Introduction
The personal development of each person is based on several significant phases that play an essential role in personality formation. For instance, when babies are born, they are unable to use the skills of social reasoning, as these skills develop later. In turn, this period can be characterized by the intention to focus the vision, explore, and learn about surrounding things. At the same time, preschooling is the period when a person starts to develop crucial physical, emotional, and language skills. It is important to take appropriate measures to help the child adapt to the environment and transition into the phase of early childhood successfully. To achieve this goal, healthcare providers recommend using developmental milestones that can be used to determine whether the child develops accurately. In general, the preschool child is required to have gross motor skills, fine motor skills, early mathematical understanding, and problem-solving.
A Brief Overview of Child Developmental Characteristics
As children grow into the phase of preschooling, numerous parents do not have an appropriate understanding of what their children should know and understand. First, it is significant to note that each child develops uniquely, which is why there is no need to compare all children with one another. However, psychologists and medical workers treat children of this age group according to specific milestones that have been developed several decades ago. In general, the person transitioning into the phase of preschooling becomes more independent and begins to focus more on adults and children outside of the family. This way of perceiving the world helps children get acquainted with the environment and develop appropriate physical, emotional, and language skills. Simultaneously, this stage of development is considered one of the most difficult periods for both parents and children.
Parents frequently fail to help the preschooler adapt to the world in the appropriate manner. Therefore, the majority of highly qualified specialists recommend parents follow basic recommendations. For instance, it is usually recommended to continue to read to the child, as this process is beneficial for developing early literacy skills, sparking the child’s imagination, and developing the ability to focus (Weinert et al., 2016). Moreover, it is essential to encourage the child to play with other children, as it helps children of this age group learn the value of sharing and friendship. Also, numerous psychologists highlight that it is vital to speak to the child in complete sentences and use “grown-up” words. As a result, the child is expected to use correct words and phrases at an early age, which is essential for overall brain development.
Even though 3-5 years is a tremendously young age when children are unable to take responsibility for personal actions, it is frequently recommended to give the child a limited number of simple choices. These choices may be related to the clothes to wear, when to play, and what to eat for breakfast. In this way, preschoolers will be adapted to the world and other social creatures better. Nevertheless, child safety should always come first, which is why high-quality personality development is strongly associated with these measures. For example, it is extremely important to tell the child why it is essential to avoid traffic, as well as be safe in the water. If the preschooler has a high level of understanding of safety measures that should be taken, their overall quality of life will be significantly increased.
In terms of the general preschool-aged children’s style of thinking and learning, it can be described as tremendously chaotic. They usually live according to the rule that says “what you see is what you get” (Weinert et al., 2016). Therefore, they heavily rely on the literal appearance of things that surround them. Hence, it is the responsibility of parents to teach the child that the world should not be perceived only from the perspective of its appearance. In general, adults play an essential role in the process of helping their children explore environments. Accordingly, to make the development of preschoolers easier and offer them the opportunity to improve language skills, it is recommended to include them in conversations. In case parents follow the main recommendations provided by psychologists and healthcare workers in terms of preschoolers’ development, children are expected to adapt to the world in the appropriate manner.
A Brief Overview of the Developmental Milestones
To determine whether the child develops accurately, it is crucial to take into consideration a combination of several developmental milestones. In case the current level of a child’s development significantly differs from the norms, it is crucial to make an appointment with a doctor. In terms of language, preschoolers are required to have a deep understanding of the concepts of “same” and “different,” and speak in sentences of five to six words clearly so the stranger can understand the message (Scharf et al., 2016). This goal can be achieved if parents regularly talk with the child, enjoy music together, and watch educational TV shows. When it comes to the emotional/social development of preschoolers, the child should use words to describe complex feelings and take appropriate measures to avoid getting in trouble. In addition, the preschooler should develop a strong feeling of empathy towards others.
Furthermore, all preschoolers, regardless of their gender, should have a high level of awareness of moral reasoning and develop friendships. In case the child is not interested in playing with other children by the age of five, parents should contact a child psychologist. Moreover, preschoolers are expected to demonstrate a brief understanding of right and wrong. In turn, if children of this age group have extreme fears that interfere with daily activities, it is essential to contact a child psychologist as well (Scharf et al., 2016). In other words, the emotional development of preschoolers should be based on the principles of empathy, social activity, and moral reasoning.
