In the dissertation, the content of the concepts “competence”, “communicative competence”, “communicative competence of a junior schoolchild” is analyzed. It is determined that the communicative competence of junior schoolchildren is an integrated quality of the individual, which is manifested in the ability to form a motivational and valuable basis of communication; master and apply language knowledge and skills; establish and maintain relationship with other people using different ways of interaction; work effectively in groups; possess various social roles necessary for successful socialization in a multicultural society. Speech and literary development are the components of one process - the formation of a creative personality of a schoolchild. They are interconnected: literary abilities are developed with the help of language, and linguistic means in the process of reader’s activity at the lessons of literary reading reveal an artistic, aesthetic, moral and ethical value of the read work. Speech development of students at reading lessons is an instrument and outcome of reader activity (direct or indirect) at each lesson, regardless of genre features of works and topics of the lesson. All types of tasks that are used for the development of reading skills, analysis of works, development of other abilities or qualities of the reader require a certain level of speech development, which involves the development of logical thinking. The preconditions for the origin of the methodology of reading and the development of speech skills are determined; the role of Ukrainian scientists, educators, writers and public people in the establishment of reading techniques is revealed in the dissertation. The analysis of the current textbooks “Literary Reading” (3rd -4 th forms) confirmed the compliance of the material with the content of the program requirements of the linguistic and literary educational aspect “Ukrainian language and literary reading” and its ability to ensure the formation and the development of a junior schoolchild as a linguistic personality by means of the native language on the principles of child centered competent training. This gave us the opportunity to emphasize the directions of literary reading and working with the children’s book to develop elementary school graduates’ steady motivation to independently read the texts of various genres and styles; ability to navigate in the world of children’s literature; perceive, understand, interpret the content in the context of educational and life situations; build their statements in accordance with the communicative situation, that is to be a competent reader and speaker. The initial level of formation of communicative competence of junior schoolchildren is revealed on the basis of interconnection of literary reading lessons and work with the children’s book. The results of the stating experiment showed the prevalence of the low and average levels of the formation of the communicative competence of junior schoolchildren, which confirmed the expediency of using the developed methodology in the elementary school. The experimental method of forming communicative competence of junior schoolchildren at lessons of literary reading and work with the children’s book was developed, grounded and applied. On the basis of the current program of Ukrainian language and literary reading, an experimental empirically-dynamic model was created. The model includes: didactic approaches; psychological and pedagogical, didactic and methodological conditions; general didactic and actually methodological principles of literary reading; methods, techniques, means and forms of education; the system of communicatively oriented exercises and tasks (analytical, reproductive and constructive, creative and communicative); indicators and levels of the formation of communicative competence of junior schoolchildren. The effectiveness of the experimental methodology of the formation of communicative competence of junior schoolchildren on the basis of interrelation of literary reading lessons and work with the children’s book was proved and validated experimentally. Key words: communicative competence, junior schoolchildren, literary reading, work with the children’s book, literary development, system of exercises and tasks, empirical and dynamic model.
