Young School Children Research Articles

Методика развития наглядно-образного мышления младших школьников в детской театральной студии

The features of modern social processes associated with technocratisation and the introduction of elements of artificial intelligence inevitably give rise to obstacles and issues in the process of development and socialization of the human personality in general and, in particular, children. We focus on the need to develop visual thinking in younger schoolchildren, as a condition for their creative maturation and subsequent professional self-realization. Presented children's studio theatre is one of the possible areas for the development of this process. The development of visual thinking in younger schoolchildren is considered in the context of a developed and tested methodology. On the basis of a number of pedagogical provisions we define the concept “Methodology for development of visual thinking in a children’s studio theatre”, describe the structure of this methodology and consider the factors of effective influence on this pedagogical process. The methodology is carried out through the implementation of the content of three successively changing stages (adaptation, development, creative), which have their own goal setting. Certain forms, techniques and methods of domestic theater pedagogy at each stage of the implementation of the methodology are aimed at developing children's imagination and fantasy.

ПРИЧИНЫ ФОРМИРОВАНИЯ БОЛЬШИХ ОСТАТОЧНЫХ ПОСТТУБЕРКУЛЕЗНЫХ ИЗМЕНЕНИЙ У ДЕТЕЙ И ПОДРОСТКОВ НА СОВРЕМЕННОМ ЭТАПЕ

Objective: to identify factors contributing to the development of large residual changes in children of different age groups with pulmonary TB. Materials and methods. A retrospective comparative nonrandomized study included 455 patients aged 2–17 years admitted to hospital of the Central TB Research Institute. The patients were divided into 3 age groups: group 1 – early age children, group 2 – children of preschool age or young schoolchildren, and group 3 – prepubertal children and adolescents. Each group was divided into two subgroups based on treatment outcomes: subgroup a – patients with large residual changes and subgroup b – children with small residual changes after pulmonary TB. The influence of predictors on the volume of residual changes was assessed based on odds ratio (OR) in subgroups a and b in different age groups. Results. In group 1 the most significant predictors of large residual changes after pulmonary TB were late detection of TB, lack of contact observation and continuous exposure to TB (OR = 14.9, 6.2 and 5.8 respectively); in group 2 – late detection of TB, residence in the area with high prevalence of TB, and previous TB treatment failure (OR = 47.6, 5.8 and 5.6 respectively); in group 3 – concomitant diseases, previous TB treatment failure (OR = 8.4 and 5.8 respectively), residence in the area with high prevalence of TB, and late detection of TB (OR = 4.7 and 4.6 respectively). Conclusions. 1. The main factors influencing the volume of post-tuberculosis residual changes in all age subgroups were time of detection and treatment effectiveness. 2. Less significant predictors influencing residual changes were: lack of contact observation and duration of exposure to TB, concomitant diseases, lack of BCG vaccination, residence with a sociopathic family in a high burden territory or rural area. 3. Defective preventive examinations resulted in both large and small residual changes and contributed to untimely detection, but were not determinant factors of the development of large post-tuberculosis residual changes. 4. Highly informative diagnostic methods (intradermal testing with RTA and chest CT) result in early detection of TB only in cases of timely application.

БОЛАШАҚ МҰҒАЛІМДЕРДІ БАСТАУЫШ СЫНЫП ОҚУШЫЛАРЫН КӘСІБИ МАМАНДЫҚ ТАҢДАУЫНА ЕРТЕ БЕЙІМДЕУГЕ ДАЙЫНДАУ

The aim of the study was to explore and highlight the importance of preparing young schoolchildren for early adaptation to a profession. American psychologists Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham help people understand individuals using their multifaceted concept of the Johari Window. The Johari Window helps every professional reflect on their role. In defining the research problem, criteria and indicators for preparing future teachers to support young schoolchildren in adapting to a profession were initially studied. Experimental work was then conducted in accordance with these specified criteria and indicators. Kyzylzhar secondary school in Aktobe and Myrzhakyp Dulatov lyceum school No. 63 took part in the study. Myrzakypa Dulatova. In this context, the study involved working with 2nd-grade students. A total of 8 classes participated, consisting of 238 children. The average age was 7.6 years (SD=95). All students attended in-person classes and were divided into existing academic groups. During the study, students were randomly divided into groups of 7 for each academic class. Within these groups, career guidance programs were taught and implemented. Considering the goals of the experiment, the permissible sampling error did not exceed p=4.36, indicating that the current student model is representative for the purposes of the research. As a result, a ranking of survey questions was determined, and the reliability of the survey was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient.

