The emotional sphere of the child is the leading sphere of his mental development, in this regard, the full implementation of various forms of behavioral activity depends on the coordinated functioning of emotions and intelligence.
The peculiarities of the modern socio-economic situation of society have contributed to a number of changes in education. On the one hand, the humanistic nature of education, the intrinsic value of each stage of personality development was proclaimed, and on the other hand, the emotional tension that arises in response to information overload, lack of communication with adults, poor play and the real experience of children increased. Radical transformations taking place in modern Russia require updating, new approaches to education, therefore, updating new methods, techniques, methods in the system of preschool educational institutions.
The study of the emotional experiences of preschool children is very relevant. As you know, many problems of an adult lie in his emotional disorder in childhood, caused by distortions of the nature of intra-family relationships. This problem is attractive both theoretically and practically. «Preschoolers have not lost the immediacy of expressing emotions, but at the same time emotional competence is formed, the ability to recognize and verbalize their own feelings and the feelings of others» [1].
Currently, the Internet, television and mass media are oversaturated with models of conflict and violence, child abuse and negative energy. This has a detrimental effect on the emotional sphere of children.
Emotional development should be one of the key aspects in the upbringing of a preschool child. «The ability to understand and distinguish emotions, both one’s own and the emotions of another person, to manage one’s emotional state is a prerequisite for successful communication» [2].
The aim of the study is to substantiate the development of the emotional sphere in older preschool children in punitive activities.
Material and methods of research
As a research method, we used diagnostics of children’s ideas about reality, called by the authors «pictures of the world». T.Z. Adamyants, V.A. Shilova consider the «picture of the world» as an indivisible, integral «coordinate system» in which the child sees (feels, perceives) yourself and the world around you [3]. To study the «pictures of the world», we chose the following characteristics: features of relationships with the outside world, the approval of a behavioral strategy (emotional level of social relations); the ability to understand the other (communication skills). The frequency of using vocabulary that characterizes moral and ethical categories, favorite books, heroes, games (socio-cultural characteristics).
The first technique is preferred behavior. Work on fairy tales. Children are encouraged to answer questions based on their personal feelings.
Based on the results of the study of 1 methodology, we divided the answers into adequate, partially adequate and inadequate. Adequate interpretations were found in 60 % of children, partially adequate – in 30 % of children and in 10 % of children. The first technique is Favored Behavior. Work on fairy tales. Children are encouraged to answer questions based on their personal feelings.
It was revealed that children with adequate interpretations are more friendly to their peers. They use positive vocabulary, they are active in everyday life, they do not show aggression in their behavior. For example, in the fairy tale «Winnie the Pooh» they like a cheerful Tiger. In the fairy tale «Mowgli» they like Bagheera or Akela, who protect Mowgli. In the cartoon «Well, wait» no one was chosen.
Children with partially inadequate interpretation approve of a calm type of behavior (Hare, Piglet). Children who chose aggressive behavior chose inadequate interpretations. Aggressive behavior was chosen by children with a choice of heroes Sher Khan, Wolf (fig. 1).
Fig. 1. Emotional Level Survey
So, 60 % of children show friendliness and understanding of others, 30 % of children have a calm type of behavior and 10 % of children show aggressiveness.
For the second diagnosis, work was carried out with the photo dictionary «Learning to understand each other» from the collection of fairy tales, aimed at developing the skills of positive communication of children aged 5-8 years with peers and adults [4]. The technique is aimed at the ability to understand the mental and emotional state of a person by facial expression, since this ability is important for understanding other people. The children were offered 5 photos of children expressing different emotions (joy, aggression, support, surprise, irritation). List of possible questions for working with the photo dictionary:
1. Who is shown in the photo?
2. What is the mood of the person (s) in the photo? Why do you think so? Give reasons for your answer.
3. What details of the picture helped you to characterize the mood of the depicted hero?
4. Pick up epithets that can convey the emotional state of the person in the photograph.
5. Would you like to be in his place?
All the children recognized the joy in the photo, explaining it with a smile on the child’s face and a good mood coming from the photo. After viewing this photo, the children were in a better mood.
Aggression was misinterpreted by 5 children, confusing it with resentment. Otherwise, aggression is associated with anger, children do not like the angry character in the photo.
Support was misunderstood by 8 children, 3 could not give an answer. And the rest described support, friendship with other people, trust, help.
5 children could not interpret the surprise, since they do not notice this emotion in everyday life, it is difficult for them to recognize it in the photograph. 9 guys gave the wrong answer. Children who were able to characterize the photograph correctly copied this emotion with great pleasure. This photo gave a charge of positive emotions.
Irritation – this emotion was the most difficult for children. 10 children confused her with resentment, anger, dislike. 6 children were unable to recognize this emotion (fig. 2).
Fig. 2. Diagnostic results with the photo dictionary «Learning to understand each other»
Based on the results of the methodology, we can conclude that 70 % of children interpreted the photographs correctly, 20 % incorrectly, and no answer – 10 %.
