, perception, thinking, and intellectual activity. All this contributes to its further development and becomes the basis for preparation for training.
Pochemochki, greedy and brawlers
Preschool age is the age of a thousand and one questions. The baby is actively exploring the world, and he is interested in knowing everything: what the sun is made of, and why the bag rustles. Although sometimes these questions are inappropriate, always take the time to answer them. This way you broaden your baby’s horizons and strengthen your relationship.
On the playground you can often see little “greedy” children who do not want to share toys with other children. Mothers who do not want conflicts urge their children to give the toy away to play with. But is this right? Preschool children are still characterized by selfishness, and it is important for them to “own” their toys. Besides, there is nothing wrong with a sense of ownership over your toys. Imagine if a person came up to you and asked you to play on your phone. You would refuse, and others would call you greedy.
This is how a child feels when asked to give his toy to another. It’s better to explain to your child that the toy belongs to him, and if he wants (I emphasize: if he wants), he can give it to someone else to play with, but that child will definitely return it. If the baby does not want to give, it is his right to dispose of his toy.
There are also children who strive to hit, push or call you names. Firmly, but without anger, stop the child. Usually at the age of 4 years, the child begins to test the boundaries of other people. In other words: “How can I interact with others?” And if unwanted behavior is not stopped, it will continue to appear.
Summary of a lesson for a teacher-psychologist at a preschool “Travel to the country of “Cooperation””
Psychologist: “Today we will travel to the country of Cooperation.” Let's close our eyes for a moment (children close their eyes). At my clap we open our eyes. Here we are in the country of “Cooperation”, and I will accompany you around this country.I have an unusual box in my hands, it contains a little man whom you know well: he is the one and only, he is the best, the smartest, the most beautiful, he is a great wizard, without him our journey is simply impossible. Each of you, opening the box, should look at it, smile and say “How I like you!”... The children take turns opening the box, look into it and say the phrase: “How I like you!” Next, the psychologist asks the children: “Who did you see in the box?”
Psychologist : “So you are magical people who work miracles.”
Psychologist: starts a conversation about how the efforts of many people are needed to accomplish some important task: “In the magical land of Cooperation, like ours, the efforts of many people are needed to accomplish some important task. For example, it is impossible to build a big house, a ship, a car, publish a book, or grow a large crop alone. But people participating in a common cause must act in concert, otherwise nothing will work out, as happened with Swan, Cancer and Pike in Krylov’s famous fable. It is necessary to learn to do different things together, to learn cooperation...
Psychologist : “What skills make up the ability to cooperate:
Psychologist: Now let’s move from words to deeds and try to cooperate in completing one task.
We cannot go on our journey on foot; it can take a very long time. Therefore, each couple will now draw a ship. You must decide together what it will be, what color, etc..”
“So, you and I found ourselves in the magical land of “Cooperation”, everything is different here, not like ours. And to understand the language of the inhabitants of this country you need to be very attentive and observant. Now each of us, silently, without saying anything to others, will choose any animal. After everyone has done this, we will take turns, without saying anything, without making any sounds, to portray the chosen animal. One shows, everyone else makes an assumption about what the performer is depicting.”
Guys, please take one pebble from the box and give it to whoever you want, but always with the words: “I’m giving you this pebble because you are the most...”.
Leading needs of a preschooler
The psychology of preschool children often contains contradictions. For example, at this age they have two new needs:
- communication with other children;
- the need to be engaged in some activity important to society.
But the child cannot fulfill the second need in society. How can he resolve this contradiction? This is precisely what leads to the emergence of role-playing games, which enable preschoolers to play the roles of adults who are engaged in socially important activities.
An important need for a baby at this age is the need for acceptance and unconditional love. It is important for him to feel that he is special to his parents, and that he is loved simply for who he is. Parental acceptance and love creates a strong foundation for healthy self-esteem. Having matured, the child will not “curry favor” in order to earn love.
Unconditional love does not mean no punishment for wrongdoing. But parents need to separate personality and actions and punish the child precisely for his misdeeds, and not because he is “bad.” We need to explain to him that he is good and loved, but his parents must punish him for his misconduct.
FORMATION OF PERSONALITY
One of the important aspects in the psychology of preschool age is the process of development of a small personality: its emotions, motivation, self-awareness.
- Emotional sphere.
The period of preschool childhood is relatively stable and calm emotionally: there are practically no special outbursts or conflicts, with the exception of the crisis of 3 years, when the child just realizes himself as a small social person. The stable development of the emotional sphere is facilitated by the development of the child’s ideas. Representations allow him to switch from a specific situation, so the difficulties that arise do not seem so significant. However, the experiences themselves gradually become more complex, deeper, more diverse, and the range of experienced emotions increases. For example, empathy for others appears. The child learns to feel and understand not only his own self. All images in the child’s mind acquire an emotional coloring, all his activities (and this, first of all, play) are saturated with vivid emotions.
- Motivation.
The beginning of personality formation is associated with the formation of such an important personal mechanism as the subordination of motives. They have different significance for a preschooler. One can distinguish motives of self-esteem (competition, achieving success), motives associated with the formation of moral standards, etc. In the preschool years, the child’s individual motivational system begins to build, which will be of great importance for his future success.
- Self-awareness.
It is considered to be the main new formation of the period. The formation of self-awareness is facilitated by active personal and intellectual development. Self-esteem is formed in middle preschool age, initially from one’s own assessment (necessarily positive), and then from assessments of the behavior of others. What is typical: the baby learns to evaluate the actions, skills or behavior of other children first, and then his own.
At this stage, gender identification occurs. Children recognize themselves as representatives of the male or female gender - a girl or a boy, and learn the features of appearance, clothing, character, behavior, and social roles of different sexes. By the senior preschool period, the child begins to perceive himself in time: he remembers what he was like in the past, is aware of himself “here and now,” and can also imagine what he will be like in the future. The baby knows how to correctly express these ideas in speech.
General characteristics of preschool age
In modern psychology, preschool age is considered to be from 4 to 7 years. The beginning of this period is preceded by a crisis of three years. This is a rather difficult period in the life of parents, since the child shows extreme negativism and strong stubbornness.
It is this crisis that means that the child differentiates, separates from the mother and manifests itself as a separate person with his own opinions and desires. In order for him to successfully pass this stage, parents should under no circumstances humiliate or break the preschooler. You need to show him that he is heard, and he has the right to his experiences, but it is the right of adults to decide.
Having gone through this crisis, the child reaches a new level of relationships with adults. If earlier he was the “navel of the earth”, his mother’s continuation, now he becomes a separate person and a full member of the family. He must follow family rules, and his first responsibilities appear (putting away toys).
The boundaries of the family are revealed, and the child discovers the world around him. At this time, he usually begins to attend kindergarten, where he learns to interact with peers, as well as other adults. This is the first social role.
The desire for independence is an important characteristic of preschool age. The child strives to be an adult, but cannot yet be one. This is what gives rise to role-playing games as an opportunity to “play at being an independent adult.”
The preschooler tries to imitate his elders in everything, from intonation to gestures and behavior. At this age, a child, like a mirror, reflects his parents. This is a great opportunity for them to look at themselves from the outside and think about what they are teaching their children.