Развитие регуляторных функций у детей 5–9 лет

This study was aimed at developing norms and analyzing the dynamics of development for the main executive functions components in older preschoolers and younger schoolchildren. In this study we relied on the model proposed by A. Miyake and his colleagues, which identifies three main components of executive functions: working memory, inhibition and cognitive flexibility. To assess all executive functions components in this study a set of methods previously tested for children of older preschool age was used, most of which were based on subtests of the NEPSY-II diagnostic complex. The study involved 7289 children ages 5 to 9 (M=78, SD=9.9 months), attending older and preparatory groups of kindergarten, as well as first and second grades of school from different regions of Russia, of which 46.7% are boys. The analysis results norms were developed from eight age groups during six-month increments, separating the boys and girls. It was found that in preschoolers, significant differences in the executive functions were observed between children with a difference of six months, and in primary school age - with a difference of a year. In addition, the analysis showed significant differences in all executive functions components in girls and boys of both preschool and primary school ages. Thus, the study made it possible to trace the dynamics of all executive functions components development in Russian children ages 5 to 9. The data obtained will be useful to both scientists and practitioners in the field of child development. It is important to emphasize that the study conducted is a cross-sectional, and its results must be supplemented with longitudinal data on the development of executive functions components.

The use of information computer technologies in the independent consolidation of knowledge in younger schoolchildren in the correction of dysgraphy

The relevance of studying the formation of independent consolidation of knowledge in children with disabilities is presented in a reasoned manner. Information and communication technologies are proposed by the authors as a tool for self-consolidation of knowledge. The authors consider such categories as independence, skills formation and children with disabilities, students with disabilities. Three directions in the theory of independent activity of P.I. Pidkasisty are revealed. The following authors made a great contribution to the study of self-consolidation of knowledge in children with disabilities: A. I. Herzen, V. G.Belinsky, N. A. Dobrolyubov, N. G. Chernyshevsky, D. I. Pisarev, E.Ya. Golant, Ushinsky K.D., Kaptereva P.F., Vakhterova V.P. In the study, the authors selected subcategories of children with disabilities, especially children with oral and written speech violation. L.S. Volkova’s classification of written speech is revealed. The group of 40 primary school students (second grades) took part in the study. The analyzed speech disorders in children of primary school age revealed the importance of independent consolidation skills of knowledge at all stages of remedial work. The results of studies revealing the peculiarity of using information and communication technologies (ICT) in the process of forming of independent consolidation skills of knowledge in children are considered. Special attention is paid to the consideration of the speech therapy program for the correction of written speech in primary schoolchildren with developmental language disorder (DLD) and using of computer technology, and the peculiarity of consolidating new knowledge at each stage of the study. The possibilities of using ICT as an effective resource for the formation of the of self-consolidation skills of knowledge in children with speech disorders are shown.

Диференційний аналіз сформованості прикметникової лексики у молодших школярів із порушеннями мовлення та нормотиповим розвитком

