SOCIAL SKILLS OF PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN

The article introduces the questions of the issue of school preparedness and readiness while it is focused on the field of social skills. The authors introduce the partial results of the quantitative research in which a questionnaire was the main research method. It was structured into five areas (communication, adaptation, self-concept, co-operation and game, perception of emotions towards oneself and other people) which are connected to social skills. The questionnaire was created in accordance to the Framework Educational Programme for Pre-school Education and key competences which are pursued by the child. The questionnaire was presented to the kindergarten teachers who are in touch with the children every day. The aim of the research was to reveal the problematic areas of children's readiness to start the school attendance and to find out which areas of social skills are the most problematic for the pre-school children and which, on the other hand, are satisfactory and corresponding to the key competences mentioned in the Framework Educational Programme. Furthermore, to point out the problems which are necessary to be observed by research. In the future, it is considered to broaden the research by questionnaires which should be filled in by the parents of the children hence facilitating the comparison of obtained data. The results might be an indicator for the kindergarten teachers - they might show what should be focused on among the children of the pre-school age and which area of social skills should be developed. Additionally, the results might be beneficial for the students of pre-school education and related study branches.