Psychological and pedagogical assistance in kindergarten
Kindergarten is a place where children develop their skills, gain knowledge, meet peers and have a nice time. Teachers undertake a number of activities aimed at stimulating children’s cognitive, emotional, social and motivational development. During this period, it is also easy to notice the differences that appear between children. Not all preschoolers develop at the same rate. Some of them may have problems with mastering teaching issues or establishing relationships with peers. That is why it is so important for specialists to take appropriate actions and provide the child with psychological and pedagogical assistance in a facility.
What is this help? These are activities aimed at recognizing and meeting the individual development and educational needs of the child. The role of educators and psychologists is to identify children’s individual psychophysical capabilities and environmental factors that may affect their functioning in the facility. The aim of psychological and pedagogical assistance is therefore to support the child’s development potential and to create conditions that will enable children to fully and actively participate in social life.
Who is covered by psychological and pedagogical assistance? These issues are regulated by the regulation on the organization of psychological and pedagogical assistance. It details the following difficulties that require the child to receive specialized support:
- disability;
- social maladjustment;
- threat of social maladjustment;
- behavioral or emotional disorders;
- special talents;
- specific learning difficulties;
- competence deficits and language disorders;
- chronic diseases;
- crisis or traumatic situations;
- educational failures;
- environmental neglect related to the living situation of the student and his family, how he spends his free time and social contacts;
- adaptation difficulties related to cultural differences or changes in the educational environment, including those related to previous education abroad.
However, in order for the child to obtain a diagnosis of difficulties, it is necessary to go with him to a psychological and pedagogical clinic. There, an objective and reliable observation of the child is carried out, and on its basis an opinion or judgment is prepared, which includes not only a description of individual difficulties, but also tips for working for parents and teachers in kindergarten.
The task of the kindergarten in such situations is to prepare appropriate documentation and plan specific therapeutic interventions. These may include rehabilitation classes conducted by a special educator, classes improving social and emotional competences, corrective and compensatory classes, speech therapy classes and others that result from the child’s needs.
Of course, help can be provided to children who do not have a decision or opinion from a psychological and pedagogical counseling center. Then our actions are based on the observations of educators and other specialists. It is therefore important to know the child well, his strengths and weaknesses, interests and individual needs. Thanks to this, it will be possible to select appropriate, adequate exercises and activities that will give the child a chance for comprehensive development.
It should be remembered that every action taken by the kindergarten should be accompanied by support from parents. Only when there is synergy of actions taken by all participants of the educational process do we have a real chance of achieving success.