The article analyzes the content principles of the formation of adjectival vocabulary in younger schoolchildren with speech disorders and normative development. During the study, the presence of differential features was found in children with speech disorders and normotypical development. In particular, it was determined that in communication, the volume of adjective vocabulary in younger schoolchildren with speech disorders is smaller (4.4%) than in children with normotypical development (5.4%). In written speech, the amount of adjective vocabulary is also different and amounts to 5.2% in children with speech disorders and 8.8% in children with normotypical development. It was found that children with speech disorders are characterized by average levels of understanding of the adjective as a grammatical category: the ability to match adjectives to given nouns, a moderate ability to form adjectival forms that have more of a certain quality, difficulties when transforming nouns into adjectival forms; average levels of understanding of the content and contextual meaning of adjectival lexemes: full understanding of the meaning of adjectives used in a direct context, the ability to select lexemes that are opposite in meaning, difficulties in recognizing words close in meaning, low ability to understand adjectival lexemes that have a figurative meaning; medium and low levels of lexical competence: partial ability to perform tasks without a model and according to verbal instructions, inability to independently compose sentences using given adjectives, insufficient self-control functions during tasks involving adjectival forms.

КЕНЖЕ ОКУУЧУЛАРДЫН МАТЕМАТИКАЛЫК- ФУНКЦИОНАЛДЫК САБАТТУУЛУКТАРЫН МАСЕЛЕЛЕРДИ ЧЫГАРУУ АРКЫЛУУ КАЛЫПТАНДЫРУУ

In this article we will talk about functional, mathematical and mathematical-functional literacy of younger schoolchildren. The issues of formation of functional literacy, mathematical skills in younger schoolchildren, the ability to apply the acquired knowledge in practice are considered. It is recommended to discuss among teachers the importance of the ability to deduce textual and situational questions, to deduce them in several ways, to explain, to analyze conclusions. It also provides for the formation of mathematical and functional literacy among younger schoolchildren, the ability to identify the causes of the opposite opinion (mistakes made) and give their recommendations on it. Prepared on the basis of system-activity approaches used in neighboring countries, authors I.Bekboev, N.Ibraeva considered the need to change the content of textbooks in mathematics for students of grades 1-4 in accordance with the requirements of the time

The Influence of Music on Speech Development in Children from birth to primary school age

The article presents a theoretical analysis of the problem of the influence of music on the development of speech in children from birth to primary school age. It is noted that music occupies a special place in the correctional work on speech development in preschoolers and younger schoolchildren. The influence of musical activity on the formation of all components of a child's speech through listening to music, singing, playing musical instruments, logorhythmics and the atricalization is considered. In conclusion, it is discussed that the use of an integrative approach, including musical accompaniment in speech development classes, has a positive effect on the formation of speech activity in schoolchildren.

PREDICTIVE ESTIMATE OF OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE AND SELF-EFFICACY ON EARLY YEARS TEACHERS’ PERCEPTION OF HANDS-ON MATERIALS FOR CLASSROOM TEACHING IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

The study was carried out to examine the predictive estimate of openness to experience and self-efficacy on early years teachers’ perception of hands-on materials for classroom teaching in Lagos, Nigeria. The participants in the research were all the public and private elementary schools teachers in Lagos however snowball non-probability the sampling method was adopted to select 150 elementary school teachers as the sample. Three instruments titled Hands-on Materials Utilization Questionnaire (HOMUQ), Openness to Experience Questionnaire (OEQ) and Teacher Self-Efficacy Rating Scales (TSERS) were used to gather the needed data. Six research questions were raised while three null hypotheses were formulated. While the inferential statistics of Pearson Product Moment Correlation Statistic (PPMC) and T-test were employed to test the null hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance, the descriptive statistics of frequency count, percentage, mean, and mean rank were utilized to answer the research questions. The findings of this investigation demonstrated that early year teachers believed that using hands-on materials was beneficial for teaching young schoolchildren in attendance; however, there is no correlation between early year teachers' perceptions of using hands-on materials in the classroom and their openness to new experiences (r-value = -.003, p-value = 0.484 > 0.05); there is no significant relationship between self-efficacy and early year’s teachers’ interpretation of how hands on materials in the lecture hall (r-value = -.016, p-value = 0.844 > 0.05); there is no significance difference in male and female early year teacher’s interpretation of how hands-on materials for classroom teaching (t-value = 1.873, p-value = 0.709 > 0.05). Considering the results, the following recommendations among others were made: Government and private school owners should provide adequate and effective hands-on material(s) and make it accessible to the early year’s teachers; Government and private school owners through the ministry of education should organize on regular basis seminar and or workshop to be training the earlier years teachers on how to use hands-on teaching material to deliver instruction in early years classroom.

