Psychological and pedagogical characteristics of a future first grader: kindergarten and school continuity problems

Abstract

The article examines the psychological and pedagogical characteristics of a first grader as a continuity problem indicator between preschool and primary school education levels. The increase in the number of children with special educational needs, inclusion, and modernization of education put children, teachers, and parents in new socio-psychological conditions in which kindergarten graduates may have difficulties in passing the educational route. In preschool and school educational organizations, there are differences in the assessment of the child's psychophysical development specifics, there is a mismatch in the leading education and training lines. The authors show that the continuity problem is currently very relevant and contains problems of an organizational and methodological nature, sharing responsibility problems between a child, family, society, and educational organizations, as well as cooperation problems of all participants in the children transition from one education stage to another. According to the research data, more than a third of future first-graders may fall into the risk group for possible school maladjustment. More than half of children have impaired hand-to-eye coordination and a high level of anxiety. The revealed relative disadvantage indicators of the children's psychophysical development indicate the need for meaningful cooperation between kindergarten teachers, educational institutions, and parents to create conditions for success in the continuity of various stages for adequate readiness for school for each child. The main areas of interaction can be the kindergarten teachers-psychologists training in early prevention of school maladjustment, psychological and pedagogical education of parents of future first-graders on school readiness, and increasing the kindergarten teachers competence in working with children with special educational needs.