Специфика социальной ситуации развития в дошкольном возрасте: Социальная ситуация развития дошкольника — Студопедия

Социальная ситуация развития в дошкольном возрасте

К концу раннего возраста ребенок и взрослый все более отдаляются друг от друга, повышается самостоятельность ребенка, усиливается стремление к отделению от взрослого, выделению себя как субъекта. К началу дошкольного возраста ситуация совместной деятельности распадается. Возникновение центрального новообразования – системы «Я» — свидетельствующего об окончательном выделении себя из окружающей действительности, создает предпосылки для появления новой социальной ситуации развития, где ребенок стремится к реализации себя как самостоятельного субъекта в мире взрослых. В дошкольном возрасте интересы ребенка перемещаются от мира предметов к миру взрослых людей. Ребенок впервые психологически выходит за рамки семьи, за пределы окружения близких людей. Взрослый начинает выступать не только как конкретное лицо, но и как образ. Социальная ситуация развития в дошкольном детстве — «ребенок — взрослый (обобщенный, общественный). Обобщенный взрослый — это носитель общественных функций, т. е. водитель, милиционер, продавец, воспитатель, мама вообще.

В дошкольном возрасте сохраняется стремление жить вместе со взрослым, но теперь это не совместная жизнь, а жизнь ребенка в жизни взрослых. Социальная ситуация развития также содержит в себе противоречие. С одной стороны, ребенок – член общества, основная его потребность заключается в том, чтобы жить вместе с окружающими людьми. В то же время в современных исторических условиях и в силу физических возможностей ребенок не имеет возможности принять полноценное участие в жизни взрослых. Идеальной формой реализации стремления ребенка взаимодействовать с реальным социальным миром становится ролевая игра. Она позволяет смоделировать эти отношения, включиться в них и действовать внутри этой модели.

В первой половине дошкольного возраста (3 — 5 лет появляется внеситуативно-познавательная форма общения ребенка со взрослым, для неё характерно стремление ребенка к уважению взрослого. К концу дошкольного возраста складывается новая и высшая для дошкольного возраста — внеситуативно-личностная форма общения. В отличие от предыдущей ее содержанием является мир людей, а не вещей.

Социальная ситуация развития дошкольника не ограничивается его контактами с окружающими взрослыми. Кроме реальных окружающих ребенка взрослых в жизни и в сознании дошкольника появляется еще один — идеальный взрослый. Кроме взрослого в социальной ситуации развития ребенка в дошкольном возрасте все большую роль начинают играть сверстники. Общение и отношения с другими детьми становятся не менее значимыми для ребенка, чем его взаимоотношения со взрослыми. Выделяется новая сфера социальных контактов ребенка — его отношения со сверстниками.

Социальная ситуация развития является исходным моментом для всех изменений, происходящих в течение данного периода. В результате развития к концу возрастного периода возникают новообразования, приводящие к перестройке всей структуры сознания ребенка и тем самым изменяющие всю синему отношений его к действительности и самому себе. Ребенок становится совершенно иным, нежели был в начале возраста: он начинает требовать другой системы отношений со взрослыми, иначе смотрит на мир и с помощью взрослых меняет систему отношений с ними. Это обусловливает изменение социальной ситуации развития. Таким образом, возникнув в определенной социальной ситуации развития, новообразования вступают с ней в противоречие и закономерно ее разрушают, подготавливая тем самым появление новой социальной ситуации развития.

90000 The stage of infancy, The social situation of development, The main contradiction of age (development problem)., Leading type of activity. 90001 90002 7.2. Stage of infancy 90003 90002 Social development situation 90003 90006 The specific reaction of a smile to the mother’s face is an indicator that the social situation of the child’s mental development has already taken shape. This is the social situation of the unity of the child with the adult. Vygotsky called it the social situation «WE».According to Vygotsky, the child is like an adult paralytic who says: «We ate», «We walked around». Here you can talk about the inseparable unity of the child and the adult. A child can not do anything without an adult. The life and activity of the child are, as it were, woven into the life and work of the adult caring for him. In general, this is a situation of comfort, and the central element of this comfort is an adult. As D.B. Elkonin, dummy and rocking — ersatz, adult substitutes, talking to the child: «Everything is calm!», «Everything is fine!», «I’m here».90007 90002 The main contradiction of age (development problem). 90003 90006 The social situation of the inseparable unity of the child and the adult contains the 90011 90012 contradiction: 90013 90014 the child needs the adult as much as possible and at the same time has no specific means of influencing him. This contradiction is solved throughout the entire period of infancy. The resolution of this contradiction leads to the destruction of the social situation of the development that gave birth to it.90007 90002 Leading type of activity. 90003 90006 The social situation of the child’s general life with his mother leads to the emergence of a new type of activity — 90011 90012 immediate emotional communication 90013 90014 of the child and mother. As the studies of D.B. Elkonin and M.I. Lisinoy, a specific feature of this type of activity is that the subject of this activity is another person. But if the object of activity is another person, then this activity is the essence of communication.What is important is not what people do with each other, he emphasized. El’konin, and then. that the subject of the activity is another person. 90007 90006 This type of communication is very pronounced in infancy. From the side of an adult, the child becomes an object of activity. On the part of the child, the appearance of the first forms of influence on the adult can be observed. So, very soon the child’s voice reactions acquire the character of an emotionally active call, whine turns into a behavioral act aimed at an adult.This is not yet a speech in the proper sense of the word, but for the time being only emotional-expressive reactions. 90007 90006 Communication during this period should be emotionally-positive. Thus, the child creates an emotionally positive tone, which serves as a sign of physical and mental health. 