Self-education of future teachers in education of primary school children through national values

Relevance. Relevance of the study is due is a pedagogical conditions, the implementation of which in the educational process of universities, taking into account the aspect of transformation of the content of education from knowledge-centered to competence-based, wich will be contribute to the effective preparation of future primary school teachers for successful professional and pedagogical self-education through national values in today's rapidly changing world. Purpose. The aim of the study is to provide theoretical justification and develop pedagogical conditions for the successful formation of professional and pedagogical self-educational competence of future primary school teachers through national values in the educational process of higher education institutions. Methodology. As part of the study, we formulated the following hypothesis: if the process of professional training of future primary school teachers through the national values of the Republic of Kazakhstan will take place taking into account the pedagogical conditions developed and justified by us, this will lead to the successful formation of professional and pedagogical self-educational competence of future primary school teachers, since professional and pedagogical self-educational competence is not formed by default, for its formation, it is necessary to create adequate pedagogical conditions in the educational process of the university. Results. At present, there is an obvious contradiction between the need to prepare future primary school teachers through national values in the educational process of universities for successful professional and pedagogical self-education in a rapidly changing world, taking into account the transformation of the content of education from knowledge-centered to competence-based, and its insufficient development in modern higher pedagogical educational institutions and specialized scientific literature. Conclusions. National values allow the state to ensure its sovereignty, the continuity of generations, the identity and traditions of the people, so future primary school teachers through continuous self-education should be able to develop and apply current technologies for instilling them in younger schoolchildren.

BLOCKCHAIN IN EDUCATION: TRANSPARENCY AND EFFICIENCY IN THE FORMATION OF SCIENTIFIC LITERACY OF 4TH GRADE STUDENTS

The article explores the potential of blockchain technology in the context of the educational environment, focusing on elementary school students, in this case, 4th grade. The article discusses the methods of using blockchain technology to ensure transparency of the educational process, track individual student achievements and stimulate interest in scientific literacy. Special attention is paid to the possibility of creating decentralized systems for evaluating and recording achievements that contribute to more effective formation of academic skills. The paper offers concrete examples of the introduction of blockchain into educational practices and discusses the benefits that can be obtained from using this technology in the educational process to support the development of scientific literacy in younger schoolchildren.

DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL COMPETENCE OF YOUNGER SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE CONDITIONS OF INFORMAL EDUCATION

Martial law conditions do not create favorable conditions for the education and development of children, but at the same time encourage the search for innovative tools. Temporal challenges determine the need to develop digital competence in younger schoolchildren. Modern society increasingly uses digital technologies in various aspects of life, including education and communication. In addition, the ability to use digital resources is also determined by the requirements for the professional skills of a modern teacher, because today mastering the basics of computer literacy is the basis of educational activity. The importance of non-formal education in the digital competence formation, especially in summer camps, increases. The article presents the authors’ practical experience in the development of digital skills of school-aged children in the summer camp «IT for Kids», which was organized by the NGO «Megasocium» in cooperation with the Center for Information Technologies of Uzhhorod National University with the support of the international humanitarian organization «People in Need Slovakia». Educational content included the basics of computer literacy, cyber security, internet safety, media literacy, programming and robotics. The main educational research goals: determination of key aspects of digital competence, approbation of pedagogical tools effective in the conditions of a military conflict; analysis of scientific research and European practices; assessment of the effectiveness of the application of these methods and approaches in the educational process; designing further work on the development of IT competence in conditions of non-formal education; outlining prospects and opportunities for digital skills developing of school-age children vis summer camps.

