FORMATION OF SOCIAL-CIVIC AND NATURAL-ENVIRONMENTAL COMPETENCES OF SENIOR PRESCHOOL CHILDREN BY MEANS OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AND DIGITAL STORYTELLING

Abstract

Summary. Introduction. Preschool education needs approaches that combine children’s understanding of social rules, shared responsibility and environmental relationships with real action. Children’s literature provides an emotionally meaningful context for discussing motives and consequences, whereas digital storytelling can support co-creation when it does not replace reading, play, observation and communication.

Purpose. The article aims to substantiate and specify an integrated approach to developing social-civic and natural-environmental competences in senior preschool children through children’s literature and digital storytelling.

Methods. The study uses analysis of regulatory documents and recent publications, comparison of pedagogical approaches, generalization of practice-oriented solutions and methodological modelling; no empirical research was conducted.

Results. An integrative model combining literary-artistic, social-civic, natural-environmental, activity-based and digital-media components is proposed. The sequence “literary image – social and environmental problem – joint decision – digital story – real action – reflection” is substantiated. Seven stages of work, principles for selecting picturebooks and digital tools, five practical cases, observation indicators and recommendations for educators and families are presented.

Originality. The model links dialogic reading and children’s multimedia authorship with observation in nature, collective decision-making and a socially or environmentally useful action.

Conclusion. Digital storytelling is pedagogically justified only as a brief, adult-mediated means of organising and reflecting on children’s real experience. Educators should prioritise children’s agency, privacy, copyright, equal participation and the transfer of responsible behaviour to family and community life.