90007 90006 Is communication the leading type of activity in infancy? Studies have shown that the lack of communication during this period has a negative effect. So, after the Second World War, psychology included the concept of «hospitalism», which described the mental development of children who lost their parents and found themselves in hospitals or orphanages.90007 90006 Most researchers (R. Spitz, J. Bowlby, A. Freud, and others) noted that the child’s separation from the mother in the first years of life causes significant disruptions in the child’s mental development, and this leaves an indelible imprint on his entire life. Spitz described the numerous symptoms of impaired children’s behavior and the delay in the mental and physical development of children brought up in institutions. Despite the fact that the care, nutrition, hygiene conditions in these institutions were good, the death rate was very high.Many works indicate that under conditions of hospitalism pre-speech and speech development suffers, separation from the mother affects the development of cognitive functions, the emotional development of the child. 90007 90006 A. The Jersey, describing the emotional development of children, noted that the ability of a child to love others is closely related to how much love he received himself and in what form it was expressed. A. Freud, tracing the development of children who were orphaned during the war and brought up in orphanages, found that in adolescence they were not capable of selective treatment of adults and peers.Many teenagers tried to establish such close child-mother relations with someone from adults who did not match their age. Without this, the transition to adulthood became impossible. 90007 90006 Watching the development of children in modern closed children’s institutions, the Hungarian pediatrician E. Pickler discovered new symptoms of hospitalism. She wrote that children in these institutions at first sight make a good impression: they are obedient, usually busy with the game, go on the street in pairs, do not run up, do not linger, they can be easily undressed or dressed.They do not touch what can not be touched, do not interfere with their demands for the organizing work of an adult. Although this picture gives a sense of satisfaction, this behavior, says Pickler, seems extremely dangerous: these children are completely lacking will-power behavior, initiative, they only willingly reproduce and perform tasks according to instructions. These children are characterized not only by the absence of strong-willed manifestations, but also by an impersonal attitude toward an adult.90007 90006 90012 M.I. Lisina 90013 has analyzed the research on the influence of separation from the mother on the mental development of the child. She showed that the representatives of the psychoanalytic trend falsely interpret the child’s contact with the mother as a manifestation of his primitive sexual drives, without examining the real nature and the true content of these contacts and without studying the mechanisms of their influence on mental development. Representatives of the same behaviourist direction, according to Lisina, remain at the level of external description of the facts, mechanically interpreting developmental processes as behavioral reactions that arise under the influence of surrounding people.In both directions, a naturalistic approach to the problem of development is manifested. 90007 90006 A characteristic feature of the naturalistic approach to child development is the answer to the following question: where is the source of development? All representatives of the biologic direction in psychology are looking for a source of development within the individual. Therefore, it must be recognized that the theoretical analysis of a large number of undeniable facts about the serious negative impact of separation from the mother on the development of the child is based on incorrect positions.90007 90006 LS. Vygotsky and his followers believe that the source of development lies not inside, but outside the child, in the products of material and spiritual culture, which is revealed to every child by an adult in the process of communication and a specially organized joint activity. Therefore, the child’s way to things and to meet his own needs, according to Vygotsky, always lies through the relationship to another person. That is why the beginning of the psychic life consists in the formation in the child of a specifically human need for communication.During long observations and experiments it is proved that this need does not arise on the basis of satisfying the organic needs of the child, but is specially formed in the communication of the child and the adult, the initiator of which in the first days of the baby’s life is an adult. Vygotsky believed that communication with an adult is the main way of manifesting the child’s own activity. The child’s relationship to the world is a dependent and derivative of the most direct and concrete of his relationships to an adult.90007 The point is not in the child’s biological attachment to the mother, not in the satisfaction of sexual drives, nor in the mechanical presentation of stimuli and the selection of reactions, but in the organization of communication, the formation of specifically human needs, the management of the orienting activity of the child. One can even say that the whole thing is not in the mother as a biological factor, but in the adult as a specific carrier for the child of all human culture and ways of mastering it.90006 Only such theoretical guidelines made it possible to take important steps in practice, namely, to withdraw children from a serious state of hospitalism. In the study M.Yu. Kistyakovskaya showed that children who were in a war in the conditions of a lack of communication and therefore were deeply lagging behind not only in mental, but also in physical development, were brought back to life only after they managed to form an emotionally positive attitude towards adults and this basis to ensure a full course of mental development.90007 90006 Methods of raising children in orphanages were developed at the State Methodological Institute of the Children’s Houses (Budapest, Lozzi Street), created by E. Pikler. Employees of this center since тисяча дев’ятсот сорок шість worked on the elimination of severe consequences of hospitalism in closed institutions in Hungary, in which healthy children were raised at the age of two weeks after birth to three years. Below are listed the main principles developed by the Institute. 