Critical and sensitive periods of child development. Sensitive and critical periods of child development Sensitive periods of human development

Each age period is characterized by its specific features. The transition from one age period to the next is a turning point, a critical one. Critical periods − These are such periods of development of the organism during which it becomes most vulnerable to the action of external environmental factors. The main such periods are: 3-4 years, 7-8 years, 11-14 years for girls; 12-15 for boys. During these age periods, the developing function may be disturbed and fail, since at this time the adaptive capabilities of the child's body are sharply reduced.

Sensitive periods − these are periods of a decrease in genetic control and increased sensitivity of individual signs of an organism to environmental influences, including pedagogical and coaching ones. These periods include periods: up to 1 year, 4-5, 7-8 and 12-15 years. If during these periods the necessary factors act on the body, on which the development of this function depends, then it develops as much as possible, but if such factors absent, the function may develop poorly or not develop at all. If the necessary stimuli appear at a later date, then it is not always possible to catch up in the development of the child.

Critical and sensitive periods coincide only partially. If critical periods create a morphological and functional basis for the existence of an organism in new conditions of life activity (for example, during the transitional period in a teenager), then sensitive periods realize these opportunities, ensuring adequate functioning of the body systems in accordance with the new environmental requirements.

Sensitive periods for various qualities appear heterochronously. Although there are individual variants of the timing of their onset, it is still possible, on average, to identify general patterns. Thus, the sensitive period of manifestation of various quality indicators you were fast age 11-14 fly to 15- in summer, its maximum level is reached. A picture close to this is observed in ontogenesis and for the manifestation of qualities dexterity and flexibility.

Somewhat later, a sensitive period of the quality of strength is noted. After a relatively small rate of annual increases in muscle strength in preschool and primary school age, some slowdown occurs. Subsequently, a sensitive period of development begins muscle strength To 14-17 there is a significant increase in this indicator in the process of sports training. By age 18-20 years in boys (1-2 years earlier in girls) the maximum manifestation of the strength of the main muscle groups is achieved.

sensitive period endurance accounts for approximately 15 – 20 years.

The sensitive period of flexibility manifests itself in early school age. At a later age (starting from the age of 13-14), mobility in the joints is improved with great difficulty.

For coaches and teachers working in the field of physical education and sports, knowledge of sensitive periods is extremely important, since the same amount of physical activity, the number of training sessions, approaches to apparatus, etc., provide the greatest training effect only in a sensitive period, which in other age periods cannot be achieved. In addition, consideration of sensitive periods is necessary when conducting sports selection for a correct assessment of the state of the body and the characteristics of the physical qualities of a young athlete.

Questions for self-control:

1. What is heterochrony of growth and development?

2. What is assimilation and dissimilation?

3. What is the age period?

4. What is biological age? calendar age?

5. What are the features of the formation of aerobic and anaerobic mechanisms of energy supply of muscle activity in children and adolescents?

6. What are the features of the functional state of children and adolescents during sports activities

7. What are critical periods in a child's development?

8. What are sensitive periods of child development?

9. List the main sensitive periods in the development of physical qualities in children and adolescents.

1. Weinbum Ya.S. Dosing of physical loads of schoolchildren / Ya.S.Vaybum. − M.: Enlightenment, 1991.– 190 p.

2. Verkhoshansky Yu.V. The influence of power loads on the body in the process of its age development / Yu.V. Verkhoshansky. - M., 1989. - 235 p.

3. Ermolaev Yu.A. Age physiology / Yu.A. Ermolaev. - M .: Higher school, 1995. - 462 p.

4. Smirnov V.M. Physiology of physical education and sports / V.M. Smirnov, V.I. Dubrovsky. - M.: Vlados, 2002. - 480 p.

5. Sports physiology / ed. Ya. M. Kotsa. - M .: Physical culture and sport, 1986. - 240 p.

PHYSIOLOGICAL BASES OF SPORT

WOMEN'S TRAINING

1. Morphofunctional features of the female body.

2. Specific features of the manifestation and development of physical qualities.

3. Energy expenditure, aerobic and anaerobic capabilities of the female body.

4. Changes in the functions of the female body in the process of training.

1. Morphofunctional features of the female body

Features of the structure and functioning of the female body determine its differences in mental and physical performance. In the general biological aspect, women compared with men are characterized by better adaptability to changes in the external environment (temperature shifts, hunger, blood loss, some diseases), lower infant mortality and longer life expectancy.

The body of women is characterized by specific features of brain activity. The dominant role of the left hemisphere in them is manifested to a lesser extent than in men. This is due to a fairly pronounced representation of the speech function not only in the left, but also in the right hemisphere. Women have a high ability to process speech information, therefore, in the process of teaching them physical exercises, emphasis should be placed on the storytelling method (explanation, verbal analysis of movements, clarification of errors significantly accelerate the mastery of movement, the formation of motor skills)

Women have good short-term and long-term verbal memory, at the same time they have worse digital memory than men (especially new tactical tasks are solved more slowly).

Women have a higher level of motivation and have higher rates of learning.

