PRIMARY EDUCATION IN GREAT BRITAIN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE XXI CENTURY: GOALS, CONTENT AND TASKS

Abstract

The article substantiates the peculiarities of the development of primary education in Great Britain at the beginning of the 21st century. The goals and tasks of school education are defined: transfer of cultural experience (elements of cultural experience that are recognized as valuable by a significant part of society); socialization of youth (useful models (norms) of behavior and values, understanding of tasks, skills and knowledge necessary for the social roles performance); preparing for mastering a specific profession; formation of general (extracurricular) skills. In the primary education, the emphasis is placed on acquiring knowledge regarding the development of basic competences on the development of the ability to assimilate the content of social experience. The tasks of primary education in Great Britain are singled out: expanding the horizon of children's activities in the social-cultural environment; providing assistance to children in acquiring practical skills and ideals of the values of a democratic society (tolerance, responsibility and respect for the rights of others); stimulating the development of knowledge, skills and the formation of views; preparing the student to overcome obstacles, to independently search for a solution to any problem. The British model of school education content is characterized as a combination of personality-oriented and competence-based, contributing to the schoolchildren socialization, providing the opportunity to become a competent person with formed ability to apply the acquired knowledge and skills in a specific life situation to solve practical tasks. It was concluded that the modern approach to the development of primary education in Great Britain consists in the rapid implementation of the function of promoting the education of student, strengthening the subject position of the teacher, his high mobility and flexibility.