90007 90006 1. In the conditions of the institution, it is necessary to ensure stable personal communication, which can become the basis for further emotional balance of the child.This is achieved 90007.90000 Social-Emotional Development: Preschool Children | VLS 90001 90002 Know 90003 90004 Children’s emotional well-being during their early years has a powerful impact on their social relationships. Children who are emotionally healthy are better able to establish and maintain positive relationships with adults and peers (Trawick-Smith, 2014 року). Consider some of the children in your own life and the different stages in their social-emotional development as they were growing up. 90005 90004 Preschool-age children are learning to talk about their feelings and the feelings of others.Social-emotional development, however, involves more than just expressing emotions. It entails taking turns, becoming independent in following routines, interacting more with peers, engaging in meaningful relationships with others, controlling emotions, and developing a positive self-image. These skills are crucial for children’s successful participation in school and home experiences and for their overall growth. 90005 90008 Milestones 90009 90004 The chart below provides a closer look at how preschoolers develop social-emotional skills at different ages.Remember that individual differences exist when it comes to the precise age at which children meet these milestones. Milestones should not be seen as rigid checklists to judge children’s development, but rather as guides for when to expect certain skills or behaviors to emerge in young children so you are prepared to meet their changing needs. Think of these milestones as guidelines to help you understand and identify typical patterns of growth and development in children. You can use these milestones to meet the needs of the young children in your classroom.Although the skills highlighted in the chart develop in a predictable sequence over the preschool years, each child is unique. Your goal is to help all children grow and learn to their potential. 90005 90004 90013 Social-Emotional Developmental Milestones in Preschool 90014 90005 90004 90013 Age 3 90014 90005 90020 90021 Copies adults and friends 90022 90021 Shows affection for friends without prompting 90022 90021 Takes turns in games 90022 90021 Shows concern for a crying friend 90022 90021 Dresses and undresses self 90022 90021 Understands the idea of ​​»mine» and «his» or «hers» 90022 90021 Shows a wide range of emotions 90022 90021 Separates easily from family members 90022 90021 May get upset with major changes in routine 90022 90039 90004 90013 Age 4 90014 90005 90020 90021 Enjoys doing new things 90022 90021 Is more and more creative with make-believe play 90022 90021 Would rather play with other children than alone 90022 90021 Cooperates with other children 90022 90021 Plays «Mom» or «Dad» 90022 90021 Often can ‘t tell what’s real and what’s make-believe 90022 90021 Talks about what he or she likes and is interested in 90022 90039 90004 9001 3 Age 5 90014 90005 90020 90021 Wants to please friends 90022 90021 Wants to be like friends 90022 90021 More likely to agree with rules 90022 90021 Likes to sing, dance, and act 90022 90021 Is aware of gender 90022 90021 Can tell what’s real and what’s make-believe 90022 90021 Shows more independence 90022 90021 Is sometimes demanding and sometimes cooperative 90022 90039 90004 Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013).90083 Developmental Milestones. 90084 An electronic resource available from: http://www.cdc.gov/NCBDDD/actearly/pdf/checklists/All_Checklists.pdf 90005 90004 Remember that expectations about developmental milestones are driven by cultural values ​​and preferences. For example, in some cultures, children are not expected to feed themselves independently until they are 3 or 4 years old. In other cultures, children are expected to start eating independently in early infancy and toddlerhood. In your daily interactions with children and their families, you should remind yourself that culture and family priorities influence children’s social-emotional competence.90005 90004 If you are concerned about a child’s development, talk with your trainer, coach, or supervisor first. Share your observations of the child’s behavior and the reasons you are concerned. Your trainer, coach, or supervisor may choose to observe the child and set up a meeting with the child’s family. In some situations, families might be encouraged to contact their local school district, which can arrange a free evaluation of the child’s development and can help the child get any needed help and services.90005 90008 Preschoolers and Social-Emotional Development 90009 90004 As you study the chart, you may notice that the milestones are associated with different aspects of social-emotional development: Some are associated with children’s ability to engage in relationships with others, whereas others are associated with positive self-awareness. Some milestones relate to children’s ability to regulate or control emotions and others correspond with children’s ability to perform various tasks independently.Let’s take a closer look at these aspects of social-emotional development: 90005 90004 90013 90083 Relationships with others: 90084 90014 Preschool-age children engage in pretend play with friends and use words and sentences to express their feelings and thoughts. Even though they may still need adult support to share toys and materials with friends, they improve on their own as time passes. Preschoolers also improve in their ability to understand and appropriately respond to their friends ‘feelings.Children with healthy social-emotional development have a balance of all of these components. 90005 90004 90013 90083 Self-awareness: 90084 90014 Preschool-age children improve their ability to control their bodies during different activities throughout the day (eg, sitting at circle time or playing in the gym), take turns and have conversations with peers, acknowledge and use their own names and the names of others, and self-evaluate and know when they made appropriate or inappropriate choices.90005 90004 90013 90083 Emotional regulation: 90084 90014 Preschool-age children display a variety of emotions in different ways. For example, they may say, «I’m upset,» they may match facial expressions to happy, mad or sad, or they may laugh when excited. At the same time, they also improve their ability to manage their emotions to match the situation and environment and to control their emotions (e.g., separate easily from family members). Although preschoolers are better than toddlers at regulating emotions, they still need a great deal of help and practice with developing these appropriate behaviors.90005 90004 90013 90083 Independence: 90084 90014 Preschoolers with healthy independence will follow predictable