They have a higher emotional excitability, instability and anxiety, so they need encouragement.

The high sensitivity of skin receptors, motor and vestibular analyzers and their sensory zones, subtle differentiations of muscle feeling contribute to the development of good coordination of movements in girls, their smoothness and clarity. The stability of vestibular reactions especially increases in the period from 8 to 13-14 years. At this age, the function of the motor analyzer is rapidly improving, the ability to differentiate the amplitude of movements is growing. It is important to use this period of body development to improve coordination of movements, increase the stability of the vestibular apparatus, master static and dynamic balance, and form complex motor skills.

Women have sharp eyesight, a wide field of vision, a high ability to distinguish colors and good depth vision. In them, visual signals reach the cerebral cortex faster and cause a more pronounced reaction - all this determines the perfection of oculomotor reactions, confident orientation of movements in space. The auditory system is more sensitive to high frequencies of the sound range; with age, this difference in women becomes more noticeable.

Women have a smaller body length (by 10 cm on average) and weight (by 10 kg) than men, respectively, they have smaller internal organs and muscle mass. The proportions of a woman's body also have their own characteristics: the bones are shorter, and the torso is longer; the transverse dimensions of the pelvis are larger, and the shoulders are narrower. These features of the body structure cause a lower overall position of the center of gravity, which contributes to better balance. At the same time, the large width of the pelvis reduces the efficiency of movements during locomotion.

Girls have excellent flexibility and therefore achieve great results in gymnastics and other sports. The beauty and efficiency of movements is also facilitated by the fact that women are more likely to have a high arch of the foot and less often flat feet.

Features of the size and composition of the body also determine the specific features of the vegetative functions of the female body. Women's breathing is characterized by lower lung volumes and capacities, higher frequency indicators: VC is less than that of men by about 1000 ml; The MOD and the depth of breathing are less, and the respiratory rate is higher than in men. At the same time, an increase in the MOD is achieved by a less favorable ratio of the frequency and depth of breathing and is accompanied by a more pronounced fatigue of the respiratory muscles. Men also outperform women in absolute and relative (per 1 kg of body weight) value of maximum pulmonary ventilation (MLV).

In the process of individual development, from the age of 7-8, girls begin to transition from the abdominal type of breathing to the chest, which is fully formed by the age of 18. In the period from 10 to 14 years, boys begin to outperform girls in the growth of VC, MOD and MLV, absolute and relative values ​​of the BMD. In girls, the most noticeable increase in these indicators is observed at the age of 11 years. The maximum values ​​are reached at the age of 15, and after 35 years they begin to decrease.

In the blood system of women, a higher hematopoietic function was noted, which ensures good tolerance for large blood losses and is one of the protective functions of the female body. They have fewer erythrocytes, hemoglobin (120 - 140 g/l) and myoglobin in their blood. Less in women and the volume of circulating blood per 1 kg of body weight.

A low concentration of hemoglobin causes a small oxygen capacity of the blood, which negatively affects the time and quality of performing extreme aerobic loads.

Women's hearts are smaller in volume and mass than men's, so they have a lower systolic and minute blood volume, which is compensated by a higher heart rate and higher blood flow velocity.

The less perfect mechanisms of adaptation of the cardiorespiratory system to loads noted in women reduce their aerobic capacity and overall performance.

Studying the human psyche, scientists noticed that at certain moments of life, some qualities and abilities develop and form. Everything has its time. There is such a thing - "sensitive periods". So what is it? What is special about such periods?

Sensitivity

At the very beginning, a few words about what sensitivity is. Translated from the Latin "sensus" - a feeling, a person's ability to perceive the world around him, to distinguish and respond to external stimuli. A person may have hypersensitivity and decreased. This feature is influenced by:

• education and self-education;
• environment;
• heredity;
• age.

All these factors will play a big role in development. A different level of sensitivity, perception of the world throughout a person's life gives the right to divide the process of forming an individual's personality into certain periods. In humans, critical and sensitive periods of development are distinguished. Knowing about such moments and their features means helping to overcome the difficulties that a child has at a certain time. This will also help prevent the appearance of deviations in mental and physical development.

sensitive periods

The level of sensitivity, or sensitivity, changes with age, and what factors influence this is already clear to the reader. What can be said about the periods themselves?

A sensitive period is a certain stage in life, at which there are all conditions for the formation of any qualities and abilities, as well as types of activities. For example, the development of speech skills in a child occurs between 1.5 and 3 years. For the formation of a particular function, it is necessary that certain conditions are created, these include:

• organization of the environment;
• pedagogical and coaching influence.

In certain sensitive periods, there is a different level of perception of external stimuli by the body. They are genetically controlled least of all, and a person becomes very susceptible to pedagogical, coaching influence. However, there are also critical periods. What is it, we will consider further.

Critical periods

Psychologists note that in addition to sensitive periods, there are also critical ones. This is a time of violent jumps, a sharp change in mood and overly emotional behavior. At such times, increased sensitivity is observed. During this period, intensive morphofunctional changes in certain systems occur. And if there is no adequate environment for exposure, irreversible dysfunctions are possible. For example, during the development of the fetus during critical periods, sensitivity to a lack of oxygen, nutrients, as well as to the effects of radiation will be increased.