Review of the Empirical Research Study Regarding Language
The development of speech and language skills can be considered an integral part of any preschooler’s development. In fact, by the age of five, children are expected to be able to develop the ability to listen, reflect, and express their views. Also, children of this age group should be interested in written language and different shades of meaning in concepts. However, numerous children are unable to achieve these goals before school. As a result, poor communications, as well as speech and language disorders, are likely to affect the lives of both children and parents. Taking into account that the strategies of reading aloud and storytelling have been rumored to affect preschoolers’ language skills positively, they were tested in numerous research studies. The research study conducted by Brodin and Renblad (2019) aims to identify whether these strategies could be used to enhance children’s communication development.
To receive accurate findings, researchers of this study used the interactionistic approach. This method is based on the idea to analyze specific features of the process of interaction between preschoolers in a natural setting. When it comes to the target group, a total of 573 preschoolers were included in the study (Brodin & Renblad, 2019). In turn, information was collected with the help of a web-based questionnaire. As a result, analysis of questionnaire responses demonstrates that reading aloud and storytelling can be used as a tremendously effective pedagogical tool to improve language skills. However, these strategies should be used in combination with other tools to enhance children’s communication development.
Review of the Empirical Research Study Regarding Emotional Development
The development of children’s social and emotional competencies has always had a significant impact on the quality of life in adulthood. Therefore, a variety of different interventions were implemented with the purpose to support kindergarten children’s social and emotional development regularly. For instance, teachers are assumed to have a vast influence on the overall personal development of preschoolers. Thus, one of the latest research studies examined the relationships between educators and the level of emotional development among children under school age (Kirk & Jay, 2018). This goal was achieved with the help of the case study format. Simultaneously, qualitative methodology was selected as the main method of collecting and analyzing non-numerical data. Researchers mainly relied on participant observations, as well as informal and semistructured interviews.
The process of emotional and social development of preschoolers was analyzed from the perspectives of environment, play, and relationships. Findings demonstrate that teachers should develop synergy between these elements. Additionally, researchers of this study highlight that educators should regularly circulate the room to offer preschoolers the opportunity to communicate with each other without the help of older individuals. At the same time, teachers would be able to evaluate the effectiveness of children’s social and emotional development. Furthermore, teachers are advised to participate in child-guided activities, give effective praise, model appropriate behaviors, and provide cues (Kirk & Jay, 2018). In case the teacher notices that a certain preschooler experiences issues communicating with peers, it is essential to support this child by arranging playdates. Once this child demonstrates improvement in social and emotional development, it is advised to give positive feedback.
Conclusion
The personal development of preschoolers frequently determines the quality of life in the future, which is why it is tremendously important to take appropriate measures to enhance this process. In terms of language, children of this age group are required to be able to develop the ability to listen, reflect, and express their views in sentences of five to six words. Moreover, the child should be interested in written language as well. When it comes to emotional and social development, children are expected to make new friendships, develop a feeling of empathy, and develop a positive self-image. In turn, it is difficult to achieve this goal without additional help from the perspective of parents and teachers. Therefore, analysis of evidence-based research studies demonstrates that it is crucial to talk with the child on the regular basis, enjoy music together, as well as watch educational TV shows and play educational games.
References
Brodin, J., & Renblad, K. (2019). Improvement of preschool children’s speech and language skills.Early Child Development and Care, 190(14), 2205-2213. Web.
Kirk, G., & Jay, J. (2018). Supporting kindergarten children’s social and emotional development: Examining the synergetic role of environments, play, and relationships.Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 32(4), 472-485. Web.
Scharf, R., Scharf, G., & Stroustrup, A. (2016). Developmental milestones. Pediatrics in Review, 37(1), 25-38. Web.
Weinert, S., Linberg, A., Attig, M., Freund, J., & Linberg, T. (2016). Analyzing early child development, influential conditions, and future impacts: Prospects of a German newborn cohort study.International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 10(1), 1-15. Web.