daily routines and activities at school and at home, start identifying a favorite friend and ask that friend to play, independently play with toys and materials at home, school, or an outdoor playground, and complete many self-care tasks, such as getting dressed, going to the bathroom, eating snacks, feeding themselves, or getting ready for bed. Independent preschoolers will also tell caregivers about their day and learn and use new vocabulary daily.90005 90008 Emotional Literacy 90009 90004 Emotional literacy is children’s ability to label and talk about their own emotions or feelings, as well as the feelings and emotions of others. This is an essential component of social-emotional development because it helps children understand their own emotional experiences and, at the same time, helps them to acknowledge and understand the emotional experiences of others. Emotional literacy helps children solve problems and regulate their own emotions; these skills are essential for success in preschool and beyond.Children who label, talk about, and are aware of their emotions are more likely to focus on and engage in classroom routines and activities and less likely to become easily frustrated, have excessive tantrums, or act impulsively. 90005 90004 Many children learn to identify and discuss emotions through interactions or conversations with responsive adults in the context of positive relationships and supportive environments. In your work at a preschool program, you should embed opportunities for social skill development throughout the day.For example, you can share your emotions about events or experiences and encourage children to share their own emotions. You can also read books that discuss emotions or social interactions. In the Apply section of this lesson, you will find additional examples of resources and activities you can use to foster children’s emotional literacy. 90005 90008 Supporting the Social-Emotional Development of Children in Preschool 90009 90004 Children learn social-emotional skills in the context of their relationships by watching, imitating and responding to the social behaviors of others.Children also learn from the ways others respond to their emotions. Social-emotional skills are closely connected to a child’s family, cultural background and early experiences. Children learn by interacting and forming relationships with members of their families, schools and communities. 90005 90004 As highlighted in Lesson One (Social-Emotional Development: An Introduction), social-emotional learning begins in infancy and adults are the most influential models for young children. Caregivers who understand their infants ’emotional cues and respond immediately and sympathetically have infants who are less fussy and easier to soothe.The same happens with preschoolers; if caregivers validate children’s feelings, address their needs, and are responsive and supportive, preschoolers are better able to communicate their needs and emotions and are more likely to demonstrate healthy social-emotional development. 90005 90004 Healthy social-emotional development is highly associated with responsive caregiving. Responsive caregivers are supportive and positive, provide stimulating materials, play and engage with children, share events and experiences, follow children’s lead, and support children’s interests and learning.Responsive caregivers plan meaningful opportunities throughout the day to help children practice and learn social skills. As you read this section, envision the role you play in fostering healthy social-emotional development for the children in your care. 90005 90004 In Lessons 3 and 4, you will learn additional strategies to support the social-emotional development of all preschoolers. 90005 90002 See 90003 Video not availableWatch this video to learn about the range of social-emotional skills that are important for preschoolers.Video not availableWatch this video to learn about social-emotional development across the preschool years. 90002 Do 90003 90004 Preschool-age children in your care need daily opportunities to participate in activities that help them learn new social-emotional skills or practice existing skills in fun, stimulating, and supportive environments. You should purposefully use strategies throughout your day to support young children’s social-emotional development. Understanding developmental milestones is an important aspect of working with young children.Learning and understanding how preschoolers develop social-emotional skills and competence will help you foster their social-emotional learning and determine what kinds of experiences to plan in your classroom and program. You will find additional resources to foster children’s social-emotional competence in the Apply section. Consider the following in your daily work with preschoolers: 90005 90020 90021 Be responsive to children’s interaction attempts and build on what children say. 90022 90021 Engage in frequent, developmentally appropriate social interactions with children and adults in your classroom throughout your daily experiences and routines.90022 90021 Follow children’s leads, cues and preferences. 90022 90021 Include emotion words in conversations with children. 90022 90021 Make books available that discuss feelings and social interactions. 90022 90021 Ask children meaningful questions about their actions, interests, events and feelings. 90022 90021 Encourage children to use their words and talk to their peers when conflicts arise. Use developmentally appropriate language and provide conversation models and cues for children to follow if they need help solving a problem.90022 90021 Ensure you are sensitive to children’s unique needs, experiences and backgrounds. 90022 90021 Reach out to children’s families and be responsive to their needs and preferences. 90022 90039 .90000 Social Development in Preschoolers — HealthyChildren.org 90001 90002 At age three, your child will be much less selfish than she was at two. She’ll also be less dependent on you, a sign that her own sense of identity is stronger and more secure. Now she’ll actually play with other children, interacting instead of just playing side by side. In the process, she’ll recognize that not everyone thinks exactly as she does and that each of her playmates has many unique qualities, some attractive and some not.You’ll also find her drifting toward certain children and starting to develop friendships with them. As she creates these friendships, she’ll discover that she, too, has special qualities that make her likable-a revelation that will give a vital boost to her self-esteem. 