All these factors can trigger irreversible processes in the body. It is the critical periods that take a person to a new level of development. Overcoming them is thus extremely important. Critical and sensitive periods of development partially coincide.

Characteristics of the sensitive period

There are several conclusions about the periods of development of children. You need to familiarize yourself with them.

1. Every child goes through the same sensitive periods in their development.
2. The time when a certain such period manifests itself is individual for each baby. Some children develop faster, others slower.
3. If during the next sensitive period the child could not acquire acceptable skills, then in the next period it will be very difficult to catch up.

Adults, in order not to miss these moments in the development of the child, it is necessary:

• know which period follows which;
• observe vivid manifestations of the onset of the next stage;
• in a timely manner to create a favorable environment for the development of the internal abilities of the child, taking into account sensitive periods.

The stages of sensitive development are as follows.

1. Start. If you do not deal with the child, you can miss a favorable moment.
2. Peak. This is a pronounced moment of manifestation of certain abilities. It's hard not to notice him.
3. Recession. Slow completion or decline in the development of certain opportunities.

Development periods according to Montessori

On the question of how many such periods each person goes through in his life, scientists have not yet agreed on a common opinion. But after a long study of the child's psyche and many hours of observation, Maria Montessori identifies six stages. So, sensitive periods of child development:

• the emergence of speech;
• period of perception of order;
• stage of sensory development;
• period of physical growth;
• formation of perception of small objects, microworld;
• emergence of social skills.

Sensitive periods of mental development are individual for each individual case. It is practically impossible to determine the exact time of the appearance and formation of a particular function of the psyche. It should be noted that sensitive periods of development have common characteristics.

And now let's talk about them in more detail.

Speech development

This sensitive period begins during development in the womb, it is there that the baby first begins to hear sounds. Therefore, pregnant women are advised to talk to their tummy, listen to melodic music.

During this period (and it lasts up to six years) it is very important to stimulate the child's speech centers. Lack of communication, insufficient attention from adults, as well as a negative conflict environment can adversely affect the baby's speech. In this case, the occurrence of defects in pronunciation, stuttering is likely.

For the first time in a year and a half, the child begins to learn to express his desires, emotions with the help of words. But there are still few of them in stock, and the language turns out to be childish. That is why at this age you do not need to lisp with the baby, you need to speak correctly, clearly pronouncing all the words. The child, like a sponge, will absorb the norms of communication provided to him. It is necessary to read more books, using different intonations.

Two- and three-year-olds talk to themselves a lot. From 3.5 to four years of age, they already show interest in letters, and speech becomes conscious. At 4-4.5 years old, the child tries to write individual words, despite the fact that no one taught him this. At the age of five, the baby begins to learn to read on his own, and there is no need to force him. He understands adults very well. It's like he comes to it.

If a child is taught something without taking into account his sensitive periods of development, then the result will be very difficult to achieve, or it will be negative.

The period of development of the perception of order

This period begins at birth and lasts up to 3 years. It is very important for a child at this moment to be in an environment where the order of actions is established, order in relations with the adult world. On this basis, the baby forms these skills in himself.

Especially at the age of 2.5 years, the child strictly observes the developed rules. It promotes calmness and confidence in this big and turbulent world. A lot depends on the role of adults and the prevailing environment at this time. It is important to maintain order in the daily routine, stability in the environment and in relationships with adults.

sensory development

This stage of development ends around 4-5 years. The child learns to distinguish objects, loves to taste, listen, smell. At different intervals of time, he comprehends each of these feelings. It is necessary to promote the development of these abilities, to give the child to independently experience this or that sensation. The kid himself and with the help of his parents will comprehend the world of sensations and feelings.

Knowledge of small things

During this sensitive period, the baby enthusiastically plays with small objects. And just as with interest, he watches how the whole mug breaks into small fragments. He wonders why the big world is made up of small particles. It is necessary to feed this interest and give the child, for example, to push small balls into holes, thereby developing fine motor skills, and as you know, this is inextricably linked with the formation of speech in the baby. This happens in the period from 1.5 to 5 years.

All of the above periods of time - this is the sensitive periods of development of abilities.

In the early stages of growing up, a child develops genetically inherent talents. However, it is impossible to say exactly in which of the periods this or that skill will manifest in a child. Yet adults can contribute to such development and create favorable conditions for this. Talent doesn't come out of nowhere. It is necessary to give the child the opportunity to try himself in different areas and watch him, because something is always given very easily, and something is difficult.

Physical development of the child

The physical activity of the child is of great importance. After birth, the motor function contributes to the enrichment of the blood with oxygen and its entry into the brain cells. This will have a positive effect on the development of the child's psyche. Restricting the baby in freedom of movement will negatively affect his state of health. The formation of physical abilities lasts from 1 to 4 years.

At the age of five, children develop dexterity, coordination and orientation abilities are formed. Particular attention is paid to jumping and maintaining balance.

