PROBLEMATICS OF DEVELOPMENT OF COGNITIVE ABILITIES OF YOUNGER SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN IN RELATION TO MOTOR SKILLS

Michaela Pugnerová
Dr. Department of Psychology and Abnormal Psychology, Faculty of Education, Palacký University Olomouc, CZECH REPUBLIC, E-mail: michaela.pugnerova@upol.cz

Abstract

The study presents the issue of cognitive processes in the sense of verbal competence in relation to the adaptive behavior of the pupil at the first stage of primary school. This is an important period in the life of a child in terms of future school and personal success. Individual adaptation to the school environment is determined, among other things, by the development of cognitive processes and the appropriate development of fine and gross motor skills. The aim of the research is to analyse some factors that contribute to the development of the above-mentioned characteristics of the child. Data were measured by the Cognitive Ability Test (in Czech TKS) (R. L. Thorndike, E. Hagen, N. France, 2013). The research group consisted of 200 pupils of primary school at the age of 9.87 ± 0.65 years. The Ethics Committee of the Institute (Palacky University in Olomouc) approved the research. The results of the research suggest the necessity of possible interventions within the pedagogical process in the area of development of children's verbal expression and maladaptation prevention. The results of the research suggest the need for possible interventions within the pedagogical process in the field of cognitive and motor skills development. Study limits and application options are discussed below. The study was supported by the project GF_PdF_2019_0003.

Keywords: Younger school age, cognitive processes (verbal competence), motor skills