Музична терапія як метод навчання та розвитку молодших школярів за умов воєнного стану

The article discusses the ways of introducing methods of music therapy into the educational process of primary school. The essence and role of mu­sic therapy as an innovative health-saving technology for working with younger schoolchildren are defined. The article states that war, as the strongest stress factor, poses a real threat to the psychological and physical health of children. Psychological trauma caused by adverse en­vironmental factors can nega­tively affect the reactions and intellectual development of children, lead to undesirable behavior, emotional insta­bility, and depres­sion. In the conditions of martial law, the school should become the re­source place where the care of the child is based in the context of helping him adapt to the circumstances in which he or she finds himself. Today's challenges require improving the edu­cation and development of younger students through the use of health-saving ap­proaches and methods. It has been established that music therapy, being a component of psy­cho­logi­cal, pedagogical and psychotherapeutic methods, contributes to the preser­vation of mental health and the prevention of emotional disor­ders. It has a positive effect on a person's mood, on functional activity and perfor­mance, on his entire spiritual world. A definition of the concept of «music therapy» has been proposed, taking into account different scientific views. The article presents a classifica­tion of methods of modern music therapy in relation to the patient's ac­tivity or type of training. It has been established that the methods of mu­sic therapy can be integrated into pedagogical concepts and actions containing musi­cal, psycho­logical and social processes of learning and development, since it opens up opportunities to take care of the child in a multifaceted way, taking into ac­count all his/her characteristics, devel­opmental needs and in­dividual prob­lems. It is noted that in order to opti­mize the process of per­sonal development of the child, it is necessary to allow two areas to conduct a dialogue. Music-therapeutic methods of instrumental, vocal, motor improvisation, per­formance of ready-made musical works, receptive listening to music are high­lighted. A selection of musical works for work with younger stu­dents is pre­sented. The effectiveness of the influence of music therapy methods as a non-verbal form of correction on the personality of a junior schoolchild is noted.

Teacher readiness for the prevention and correction of emotional disturbance in primary school children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Introduction. Psychological and pedagogical support for learners with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has currently become crucial in the Russian and foreign systems of education. The problem has been caused by the increasing number of children suffering from this disorder and insufficient readiness of a modern teacher to implement preventive and corrective work with the specified category of school students in a comprehensive school. One of the most common complications of ADHD in primary school children, along with learning difficulties, are emotional disorders (inadequately underestimated or overestimated self-esteem, anxiety, depression, affective outbursts). The current situation in education actuates the necessity of modern teacher’s readiness to prevent complications of ADHD as well as to provide corrective help to children with this disorder.Aim. The present research aims to determine the structure of the future teacher’s readiness to prevent and correct emotional disorders in primary school children with ADHD in the comprehensive school environment.Methodology and research methods. As methodological basis of the research served the activity-based, systemic, and competency-based approaches. Two groups of methods were applied in the study: theoretical (analysis, synthesis, classification, and generalisation) and empirical (survey methods, documentation analysis). The research methodology included the author’s questionnaire “Identification of Theoretical, Methodological and Psychological Difficulties in Primary School Teachers to Prevent and Correct Emotional Disorders in Junior Schoolchildren with ADHD”, the techniques “Self-Assessment of Empathic Abilities” (Yu. M. Orlova, Yu. N. Emelyanova) and “The Psychological Portrait of a Teacher” (Z. V. Rezapkina, G. V. Rezapkina). In addition, the interviews were conducted.Results. The analysis of diagnostic results showed that the respondents had superficial theoretical and methodological knowledge about psychophysiological characteristics of children with ADHD, as well as about children’s education organisation in a comprehensive school. On average, less than half of the respondents gave correct answers to the questions of the theoretical block. In the methodological block, the lack of professional knowledge on the organisation of education and upbringing of children with ADHD in a comprehensive school was revealed.The study identified the following organisational and content problems related to the prevention and correction of emotional disturbance in primary school children with ADHD in a comprehensive school: the lack of psychological and pedagogical support for this category of school children; a low level of theoretical and methodological knowledge of school teachers in the field of psychological and pedagogical support for school students with ADHD; the shortage of teachers’ skills and abilities to prevent and correct emotional disorders; the deficit of special programmes for psychological and pedagogical support of students in a comprehensive school; teacher’s unwillingness to work with this category of students; indisposition of parents having children with ADHD to cooperate with the teacher regarding their child’s education and upbringing.Scientific novelty. The structure of the future teacher’s readiness to prevent and correct emotional disorders in younger students ADHD in a comprehensive school was determined on the basis of the described professional qualities of a modern teacher; it includes the following components: motivational, theoretical-methodological, psycho-pedagogical, and methodical. Qualitative characteristics of these structural components were given to determine the possibility of preventing and correcting emotional disorders in younger schoolchildren with ADHD.Practical significance. The research results can be applied in the process of primary school teachers training in the system of higher education, as well as in the system of additional professional education to implement teacher training programmes on key issues of modern education in general, and, in particular, on the problems of the prevention and correction of emotional disturbance in primary school children with ADHD in the comprehensive school.

