Pedagogical Observation in the System of Assessing the Development of Preschool Children in an Inclusive Educational Environment

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to justify the possibilities of using pedagogical observation as a method of assessing the development of preschool children in an inclusive educational environment and to highlight the content and logic of the developed observation chart as a tool for systematic, cumulative assessment. Particular attention is paid to identifying areas and parameters of child development that are significant for making pedagogical decisions within an interdisciplinary support team. The study uses theoretical methods of analysis and generalization of scientific and normative-methodological sources on the problems of inclusive preschool education and pedagogical assessment, as well as the method of pedagogical modeling. The basis for the development of the tool was the Polish model of multidisciplinary assessment of a child's functioning (WOPFU), adapted to the conditions of Ukrainian preschool education institutions, taking into account the requirements of inclusive education. A map for observing the development of preschool children is presented, covering key areas of development (social, emotional, linguistic, cognitive, behavioral, adaptive) and providing for the recording of indicators in dynamics. It is argued that the use of a structured chart reduces the subjectivity of assessment, ensures consistency in the observations of different specialists, and creates a unified information field for planning individual pedagogical support for children in inclusive groups. The use of pedagogical observation based on a structured chart is considered an effective and accessible approach to assessing the development of preschool children in an inclusive educational environment. The proposed tool facilitates the transition from fragmentary observations to a systematic, cumulative analysis of a child's development and can be used in the practice of preschool education institutions to improve the quality of the inclusive educational process.