At the age of six, flexibility and dexterity develop more actively. Children actively move their arms, legs, jump, run.

Sensitive periods of physical development of children in the interval from seven to ten years are characterized by an increase in loads and a large number of stages with an increase in the pace of activity. It is necessary to pay special attention to the formation of such qualities as speed, agility, strength. Their development will help strengthen the psyche and emotional balance.

Development of social skills

This usually happens in the interval from 2.5 to 6 years. The child loves to copy the actions of adults, and he does it easily. During this sensitive period, it is necessary to teach the baby the right manners of behavior, cultural communication. It is necessary to teach the child to adapt in a society with different people.

Periods of development according to Vygotsky

The opinion of another authoritative psychologist on this issue also deserves attention.

You need to know that a sensitive period is a moment whose arrival cannot be influenced. It is necessary to know about it and use it as much as possible in education.

Vygotsky identifies the following sensitive periods in the development of the child.

1. From 1.5 to 3 years. This is the stage of replenishment of the child's vocabulary. There is an opportunity to teach the baby foreign languages.
2. Period from 3 to 4 years. The child develops speech. He perceives himself as a person, can formulate his thoughts.
3. Stage 4 to 5 years. The child has an interest in music, mathematics. This is the time to experiment with colors, shapes, sizes.
4. From 5 to 6 years old. Understand the rules of behavior in society. The child understands that people are not the same, learns to adapt in society. There is an interest in reading, self-study.
5. From 8 years to 9 develop imagination, fantasy. The activity of linguistic abilities is observed. The child becomes interested in art.

The problem of sensitive periods is that parents and educators should not miss the onset of each of them, but this, unfortunately, does not always work out. And it also requires patience and understanding of adults, and it is important for a teacher to be able to find an approach to each child, especially in times of crisis: this is a year, three years and seven years.

The task of parents is to closely monitor their children so as not to miss periods when babies absorb new information and skills. Only then will the child grow capable and developed.

The development of the child takes place in a close relationship between the genetic potentials of the body and the stimulating effect of the environment. The impact of external stimuli is necessary not only for mastering any function, but also for the maturation of cells, tissues and organs that are involved in the implementation of this function. Thus, experiments on animals have shown that the blockade of visual information during the development of the visual analyzer leads to depletion and underdevelopment of the structures of the visual cortex. When kittens are reared in cages with alternating black and white vertical or horizontal stripes, the structure of the visual cortex reflects the pattern of the stripes. Consequently, the external environment (in this case, visual information) influences the formation of the perceiving substrate (the visual area of ​​the cerebral cortex), regulating the quantity and quality of its constituent cells.

Uneven maturation of various body systems, primarily parts of the nervous system, leads to the fact that sensitivity to external influences can vary greatly in different age periods. Studies have shown that an organ or system that performs a certain function becomes especially sensitive to external influences precisely during the period of the most intensive development of this function. These studies formed the basis for the concept of sensitive periods of development as periods of the greatest sensitivity of a developing organism to the influence of environmental factors.

sensitive period - this is the time range that is most favorable for the development of a particular function, goy or other ability of a person. For example, a sensitive period in the development of speech is the age from 9 months to 2 years. This does not mean that the speech function does not develop either before or after this age, but it is during this period that speech develops most rapidly and during this period the child should have the experience of verbal communication, support and encouragement by adults of his speech attempts, the desire to express his feelings with speech .

Sensitive periods in the development of a child are determined by the successive maturation of certain parts of the central nervous system. Knowing these periods allows you to create the necessary environment around the child for the development of skills that are associated with the development of certain brain structures. This approach is especially effective in teaching children with mental retardation, hearing and vision impairments. With this approach, the high sensitivity of certain functions in certain periods is used to effectively stimulate the development of these functions by external influences. Identification and accounting of sensitive periods is a prerequisite for creating adequate conditions for effective learning and maintaining the health of the child.

The boundaries of sensitive periods are not sharply defined; for each child, they can be shifted in one direction or another for several months. Sensitive periods of formation of various functions can overlap and create prerequisites for each other. The allocation of sensitive periods applies equally to motor functions (mastering motor skills), sensory functions (development of perception of the surrounding world) and mental functions, including sensory and motor. Below are the conditional boundaries of some sensitive periods.