90003 90002 There’s some more good news about your child’s development at this age: As she becomes more aware of and sensitive to the feelings and actions of others, she’ll gradually stop competing and will learn to cooperate when playing with her friends.She’ll be capable of taking turns and sharing toys in small groups, even if she does not always do it. Instead of grabbing, whining, or screaming for something, she’ll actually ask politely much of the time. As a result, you can look forward to less aggressive behavior and calmer play sessions. Often three-year-olds are able to work out their own solutions to disputes by taking turns or trading toys. 90003 90002 However, particularly in the beginning, you’ll need to encourage this type of cooperation.For instance, you might suggest that she «use her words» to deal with problems instead of violent actions. Also, remind her that when two children are sharing a toy, each gets an equal turn. Suggest ways to reach a simple solution when she and another child want the same toy, perhaps drawing for the first turn or finding another toy or activity. This does not work all the time, but it’s worth a try. Also, help her with the appropriate words to describe her feelings and desires so that she does not feel frustrated.Above all, show her by your own example how to cope peacefully with conflicts. If you have an explosive temper, try to tone down your reactions in her presence. Otherwise, she’ll mimic your behavior whenever she’s under stress. 90003 90002 No matter what you do, however, there probably will be times when your child’s anger or frustration becomes physical. When that happens, restrain her from hurting others, and if she does not calm down quickly, move her away from the other children. Talk to her about her feelings and try to determine why she’s so upset.Let her know that you understand and accept her feelings, but make it clear that physically attacking another child is not a good way to express these emotions. 90003 90002 Help her see the situation from the other child’s point of view by reminding her of a time when someone hit or screamed at her, and then suggest more peaceful ways to resolve her conflicts. Finally, once she understands what she’s done wrong-but not before-ask her to apologize to the other child. However, simply saying «I’m sorry» may not help your child correct her behavior; she also needs to know why she’s apologizing.She may not understand right away, but give it time; by age four these explanations will begin to mean something to her. 90003 90002 Actually, the normal interests of three-year-olds will help keep fights to a minimum. They spend much of their playtime in fantasy activity, which tends to be more cooperative than play that’s focused on toys or games. As you’ve probably already seen, your preschooler and her playmates enjoy assigning different roles to one another and then launching into an elaborate game of make-believe using imaginary or household objects.This type of play helps them develop important social skills, such as taking turns, paying attention, communicating (through actions and expressions as well as words), and responding to one another’s actions. And there’s still another benefit: Because pretend play allows children to slip into any role they wish-including Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, or the Fairy Godmother-it also helps them explore more complex social ideas. 90003 90002 By watching the role-playing that goes on during your child’s make-believe games, you’ll also see that she’s beginning to identify with her own sex.While playing house, boys naturally will adopt the father’s role and girls the mother’s, reflecting whatever differences they’ve noticed in their own families and in the world around them. At this age, your son also may be fascinated by his father, older brothers, or other boys in the neighborhood, while your daughter will be drawn to her mother, older sisters, and other girls. 90003 90002 Research shows that a few of the developmental and behavioral differences that typically distinguish boys from girls are biologically determined.For instance, the average preschool boy tends to be more aggressive, while girls generally are more verbal. However, most gender-related characteristics at this age are more likely to be shaped by cultural and family influences. Even if both parents work and share family responsibilities equally, your child still will find conventional male and female role models in television, magazines, books, billboards, and the families of friends and neighbors. Your daughter, for example, may be encouraged to play with dolls by advertisements, gifts from well-meaning relatives, and the approving comments of adults and other children.Boys, meanwhile, are generally guided away from dolls (although most enjoy them during the toddler years) in favor of more rough-and-tumble games and sports. Often, the girl who likes to roughhouse is called a tomboy, but the boy who plays that way is called tough or assertive. Not surprisingly, children sense the approval and disapproval in these labels and adjust their behavior accordingly. Thus, by the time they enter kindergarten, children’s gender identities are well established. 90003 90002 Children this age often will take this identification process to an extreme.Girls may insist on wearing dresses, nail polish, and makeup to school or to the playground. Boys may swagger, be overly assertive, and carry their favorite ball, bat, or truck wherever they go. This behavior reinforces their sense of being male or female. 90003 90002 As your child develops her own identity during these early years, she’s bound to experiment with attitudes and behaviors of both sexes. There’s rarely any reason to discourage such impulses, except when the child is resisting or rejecting strongly established cultural standards.For instance, if your son wanted to wear dresses every day or your daughter only wants to wear sport shorts like her big brother, allow the phase to pass unless it is inappropriate for a specific event. If he persists, however, discuss the issue with your pediatrician. Your child also may imitate certain types of behavior that adults consider sexual, such as flirting. If she’s very dramatic and expressive, you may be concerned by these «suggestive» looks and movements, but often the suggestions are just an adult way of looking at the situation, while the child is just playing and is not aware of her actions.At this age, she has no mature sexual intentions, and her mannerisms are merely playful mimicry, so do not worry. If, however, she may have been personally exposed to sexual acts, you should discuss this with your pediatrician, as it could be a sign of sexual abuse. 