The Experience of Using the “Skilful Class” Program in a Kindergarten and Practical Recommendations for its Adaptation for Older Preschool Children

The article presents the experience of participation of preschool level of School No. 1241 (Moscow) in the international experimental research program “Skilful Class: formation of social skills as a method of prevention of emotional and behavioral problems in children”. This program is the adaptation of the Finnish short-term program of skills formation “Skilful Class” in Russia. The program is realizing in Russian educational organizations within the framework of joint projects of Moscow State University of Psychology & Education and Helsinki Brief Therapy Institute. The program is designed for use in primary grades of secondary schools. However, as an experiment, preparatory groups of preschool departments were included in the project. Using the example of two preparatory groups of the preschool department of School No. 1241, which in the 2020–2021 academic year became experimental sites for testing, adapting and implementing the “Skilful Class” program, the prospects and difficulties of its application in kindergarten conditions are described and practical recommendations for adapting the program to work with older preschool children are given. The authors of the article share their own experience of conducting the game “Skilful Class” in the preparatory groups of two kindergartens with different initial data and practical advice on overcoming difficulties and maintaining children’s interest in the game.

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