The "Kumon method" as a means of mastering the initial subject knowledge in children

Abstract

Introduction. The problem of activating educational activities has always been in the center of attention of teachers, however, the changes taking place at the present time have given it special relevance. New socio-economic conditions dictate the need to study new forms and methods of education aimed at intensifying the process of acquiring knowledge. The purpose of this study is to study the effectiveness of the Kumon method in relation to the development of initial subject concepts by children of preschool and primary school age from the point of view of the theory of meaningful learning. Materials and methods. The article provides an analysis of the content of the key provisions of the Kumon method based on methods of systematization and classification, as well as general scientific methods of analysis, generalization and synthesis. The support of the idea of L. S. Vygotsky's "zone of proximal development" makes it possible to use rich theoretical material on self-learning as a child's ability to identify and search for information, distinguish and assign it, taking into account the relationship with previously acquired information. Results. The purpose of the study was to study the key characteristics of the organization of training in the Kumon system. The principles, neuropsychological foundations of the method under consideration, and the possibilities of this technology from the perspective of the multidimensionaldevelopment of a child's personality are analyzed. The authors concluded that in modern pedagogical practice, the use of the Kumon method can be effective for children who need to master the procedural aspects of mathematics and reading. Discussion and conclusions. As a research perspective, the authors see the study of the possibilities of the Kumon method as an individual method.