DEVELOPMENT OF SOFT SKILLS IN CHILDREN OF THE OLDER GROUP IN JOINT COGNITIVE ACTIVITY

Abstract

Abstract. The article examines the development of soft skills in older preschool children through joint cognitive activities. In the theoretical study the notions and examples of soft skills and joint cognitive ability are analyzed. Moreover, the importance of communicative, teamwork and leadership skills, as well as emotional intelligence, creative and critical thinking in early childhood education is highlighted. Modern pedagogical approaches that emphasize collaborative learning, role-playing games, and problem-solving tasks are considered as key methods for enhancing children's social and cognitive abilities, along with other soft skills.

As a formative experiment, a training program for developing mentioned soft skills in children of the older group was designed and implemented. The results of observation indicate that joint cognitive activity fosters children's ability to communicate effectively, work in teams, and adapt to new situations. The calculated Fisher’s criterion showed that the training program which includes diverse cognitive activities and games enhances preschoolers’ soft skills. The overall study contributes to the growing number of researches on early childhood education by emphasizing the necessity of incorporating soft skills training into standard curricula.

The results of the study showed that the development of soft skills gives stable results while continuing at the primary level, and is not limited to preschool education. It is noted in world scientific works that these skills are the main competence inherent in a person of the 21st century. Therefore, the formation of a scientifically based system for the development of children's cooperative tendencies and leadership qualities from preschool age is the key to the upbringing of a future successful personality.