90003 90002 By age four, your child should have an active social life filled with friends, and he may even have a «best friend» (usually, but not always, of his own sex). Ideally, he’ll have friends in the neighborhood or in his preschool that he sees routinely.90003 90002 But what if your child is not enrolled in preschool and does not live near other families? And what if the neighborhood children are too old or too young for him? In these cases, you’ll want to arrange play sessions with other preschoolers. Parks, playgrounds, and preschool activity programs all provide excellent opportunities to meet other children. 90003 90002 Once your preschooler has found playmates he seems to enjoy, you need to take some initiative to encourage their relationships.Encourage him to invite these friends to your home. It’s important for him to «show off» his home, family, and possessions to other children. This will help him establish a sense of self-pride. Incidentally, to generate this pride, his home need not be luxurious or filled with expensive toys; it needs only to be warm and welcoming. 90003 90002 It’s also important to recognize that at this age his friends are not just playmates. They also actively influence his thinking and behavior. He’ll desperately want to be just like them, even during those times when their actions violate rules and standards you’ve taught him from birth.He now realizes that there are other values ​​and opinions besides yours, and he may test this new discovery by demanding things that you’ve never allowed him-certain toys, foods, clothing, or permission to watch certain TV programs. 90003 90002 Do not despair if your child’s relationship with you changes dramatically in light of these new friendships. For instance, he may be rude to you for the first time in his life. When you tell him to do something that he objects to, he may occasionally tell you to «shut up» or even swear at you.Hard as it may be to accept, this sassiness actually is a positive sign that he’s learning to challenge authority and test the limits of his independence. Once again, the best way to deal with it is to express disapproval, and you might want to discuss with him what he really means or feels. The more emotionally you react, the more you’ll encourage him to continue behaving badly. But if the subdued approach does not work, and he persists in talking back to you, a time-out is the most effective form of punishment.90003 90002 Bear in mind that even though your child is exploring the concepts of good and bad at this age, he still has an extremely simplified sense of morality. Thus, when he obeys rules rigidly, it’s not necessarily because he understands or agrees with them, but more likely because he wants to avoid punishment. In his mind, consequences count but not intentions. When he breaks something of value, for instance, he probably assumes he’s bad, whether he did it on purpose or not. But he needs to be taught the difference between accidents and misbehaving.90003 90002 To help him learn this difference, you need to separate him-as a person- from his behavior. When he does or says something that calls for punishment, make sure he understands that he’s being punished for a particular act that he’s done, not because he’s «bad.» Instead of telling him that he is bad, describe specifically what he did wrong, clearly separating the person from the behavior. For example, if he is picking on a younger sibling, explain that it’s wrong to make someone else feel bad, rather than just saying «You’re bad.»When he accidentally does something wrong, comfort him and tell him you understand it was unintentional. Try not to get upset yourself, or he’ll think you’re angry at him rather than about what he did. 90003 90002 It’s also important to give your preschooler tasks that you know he can perform and then praise him when he does them well. He’s quite ready for simple responsibilities, such as helping to set the table or cleaning his room. When you go on family outings, explain that you expect him to behave well, and congratulate him when he does so.Along with the responsibilities, give him ample opportunities to play with other children, and tell him how proud you are when he shares or is helpful to another child. 90003 90002 Finally, it’s important to recognize that the relationship with older siblings can be particularly challenging, especially if the sibling is three to four years older. Often your four-year-old is eager to do everything his older sibling is doing; and just as often, your older child resents the intrusion. He may be resentful of the intrusion on his space, his friends, his more daring and busy pace, and especially his room and things.You often become the mediator of these squabbles. It’s important to seek middle ground. Allow your older child his own time, independence, and private activities and space; but also foster times of cooperative play when and where appropriate. Family vacations are great opportunities to enhance the positives of their relationship and at the same time give each their own activity and special time. 90003 90002 The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician.There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances. 90003.90000 Communication: Preschool Children | VLS 90001 90002 «Communication works for those who work at it.» 90003 John Powell 90004 90005 90006 Know 90007 90008 Preschoolers are able and ready communicators. They communicate primarily through language, but they also rely on gestures, facial expressions, and behaviors. This next section will highlight language and communication milestones for preschool children. It will be followed by a section that discusses these milestones by introducing three aspects of language and communication that caregivers can think about: receptive language, expressive language, and conversation skills.90009 90006 Milestones 90007 90008 Language and communication develop with extraordinary speed during the early childhood years. Most children babble around 6 months, say their first words at about 1 year, use combined words around the end of their second year, and by the time they are 4 and 5-year-olds, they have elaborate vocabularies and know basic grammar rules . During the preschool years, children increase their vocabulary, use longer and more complex sentences, engage in problem solving, and talk about more than just what is happening at the moment.They talk about things that happened in the past as well as things that will happen in the future. Think of how exciting it is to watch a 3-year-old grow from stringing a few words together to holding elaborate conversations! The chart below highlights preschoolers ‘communication skills as they grow. Keep in mind that individual differences exist when it comes to the specific age at which preschoolers meet these milestones and that each child is unique. As you may have already learned in the Cognitive and Physical courses, milestones provide a guide for when to expect certain skills or behaviors to emerge.Think of milestones as guidelines to help you understand and identify typical patterns of growth and development, or to help you know when and what to look for as young children mature. As a preschool teacher, you can use this information, what you learn from families and your own knowledge in the interactions, experiences and environments you create for preschool children. 