• 1. From 1 month to 3-4 years - the period of mastering movements and actions. The normal state of an awake child is movement. In the first year of life, a child masters his own body, learns to control its individual parts, turn around, sit down, stand up. Then he masters actions with objects, improves hand movements. Perception and knowledge of the surrounding world occurs largely through movement. The ideas about the surrounding world obtained as a result of the "motor period" form the basis for the development of thinking.
• 2. 0 to 5.5 years – period of sensory development. Active acquisition of sensory experience from the first months of life (experience represented in sensations of size, shape, weight, color, texture, structure of objects, taste, smell, various sounds) stimulates the formation and development of brain areas that provide perception and processing of sensory information, contributes to development of the child's intelligence.
• 3. From 0 to 6 years - the period of speech development. During this period, each child is a "great philologist", the speed and quality of assimilation of speech information by him has no analogies in other periods of development. In the first year of life, the child learns the articulation and intonation pattern of the native language. In the second year, the child's vocabulary grows, individual words are combined into simple phrases, many grammatical norms are assimilated. At 2.5-3 years old, the child speaks in verbose phrases, uses connecting conjunctions and pronouns. By this age, speech becomes a means of communication and a means of controlling behavior. By the age of 5-6, the child begins to master written language (reading and writing).
• 4. From 10 months to 2.5 years - a period of interest in small objects. The increased interest of the child in small objects is associated with the need for intensive development of fine motor skills of the fingers and muscles of the hand. Manipulations with small objects stimulate the intensive development of certain parts of the brain, including those responsible for the development of speech.
• 5. From 2 to 6 years - a period of development of social skills. The child begins to identify and realize himself, his dependence on an adult decreases, interest in other children, group forms of behavior, relationships with adults and peers appears. He masters the social rules of behavior. His behavior is easily corrected by the environment of communication, the external rhythm of life, which gradually becomes a need. The child “tryes on” various roles, which leads to the development of a role-playing game and intensive absorption of the culture of the social environment. The lack of adequate social experience in this period significantly reduces the possibility of social adaptation not only in the preschool period, but also throughout later life.

Each of the sensitive periods requires certain conditions (organization of the environment and pedagogical influences) for the optimal development of those functions that are intensively developing and forming during this period.

In addition to sensitive periods in ontogenetic development, periods of violent turning points can be distinguished. This critical periods , during which intensive morphological and functional changes of certain systems occur, they are characterized by a special sensitivity of the developing function, when the absence of adequate environmental influences can irreversibly disrupt the formation of the function. For example, in the absence of certain visual stimuli in the first months of life, their perception is not formed in the future, the same applies to the speech function (there are examples of "mowgli" children who grew up among animals - mastering human speech later turned out to be inaccessible to them).

The entire period of intrauterine development, the neonatal period and the first six months of infancy is critical, since at this age the foundations of most physical and mental functions, their regulation and interaction are laid. In further ontogenesis, periods of superimposition of sensitive periods and abrupt changes in social and environmental factors are critical (for example, the age at which school starts with a sharp change in social conditions accounts for the so-called half-growth jump - an age-related physiological crisis of 6–7 years, accompanied by a psychological crisis of 6–7 years). The onset of puberty (puberty) is also a critical period - a change in the neurohumoral regulation of the body weakens the possibilities of self-regulation, which coincides with the increase in social requirements for adolescents and the instability of their self-esteem. This leads to a mismatch between social requirements and the functional capabilities of the body, which can manifest "difficult" behavior and deviations in health.

Critical periods of ontogeny are distinguished by a higher sensitivity of the developing organism to the impact of adverse factors of the external and internal environment than relatively stable periods of development.

Adolescents significantly increase the amount of memory, and not only due to better memorization of the material, but also its logical comprehension. The memory of a teenager, like attention, gradually acquires the character of organized, regulated and controlled processes.

In connection with learning, maturation, the accumulation of life experience and, consequently, advancement in general, psychological development in children, by the beginning of adolescence, new, broader interests are formed, various hobbies arise, and there is a desire to take a different, more independent position.

2.2 Sensitive periods of actualization of the essential forces of adolescents.

With the entry of a child into a new age phase - adolescence - his social position at school, family, on the street changes significantly. He learns new disciplines, in the family he is assigned more complex and responsible responsibilities, he no longer plays "these children's games with the kids", but seeks to cling to the youthful "party". That is, he is no longer a child, but not yet an adult. In this regard, a favorable atmosphere arises for influencing his social and age self-determination.

By adolescence, a child accumulates a fairly large amount of a wide variety of information. From the entry into a new age phase, he learns to build logical schemes, to capture cause-and-effect relationships. On this basis, the amount of knowledge gained turns into a new quality, and, coupled with expanding life experience, a higher level of self-awareness arises in him, he turns his gaze to the inner world and spiritual appearance of other people and builds a stable moral ideal on this basis. Thus, adolescence is sensitive for the formation of an ideal.

For adolescents, the opinion and assessment of peers is of great importance, and at the same time, in the adolescent environment there is a kind of behavioral charter, in which the priority belongs to the manifestation of will. It is in this regard that adolescence is sensitive for the formation of a strong will, in particular such traits as purposefulness, independence, endurance, determination, courage, initiative, endurance, masculinity, and more.

Note that all these features will develop one way or another, and if not these, then alternative ones will be directed, if not at creation, at least at destruction, so it is important for society not to miss the chance to “educate a citizen”.

The moral and ethical core of the personality also has the peak of its formation. Of course, the moral core of a person begins to form with the awareness of his "I", i.e. from the age of three, but during this period of childhood, he is mainly directed by adults “possible” and “impossible”, most often not reasoned and working, mainly due to the child’s self-restraint.