Thus, it was revealed that not all children are able to correctly understand a person’s state by facial expression. In order for children to better understand the emotions of other people, it is necessary to carry out regular work on the photobook “Learning to understand each other”.
We believe that the leading means of emotional education of preschoolers is visual activity, since it is its own practical activity. Visual activity allows the child to directly experience, feel a variety of states and feelings.
In this regard, the visual activity of preschoolers associated with their personal experience, man-made activities, imagination, creativity is of great importance. Creative activity fills them with joy, personal experiences and emotional feelings. They enjoy drawing or sculpting.
And this is the second feature of children’s creativity.
Preschool age is called sensitive in terms of emotions, vivid feelings and their manifestations. The child will not be able to hide feelings and in his behavior vividly reflects his mood and feelings, fear, joy, chagrin, surprise, sadness.
The emotional development of a preschooler is influenced by factors such as nature, art, music, fiction, visual activity.
What is the role of visual activity in the emotional development of preschool children?
In the process of pictorial activity, the child puts all his feelings and experiences into his drawing. The therapeutic effect of visual activity on the emotional development of a child is known. Using different colors and strokes, he can relieve tension, stress, calm down. For him at this age, the result obtained, the quality of the drawing is not important, but what he felt during the image process is important.
Visual activity has a great potential for developing children’s emotional sensitivity, enriching the inner world, and a sense of satisfaction with activity. Working with a variety of materials gives them the opportunity to try themselves in drawing, modeling, applications, designing. The use of non-traditional techniques of visual activity, such as ebru technique, plasticineography, engraving, spray, thread printing, testoplasty, paper plastic, etc. they allow you to depict various shades of feelings, experiences, a range of moods, positive emotions.
Research results and their discussion
For the development of the emotional sphere in older preschoolers, a set of classes has been developed, which includes three blocks-directions:
1. Didactic games;
2. Integrated classes (fine art + perception of fine art (viewing illustrations, paintings); fine art + non-traditional techniques);
3. Psychohymnastic exercises.
The lessons were developed based on the collection of fairy tales «How kids learned to understand each other». The collection is a master class for preschool children «Stories of little babies: how to live in peace with yourself and others?» The plots of fairy tales are focused on countering the influence of the surrounding world, which makes children feel fear and alienation towards others.
Creative tasks based on the involvement of children in various activities are offered for each fairy tale: play, communication, cognitive, research and production activities, drawing.
Creative tasks and games are based on the principle of taking into account the individuality of children. The purpose of using fairy tales is to teach tolerance, friendly relations of children with each other, understanding, recognition and respect for others. [5]
To familiarize children with the works of famous artists, excursions to the museum and art gallery are held. Virtual museums are widely popular, which can be held in the form of online. At such classes, children get acquainted with the biography of the artist, his works. Children will learn a lot about regional artists, their paintings about the nature of their native land, the workers of the village.
Integrated visual activities and music develop in children a sense of beauty, a subtle understanding of works of art, harmony of beauty in nature and the human soul, beauty.
The use of non-traditional drawing techniques is of particular importance for the emotional development of children. Non-traditional methods include blotting, monotyping, sheet printing, splashing, wet painting.
Working with a fairy tale ends with a mini-project to complete creative tasks proposed after each fairy tale.
Children are provided with a wide range of opportunities to perform creative tasks. Creative tasks include three questions under the following headings: «Interesting question», «For the most attentive and curious» and «Task for dreamers». At the end of the creative task, specific topics are proposed (under the headings «Young talents», «Those who are friends», «Young artists», «Those who like to play»). Children perform mini-projects in different forms. These are drawings, crafts, applications, design, plasticine, modeling, etc.
MEGA projects are carried out in the form of creative contests, festivals, holidays, fairs of ideas, theatrical performances, sports competitions, complex or complex classes, etc.
After the work done, the level of development of the emotional sphere of older preschoolers was re-diagnosed and a comparative analysis of the results of the ascertaining and control stages of the experiment was carried out.
At this stage, the same diagnostics was used as at the stage of stating the experiment.
The results of a study of the level of development of the emotional sphere after work in process visual activity showed that the increased level of recognition and understanding of the edge of emotions, such as anger is (3 %), friendliness (2 %), thoughtfulness (5 %). surprise (2 %).
In this work, emotions, children have acquired a much greater depth and resilience, positive emotions began to dominate; evolved the ability to control his stormy, dramatic expression of feelings; the children have mastered the tongue of the emotions in order to Express finer shades of feeling, tone of voice; there was a change in the nature of children’s drawings, the drawings became more vivid, bright, change the quality of the picture that expresses positive emotions.
Conclusion
The results of the control stage of the study showed the effectiveness of the work carried out to develop the emotional sphere of children. Therefore, visual activity is an effective means of developing the emotional sphere of preschoolers. Visual activity has a beneficial effect on children’s self-esteem, goodwill, attention to each other.