90009 90014 Language and Communication Developmental Milestones in Preschool 90015 90014 Age 3 90015 90018 90019 Follows instructions with 2 or 3 steps 90020 90019 Can name most familiar things 90020 90019 Understands words like «in,» «on,» and «under» 90020 90019 Says first name, age, and sex 90020 90019 Names a friend 90020 90019 Talks well enough for strangers to understand most of the time 90020 90019 Says words like, «I,» «me,» «we,» and «you» and some plurals (cars, dogs, cats) 90020 90019 Carries on a conversation using 2 to 3 sentences 90020 90035 90014 Age 4 90015 90018 90019 Tells stories 90020 90019 Sings a song or says a poem from memory, such as the «Itsy Bitsy Spider» or the «Wheels on the Bus» 90020 90019 Knows some basic rules of grammar, such as correctly using «he» and «she» 90020 90019 Can say first and last name 90020 90019 Asks questions and provides explanations 90020 90035 90014 Age 5 90015 90018 90019 Speaks very clearly 90020 90019 Tells a simple story using full sentences 90020 90019 Uses future tense; for example, «Grandma will be here.»90020 90019 Says name and address 90020 90019 Knows and may misapply rules of grammar (i.e., says» goed «instead of» went «) 90020 90019 Begins using» private speech «; you might hear the child’s inner monologue 90020 90019 Can define common items by use (i.e., a fork is a thing you eat with) 90020 90035 90003 Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). 90069 Developmental Milestones. 90070 An electronic resource available from: http://www.cdc.gov/NCBDDD/actearly/pdf/checklists/All_Checklists.pdf 90004 90008 Learning to communicate is a unique process and specific to each preschooler and family. Many aspects of a child’s environment may contribute to challenges with communication development. A family may wonder about their young child’s communication and language development and feel uncertain about what they are observing, as well as what to expect. As a preschool teacher, you have an opportunity to learn first from a family and consider offering additional developmental information, including possible warning signs.The Kids Included Together can be a valuable resource for you (http://www.kitonline.org), as well as the developmental milestones and act early information located on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, http: // www. cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html. The table below also highlights possible warning signs for preschoolers: 90009 90014 Possible Warning Signs of Language & Communication Delays in Preschoolers 90015 90014 Three Year Olds 90015 90018 90019 Drools or has very unclear speech 90020 90019 Does not speak in sentences 90020 90019 Does not understand simple instructions 90020 90019 Does not make eye contact 90020 90035 90014 Four Year Olds 90015 90018 90019 Can not retell a favorite story 90020 90019 Does not follow 3-part command 90020 90019 Does not use «me» and «you» correctly 90020 90019 Speaks unclearly 90020 90019 Ignores other children or does not respond to people outside of the family 90020 90035 90014 Five Year Olds 90015 90018 90019 Can not give first and last name 90020 90019 Does not use plurals or past tense properly 90020 90019 Does not talk about daily activities or experiences 90020 90019 Does not respond to people or responds only superficially 90020 90035 90006 How Preschoolers Communicate 90007 90008 As you study the chart above, you may notice that some milestones are associated with children’s ability to understand and comprehend language or what others say (receptive communication), others with children’s ability to use words and speak (expressive communication), and others with their ability to engage in language exchanges with peers or adults (social engagement).Let’s take a look at how these aspects of communication unfold as part of the remarkable development of young children during from three to five years of age. 90009 90008 90069 Receptive communication 90070 refers to a child’s ability to listen and understand language. Children begin to understand more words, longer sentences, and more elaborate questions. They understand the names of most things in their daily environment and actions they see or engage in each day. Children also begin to understand new descriptive words such as «soft,» «hard,» or «smooth», and emotion words such as «mad,» «sad,» «happy,» «scary»).90009 90008 Understanding language is closely related to young children’s cognitive development. For example, 3-year-olds begin to use and understand «why,» «when,» and «how» questions. By the time they are 4, children understand many words for colors, shapes, and sizes. Understanding language is also closely related to literacy and early math development. During the fourth year, children are learning to understand letter names and sounds and number names and meaning. Receptive language is essential for success in preschool as children need to understand how to follow directions, and listen to what teachers, other significant adults in their lives, or peers have to say.90009 90008 90069 Expressive communication 90070 refers to children’s ability to express themselves through words, gestures, and expressions. They communicate about their actions, emotions, needs, and ideas. They also respond to what others are saying. This is clear when you watch children playing with each other: they talk about play, describe their actions and ideas, and respond to what their friends are saying and doing. Preschool children may also talk to themselves when they are engaged in difficult tasks, to think out loud, or when they are excited.For example, a child may talk to herself while she is building a high tower with blocks, saying things like «one more, do not fall !,» or when she completes a new or challenging activity: «I finished the big puzzle all by myself! » 90009 90008 90069 Social engagement 90070 involves the understanding and use of communication rules such as listening, taking turns and appropriate ways to use sounds and facial expressions. Conversations involve both understanding (receptive communication) and expressing (expressive communication).Preschoolers learn the ways to use sounds, gestures, facial expressions and words of their family’s language (s) when adults interact, talk, read and sing with them. 90009 90006 Supporting Communication, Language, and Literacy 90007 90008 Effective communication skills are integral to children’s self-expression, their development of social relationships, and to their learning. The foundations for these skills begins at birth and is built throughout the early childhood years. When you engage in and sustain interactions with preschoolers based on their interests, you help strengthen the child’s role as a partner in communication.Communication and language development happen best in the context of consistent, caring and responsive relationships. 