The process of moral and ethical formation of an individual enters a completely different qualitative channel in adolescence, when a teenager evaluates himself through the correlation of his inner world with the inner world of other people. A teenager develops conceptual thinking, he can understand the connections between a specific act and personality traits, on the basis of which there is a need for self-improvement.

A teenager, in the process of accumulating life experience, as well as turning his gaze to literary and film heroes, begins to worry about deeply ethical questions about the meaning of life and human happiness, about justice, honor and dignity, as well as about his own role in shaping the moral and ethical environment in his immediate environment.

The moral and ethical norms of a teenager are very far from ideal, they are fragmentary and unstable, but they, and this is most important, are formed consciously and independently for the first time. A distinctive feature of this process, however, soon fading away, or rather stifled by society, is sincerity and intransigence, this is where the intransigence to what it denies comes from.

In adolescence, significant biological changes occur - a significant increase in muscle strength, overall body resistance and performance, both in boys and girls. There is a natural need to "use physical force." The indicated circumstance creates more than favorable conditions for active sports and physical labor both at home and outside it - public labor (and not only gratuitous, but also paid).

At the age of 13-15 years, boys and 12-14 years old, adolescent girls form the profile of energy capabilities and contractile properties of skeletal muscles with which a person is destined to live the rest of his life. Therefore, during these years, it is effective for boys to develop speed, power and speed-strength qualities; it is possible to purposefully train middle-distance runners and sprinters, weightlifters and wrestlers, throwers and jumpers. (Note that earlier specialization in all these sports often results in a developmental disorder). For girls to smooth the angularity of movements, the formation of plasticity and grace, it is advisable to engage in all types of dance, shaping, rhythmic gymnastics, athletics. Note, however, that the adolescent organism is still very far from complete physical formation.

Adolescence is characterized as a pubertal period associated with a deep restructuring of the endocrine system, the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics, as well as sexual desire caused by abundant secretion of hormones. This is the period when the issue of gender should be reinforced by behavioral acts of relations between boys and girls, this is the most favorable time for the formation of masculinity and femininity.

2.3. Types of leisure communication of adolescents.

Each of us lives among people. In any situation, regardless of our desire, we communicate with people. Human communication resembles a kind of pyramid consisting of four sides: we exchange information, interact with other people, get to know them and, at the same time, experience our own state resulting from communication. Communication acts as an activity, a sphere where a person can realize himself. For socialization, communication plays one of the important roles - it is the implementation of a communicative and informational function that brings a person into relationships with other people, groups of people, a system that saturates a person with information in order to form his lifestyle;

Since we are considering the leisure sphere, the type of leisure communication determines the very process of adolescent interaction. The following types of leisure communication can be distinguished.

Positivist.

Adolescents of this type are able to creatively approach the task, while taking the main burden on themselves. They listen to the opinions of parents, educators and peers, trying their best to implement useful advice. They are distinguished by perseverance in achieving the goal, as well as the ability to correctly evaluate their own results and the results of their comrades. Adolescent positivists have the necessary work skills, ways to plan their work and coordinate it with the work of the group.

Lunkina E.N., teacher-speech therapist, kindergarten "Magic Castle", Central Administrative District, Moscow

The concept of "sensitive periods of a child's development" was introduced by an outstanding domestic psychologist, psycholinguist, defectologist, world-famous scientist L.S. Vygotsky (1896-1934). He developed the concept of "psychological systems", which meant integral formations in the form of various forms of interfunctional connections (for example, between thinking and memory, thinking and speech).

The huge contribution of L.S. Vygotsky in child psychology - the introduction of the concept of "zone of proximal development". According to the scientist, this is an area of ​​not mature, but maturing processes, which can be called "buds of development". The "Zone of Proximal Development" poses great challenges for the child, which he is able to solve only with the help of an adult, in the course of their joint activities. L.S. Vygotsky came to the conclusion that the child's education should precede, run ahead of, pull up and lead development. This statement has become an axiom in child psychology and pedagogy.

The next important discovery of a brilliant scientist in child psychology was the age determination of periods in a child's life that are most favorable for the development of certain functions of an individual. This knowledge is necessary for teachers and parents in order not to miss the most favorable period for the child's education, so that those "developing kidneys", which are maturing processes in the "zone of proximal development", can fully develop and enrich the physical, intellectual, emotional , social and cultural opportunities in the future life of the child.

There are no identical children, even twins are very different from each other. Everyone has individual properties of the psyche, abilities and interests.

However, in the life of every baby there are periods in which physiology itself creates the most optimal conditions and opportunities for the development of certain mental properties in a child, susceptibility to acquiring certain knowledge and skills. These periods are called sensitive.

Sensitivity(from Latin sensitivus - sensitive) - the optimal combination of conditions for the development of mental processes inherent in a certain age period. During sensitive periods, there is a great opportunity to develop the abilities of children to the maximum.

Another definition of a sensitive period can be formulated as follows. A sensitive period is a certain period of a child's life in which optimal conditions are created for the development of certain psychological qualities and activities in him.

