THEATRALISED ACTIVITY AS A MEANS OF DEVELOPING THE EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE OF OLDER PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Abstract

The article presents a theoretical analysis of the concepts of “emotion”, “emotional competence”, and “theatricalised activity”; identifies the structural components of emotional competence in older preschool children and characterises their development through theatricalised activity in the senior preschool age. The main directions of emotional development are defined and correlated with the relevant competences specified in the State Standard of Preschool Education of Ukraine. The key means of theatricalised activity for developing emotional competence in older preschoolers are outlined: role-play and stage images, play with toys and props, interaction in group scenes, discussion of characters’ feelings, observing partners’ emotions, dramatizing life situations featuring various emotional states, discussing characters’ reactions, performing scenes, etc.

Theatricalised activity is considered a comprehensive pedagogical resource that integrates the emotional, cognitive and social development of older preschoolers, ensuring the formation of a holistic system of emotional competence necessary for successful interaction in school and everyday life. The study demonstrates that theatricalised activity possesses substantial psycho-pedagogical potential for developing emotional competence in older preschool children, as it provides meaningful engagement in emotionally rich situations, promotes the awareness, expression and regulation of emotions, enhances the ability to recognise others’ emotions, and develops empathy, reflection and social interaction skills. The combination of artistic imagery, role transformation and the modelling of life situations substantiates the effectiveness of theatricalised activity as a means of forming the key components of emotional competence in older preschoolers.