The dissertation theoretically and practically investigates the problem of the formation of social competence in younger schoolchildren with Down syndrome (DS). In the course of the work, a detailed analysis of special psychological and pedagogical literature, modern approaches to raising and teaching children in the conditions of school education and inclusive education, the importance of relationships formed among younger schoolchildren was carried out. Psychological and pedagogical approaches to the formation of social competence and its components in younger schoolchildren with Down syndrome are presented. Various points of view on the formation of social competence according to the scientific research of scientists are characterized, as well as the need for further research of social competence as a multifunctional, polymorphic and interdisciplinary problem. The concept of «social competence» and «formation of social competence in younger schoolchildren with Down syndrome» in the context of subject-subject interaction of participants in the educational process (younger schoolchildren, parents and teachers who cooperate with a child with Down syndrome) are revealed in detail.
It has been established that primary school age is an important period in the process of forming social competence. An important component of the further development and integration of a child of a given age with Down's syndrome into society is the process of forming his social competence. The development of social competence in younger schoolchildren with Down syndrome is closely related to social adaptation and occurs due to their participation in various interactions with the surrounding world. This process is considered as an environment-oriented activity that is implemented in the direction of functional literacy. In this context, it not only defines a set of skills aimed at achieving social and individual goals, but also includes a wide range of social functions, wishes and aspirations of the child, which may not be formed in children with Down syndrome.
On the basis of theoretical analysis, we developed a structural-functional model of social competence in younger schoolchildren with Down syndrome, the criteria of which were skills, abilities, knowledge as components of social development, emotional-motivational, cognitive, behavioral-activity components and their main functions: emotional-motivational the component covers competences in the field of determining the rules and norms of the child's functioning in society; the cognitive component reveals social competence through a set of knowledge; the behavioral component is based on the mastery of social interaction skills and behavioral scenarios. The effectiveness of the work of the specified components is ensured with the help of socio-psychological mechanisms of the formation of social relationships in the system of the macro- and microenvironment. These mechanisms include psychological development, social adaptation, social identification and individualization. Also, the method of forming social competence in younger schoolchildren with Down syndrome, an adaptive diagnostic toolkit for use as criteria for assessing the formation of social competence in younger schoolchildren with Down syndrome was developed, substantiated and tested.
The confirmatory experiment confirmed the effectiveness of the structural-functional model of social competence in younger schoolchildren with Down syndrome and helped to determine further ways of carrying out corrective work with younger schoolchildren with Down syndrome. Based on the results of the ascertainment study, three levels of formation of the components of social competence in such children were distinguished: high (age norm), medium and low, and their specificities were characterized.
The analysis of the data of the diagnostic experiment proved that the components of social competence are not formed at a sufficient level in children with Down's syndrome. The functioning of the components of social competence (emotional-motivational, cognitive, behavioral-active) occurs in a peculiar way and with a delay due to the lack of formation of the proper level of intelligence, thinking, perception, memory, attention, imagination, motivation, self-awareness, communicative qualities and willful efforts, which are necessary for the development of social competence than peers with normative development.
Based on the analysis of the achievements of pedagogy, psychology and theoretical modeling, we have developed a methodology for the formation of social competence in younger schoolchildren with Down syndrome. The study of the development of the formation of social competence in children of the specified age involved the study of the peculiarities of the integral structure of this process within the school group.