These periods are limited in time, therefore, having missed the stages of mental development, in the future it will be necessary to spend a lot of effort and time to fill the gap in the development of certain functions. Some mental functions may never develop. An example of this is the numerous cases of children who grew up in a pack of animals. When they were returned to society, they could not be taught full-fledged speech and adaptation in new conditions for them by any rehabilitation methods. All their behavior copied the life and habits of animals.

Thus, the sensitive period is the time of maximum opportunities for the most effective formation of any property of the psyche, the period of the highest plasticity. He shows his ability to change according to the specifics of external circumstances.

In certain sensitive periods, there is a sharp increase in sensitivity to certain external influences due to the high plasticity of the child's nervous system.

Age sensitivity is a combination of conditions characteristic of a certain age for the formation of specific processes of the psyche. For example, for the development of speech in children, the sensitive period is 1.5 years. It is at this time that you need to pay increased attention to the child from adults, harmoniously educating and developing him. Therefore, the environment, the variety of activities, interests and emotions are extremely important for the formation of a person in the first years of his life. The lack of emotions, knowledge, skills, physical and mental development acquired in childhood will be an irreparable gap in later life.

First you need to figure out how many of these periods the child has, at what age they occur, what kind of knowledge the child easily perceives in each of them.
Periods of maximum opportunities and conditions for the development in children of certain properties of the psyche and susceptibility to the acquisition of knowledge and skills.

1.5-3 years. The period of bright speech perception, vocabulary replenishment. At this age, the child is very receptive to learning foreign languages. It is also favorable for the development of motor skills, manipulations with objects, perception of order;
3-4 years. This period is most favorable for getting acquainted with the symbolic designation of numbers and letters, preparing for writing. Conscious speech and understanding of one's own thoughts are developing, there is an intensive development of the sense organs;
4-5 years. This period is marked by the development of interest in music and mathematics. The activity of the child in the perception of writing, color, shape, size of objects increases, intensive social development takes place;
5-6 years. The most favorable period for the transition from writing to reading. This period is very important for instilling social skills and behavior in the child;
8-9 years old. During this period, language abilities secondarily reach a peak. It is also of great importance for the development of the imagination and cultural education.

At different stages of a child's sensitive development, changes in his psyche can take place either gradually and slowly, or quickly and abruptly. Accordingly, stable and crisis stages of development are distinguished. They are also called turning points in development, or crises if they proceed rapidly. During these periods, the child is especially receptive to gaining knowledge and life skills. Changes occur in the child's body, which are manifested by increased sensitivity and vulnerability. We cannot influence the occurrence of these periods, since it is inherent in human nature. But parents and educators must (even must) use them in the most productive way for the development of their child.

At a stable stage of development, a child's behavior is characteristic, without sharp shifts and changes. It may not even be noticeable to his environment. But these changes accumulate and at the end of the period give a qualitative leap in development.

Stable stages alternate with crisis ones. Crisis periods do not last long (from several months to 1-2 years, depending on the wisdom of teachers and tact of parents). These are most often brief, but violent stages. During periods of crisis, there are significant changes in the personality of the child. The crisis itself begins and ends imperceptibly, its boundaries are blurred, indistinct. Exacerbation occurs in the middle of the sensitive period. Parents see drastic changes in behavior, interests, the child is out of control of adults.

There are much more individual differences during crises than during stable periods. At this time, contradictions intensify, on the one hand, between the adult needs of the child and his still limited abilities, and on the other hand, between new needs and previously established relationships with adults. Modern psychologists consider these contradictions as the driving forces of mental development.

According to L.S. Vygotsky, the most important are three sensitive periods (crisis moments) - 1 year, 3 and 7 years. Educators and parents should be aware of the crisis moments in the life of the child and prepare for them in a timely manner to ensure the greatest satisfaction of the needs of the child in each sensitive period.

Age sensitivity is characteristic of a specific age stage; this is the best combination of conditions for the formation of specific properties or processes of the psyche.

Age periodization (according to L.S. Vygotsky)

Neonatal crisis - infancy (from 2 months to 1 year).
At 1.5-2.5 months. fine motor skills are formed, the sensory area develops, the child learns the world using auditory and tactile sensations.
. Crisis of 1 year - early childhood (1-3 years).
New types of communication appear, there is a break in the psychological unity of "mother - child", speech and mental abilities develop. The leading type of activity is the emotional and direct communication of an infant with an adult.
From 1 to 3 years is a sensitive period for the development of speech abilities. The child listens, accumulates a passive vocabulary, then speech appears, which is of a substantive nature. The ability to express their desires and feelings develops.
At 2.5-3 years old, the child often talks to himself, which contributes to the development of logical thinking, consistency in speech. Over time, he leads such monologues mentally.
. Crisis 3 years - preschool age (from 3 to 7 years).
The leading type of activity is tool-objective. Self-esteem and self-awareness are formed, the formation of personality takes place. From 3 to 7 years old, the child is included in adult life, in various activities, he chooses what to play and his role in the game; interested in sounds and letters, ie. their graphic representation in the form of symbols. Imagination and display of impressions about the world around, interaction with others, communication are actively developing. The leading type of activity is a role-playing game.
. Crisis 7 years - school age (from 7 to 13 years).
The leading activity is educational. The psyche, thinking, special abilities, personality of the child and his interpersonal relationships develop.
. Crisis 13 years - puberty (13-17 years).
The leading activity is the personal communication of adolescents.
. The crisis of 17 years is adolescence (17-21 years).
The leading type of activity is professional and educational.