90009 90008 Your role as a preschool teacher offers opportunities to support these skills throughout the day. You can use your knowledge about communication and language development alongside your observations of the children in your care. Together, this information can create opportunities to partner with children to maintain their interest through communication. For example, during mealtime with preschoolers, you can maintain eye contact, smile, repeat and add context to the preschoolers ‘communication attempts, or follow a preschooler’s eyes as they look at the green vegetables on their plate and then say, «You’re looking at your green peas.What else is green? » Or, talk about who is sitting next to a child. «Who is going to sit beside you today at lunch, Tommy? Oh, look, Cassandra is going to sit beside you. » 90009 90008 Your role as a preschool teacher also offers an opportunity to create an environment that provides what young children need to become good communicators early in life. A communication-rich environment is characterized by intentional and frequent use of such strategies as: 90009 90018 90019 Learning about communication and language development in preschool children 90020 90019 Talking with and learning from families, as well as observing and identifying the developmental stage of individual preschoolers , and offering experiences and activities that can best support their development and learning 90020 90019 Adding words and ideas to best describe preschoolers ‘understanding of experiences 90020 90019 Responding to to children’s communication attempts and building on what children are saying 90020 90019 Using new, complex, and interesting words in conversations 90020 90019 Following children’s leads, cues, and preferences 90020 90019 Talking with children throughout the day about the events of the day 90020 90019 Embedding language games, songs, and rhymes into daily routines and experiences 90020 90019 Asking children meaningful questions ab out their actions, interests, events, or feelings 90020 90019 Reading to children frequently and providing opportunities for children to engage with books and printed materials 90020 90019 Incorporating alternative ways and systems of communication based on children’s individual needs (e.g., using pictures or visual cues to foster communication) 90020 90019 Providing daily opportunities to participate in activities that help them learn new skills or practice existing skills in fun, stimulating, and supportive environments 90020 90035 90006 See 90007 90008 Video not availableWatch communication and language development across the preschool years. 90009 90006 Do 90007 90008 Understanding developmental milestones is an important aspect of working with young children. Learning about and understanding how preschoolers communicate will help you know how to support them in developing language and communication skills, and what kinds of learning experiences to plan in your classroom and program.Consider the following in your daily work with children in preschool: 90009 90018 90019 90176 Plan meaningfully: 90177 In your daily interactions with children, you can purposefully plan activities that will enable you to generate information about children and how they develop and refine their communication skills . For example, you can observe how children communicate with peers or express themselves as they engage in daily work in your classroom interest areas, how they follow directions as you lead them through activities such as circle time, or how they communicate during free play with peers .You should use this valuable observational information to plan activities that promote further development in children or to adapt goals and activities to meet the unique learning needs of individual children. 90020 90019 90176 Be sensitive to individual children’s needs: 90177 As you engage in these observations, remember that each child is different and that sometimes children may not reach milestones as expected. However, if you are concerned with a child’s development, talk with a trainer.This may be difficult, but it can make the difference in meeting a child’s needs. Trainers can share information with families about typical development and let them know your program is available to help. If your program provides developmental screening tools, these can help begin a conversation about your concerns. You should always talk to a trainer, coach, or supervisor about ways to help the child progress in your classroom. 90020 90019 90176 Be responsive to families ‘needs and preferences: 90177 If family members approach you and share concerns about their child’s development, direct them to discuss their concerns with a trainer.The trainer is responsible when dealing with developmental concerns and he or she will begin the process for identifying or referring the child. Families of children older than age 3 could also contact their local school district. The school district can arrange a free evaluation of the child’s development for the child to receive services and support that meet his or her individual needs. Additionally, a pediatrician can perform developmental screenings and possibly refer the child to a specialist.90020 90035 90008 Learn about the tools your program uses to help understand each child’s development. For example, your program might ask families to complete tools like the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). This tool and others like it give your program information about each child’s unique development. Talk to your trainer, supervisor, or coach to learn more about the tools and processes your program uses and who to talk to if families have questions. 90009 .