Formation of Elementary Mathematical Concepts in Junior Schoolchildren with Speech Impairment

The article presents the practical aspects of studying the formation of elementary mathematical representations in younger students with speech impairment. The specificity of elementary mathematical representations in younger schoolchildren with speech impairment is analyzed. During the experimental study, it was found that at the ascertaining stage of the experiment, children of primary school age with speech disorders showed low levels of formation of elementary mathematical representations. A program was developed that consists of three stages: preparatory, main and final. A feature of the main stage was the inclusion in the classes not only of tasks for the development of counting skills and mathematical representations, but also of motor exercises. At the control stage of the experiment, the indicators of the development of elementary mathematical representations became higher in the experimental group, which indicates the effectiveness of the use of a psycho-correction program aimed at the growth of elementary mathematical representations of children of primary school age with speech impairment.

Efficiency of an Alternative Physical Education Program for the Lower Grades of Elementary School Children.

(1) Introduction: This research was conducted with the aim of assessing whether an alternative physical education (PE) program could effectively substitute for the traditional PE curriculum and aid in accomplishing the essential goals and objectives of PE among younger elementary school children. (2) Materials and Methods: This longitudinal 6-month study included third-grade elementary school children of both genders, who were healthy, lived in urban areas, and were involved in an alternative PE program, as well as the regular PE classes. The sample of participants comprised 214 students, with 105 participants in the experimental group and 109 participants in the control group, who underwent pre- and post-intervention measurements. For the purposes of this study, 11 variables were applied to assess the parameters of growth and development, motor abilities, and physical and health education. MANCOVA and ANCOVA methods were used to determine the effects resulting from the alternative and regular PE programs, and differences between the groups, respectively. The data are reported as the mean and standard deviations, and were analyzed using the statistical package SPSS version 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Armonk, NY, USA). (3) Results: Based on the research results obtained for motor abilities and physical and health education, it was concluded that both the alternative and regular PE programs had positive effects in achieving the goals and objectives of PE, but without statistical significance at the multivariate and univariate levels. The differences between the two groups were found to be negligible (effect size, ES < 0.2). (4) Discussion: Sports and PE have distinct objectives and approaches. While sports emphasize competition and winning, PE aims to impart fundamental skills and knowledge, prioritizing inclusivity among younger students. Success in PE is measured by the number of students meeting these goals, potentially affecting both talented and struggling learners. (5) Conclusions: The results obtained from the conducted research indicate that both the alternative PE program and the regular PE program influence changes in motor abilities and physical and health education to a limited extent. The alternative PE program proposed in this study, with its modifications to the structure of existing, regular PE program, can fully replace the latter in schools that do not meet the required spatial and material standards.

Eye movements reveal that young school children shift attention when solving additions and subtractions.