According to L.S. Vygotsky, at these moments the child needs to pay increased attention from adults. During periods of crisis, the child becomes receptive to acquiring certain knowledge and skills.

And although the development of human intelligence continues into adulthood, in childhood it happens much easier and more naturally. Parents should pay attention to the onset of each of these periods and prepare the base and environment in a timely manner to best meet the needs of the child at each stage of his development.

Let us recall R. Kipling's fairy tale "The Jungle Book" and its hero - Mowgli, brought up in an animal pack. The author's idea for this book did not come out of nowhere. Currently, there are about 4 thousand official evidence of such cases. "Children of the jungle" found themselves from a very early age in a pack of animals (usually wolves) and had neither verbal nor social experience in behavior and communication. After they were returned to normal living conditions, despite intensive care and special training with them, it was no longer possible to return them to human society. The maximum number of words that could be taught to just a few of these children was no more than 45. And their skills of human existence after the rehabilitation period were more like training, like pets. Children who were in the environment of animals for the first 6 years of life will practically no longer be able to master human speech, meaningfully communicate with other people, walk straight, etc. Rehabilitation was not complete in any case. Animal skills (walking on all fours, raw food, animal sounds and habits) acquired at an early age played a decisive role for these children.

The fact is that the most responsible sensitive periods of the formation of a person's personality were irrevocably missed. It is in the first 5-7 years of life that a child receives 70% of all vital information. And if during this period he finds himself in a wolf pack, then he will grow up as a wolf. Animal skills acquired by children who found themselves among animals from infancy are imprinted in the psyche and physiology, and it is practically impossible to instill human skills, i.e. Such children will never be full-fledged people.

The sages believed that every child would speak the language of his parents, even if no one taught him this. An Indian child will speak Indian, a Nepalese child will speak Nepali, and so on. The padishah doubted this and decided to set up a cruel experiment: several infants were placed in separate rooms, and deaf-mute servants looked after them. Seven years later, the padishah entered with the sages heard incoherent screams, cries, hissing and meowing of young animal-like creatures.

All this once again proves how important the first years of life are for the development of the child and his speech.

The examples given are the best proof of the legitimacy of the existence of sensitive periods in the life of every child. Missed for various reasons, they will be an irreparable gap throughout a person's life.

Modern world famous Japanese teacher-practitioner Masaru Ibuki titled his book on child psychology "It's Too Late After 3". In his work, the scientist writes that the key to the development of a child's mental abilities is his personal experience of learning in the first three years of life. It all depends on the stimulation and development of the brain during the critical years of a child's life. Here we again see confirmation of the theory of L.S. Vygotsky about the decisive sensitive periods in the life of a child and their significance in the formation of personality.

The plasticity of the brain of a young child (from 0 to 3 years), psychophysiologically optimal conditions (sensitive periods) for the formation of emotions, intellect, speech and personality determine great potentialities. Although the Japanese scientist focuses on two (of the three main, according to L.S. Vygotsky) crisis periods of development - 1 year and 3 years, it is nevertheless clear that without a solid base for the development of an individual's personality in the first two sensitive periods (up to 3 years ) we lose the possibility of a comprehensive development of the mental abilities of the child. Only the realization of all the possibilities of the previous stage ensures a favorable transition to a new stage of development.

L.S. Vygotsky wrote that the new does not fall from the sky, but appears naturally, prepared by the entire course of previous development. The source of development is the social environment in which the child is located.

Pupils and followers of L.S. Vygotsky (P.Ya. Galperin, L.V. Zankov, A.V. Zaporozhets, A.N. Leontiev, A.R. Luria, D.B. Elkonin, etc.) continue to be guided by his works and, based on his research continues to develop the concept of early development of the child's personality.

So, we can draw the following conclusions. Sensitive periods are an opportunity to develop the abilities of children at a particular age to the maximum, while paying attention to the quality of their development. These are the most critical stages in the development of children.

It is worth noting that these periods occur in each child, but the time of their appearance and duration are individual, neither teachers nor parents can influence their occurrence. With the right approach, they can be productively applied to the further development of certain abilities or types of activities. That is why at certain age stages you should pay more attention to a specific area, while trying to develop the qualitative component of your child's abilities.

It is necessary not to accelerate, but to enrich mental development, to expand the child's capabilities in the types of activities characteristic of his age. It is important to create the necessary conditions under which children can show their abilities. You should not limit the activity of the baby, you need to provide him with the opportunity for free creative manifestation.

Parents and teachers should clearly understand that the larger the circle of interests of the child, the more harmonious it will grow. The peculiarity of the development of the child lies in the fact that all new skills, knowledge, skills are superimposed on those already studied. At these moments, the child needs to pay increased attention from adults.

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