Adults shift their attention to the right or to the left along a spatial continuum when solving additions and subtractions, respectively. Studies suggest that these shifts not only support the exact computation of the results but also anticipatively narrow down the range of plausible answers when processing the operands. However, little is known on when and how these attentional shifts arise in childhood during the acquisition of arithmetic. Here, an eye-tracker with high spatio-temporal resolution was used to measure spontaneous eye movements, used as a proxy for attentional shifts, while children of 2nd (8 y-o; N=50) and 4th (10 y-o; N=48) Grade solved simple additions (e.g., 4+3) and subtractions (e.g., 3-2). Gaze patterns revealed horizontal and vertical attentional shifts in both groups. Critically, horizontal eye movements were observed in 4th Graders as soon as the first operand and the operator were presented and thus before the beginning of the exact computation. In 2nd Graders, attentional shifts were only observed after the presentation of the second operand just before the response was made. This demonstrates that spatial attention is recruited when children solve arithmetic problems, even in the early stages of learning mathematics. The time course of these attentional shifts suggests that with practice in arithmetic children start to use spatial attention to anticipatively guide the search for the answer and facilitate the implementation of solving procedures. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Additions and subtractions are associated to right and left attentional shifts in adults, but it is unknown when these mechanisms arise in childhood. Children of 8-10 years old solved single-digit additions and subtractions while looking at a blank screen. Eye movements showed that children of 8 years old already show spatial biases possibly to represent the response when knowing both operands. Children of 10 years old shift attention before knowing the second operand to anticipatively guide the search for plausible answers.

METHODOLOGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATURAL SCIENCE LITERACY OF YOUNGER SCHOOLCHILDREN BY MEANS OF ADVENTURE EXPERIMENTS

In an era driven by scientific advancements, nurturing natural science literacy among younger schoolchildren is imperative. This article explores a dynamic approach to achieve this goal—Adventure Experiments. We delve into the core components of natural science literacy, emphasizing the critical thinking and problem-solving skills it instills in young minds. Adventure experiments, designed to be engaging and enjoyable, serve as the focal point of our methodology. We outline a comprehensive step-by-step guide for educators, emphasizing the importance of clearly defined learning objectives, interactive experiments, storytelling, collaboration, and critical reflection. Through compelling case studies, we illustrate the transformative impact of adventure experiments on students' understanding and interest in science. Despite challenges, this article presents viable solutions and explores future prospects, including the integration of technology. We advocate for the widespread adoption of adventure experiments, urging educators, parents, and policymakers to collaboratively shape a generation adept in natural science, innovation, and curiosity.

Theoretical approaches to the formation of educational independence in children of primary school age in a modern educational organization

The article is devoted to the actual problem of the formation of educational independence in children of primary school age at the first stage of general education. The paper reveals theoretical and methodological approaches to the concept of “educational independenceˮ, presents the essential characteristics of the formation of the process of educational independence in the scientific psychological and pedagogical literature: the tasks, features and stages of the organization of this process in younger schoolchildren are identified, the levels of formation of educational independence and criteria for their evaluation are formulated. The authors analyzed the domestic experience of the formation of educational independence of children of primary school age. Based on the analysis of programs for the formation of educational independence in the initial level of a general education organization, the authors characterize the most effective forms, methods and techniques of the teacher's work on the organization of the studied process. The article concludes that it is necessary to allocate a set of structural components of the educational activity management system of primary school students, which orient them to the manifestation of educational independence.

Homework’s Implications for the Well-Being of Primary School Pupils—Perceptions of Children, Parents, and Teachers

Teachers and educational researchers explore various approaches to make homework more engaging and enjoyable, intending to improve the well-being and academic performance of primary school students. The study aimed to identify practices with positive and negative effects on students’ well-being when doing homework. The views of those involved in giving, doing, and assessing homework were captured from three perspectives, namely, teachers, students, and parents. In May–June 2022, six online focus groups were conducted with the participation of 13 teachers, 11 parents, and 16 primary school students from a Romanian school. The thematic analysis identified the homework that the children (do not) like; their reactions when they receive, do, and are assessed for such homework; and suggestions on how to improve the homework. The results revealed that homework assignments that make young schoolchildren feel capable, effective, appreciated, and rewarded; homework done in teams in the form of competitions or games; parental involvement in collaborative homework; and homework with creative elements are effective ways that contribute to the well-being of primary school pupils when doing homework. Repetitive, lengthy, tedious, overloaded homework generates frustration, discouragement, and emotional reactions such as crying, abandonment, anxiety, and sleep deprivation.