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3THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF SOFT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN A FUTURE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
TEACHER
1A.N.Ismoilov, 2A. Morales Tenorio
1New Uzbekistan University, Career Development Center, 2Management Development Institute of Singapore in Tashkent, Lecturer https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11294683
Abstract. Relevance of the study: the relevance of the study lies in the fact that the Republic is undergoing extensive modernization in all layers of education, including preschool and higher education. The active growth of highly qualified specialists has led to the joint cooperation of local educational institutions with advanced Western educational representatives. In particular, the topic of soft skills development in pedagogy is still a topic of study for local researchers. This topic has a wide application in different fields, in particular education and elementary school teachers. However, due to the lack of materials and insufficient research in this area, there is a tendency of the slow introduction of Western standards in the educational program in Uzbekistan.
Purpose of the study: To identify ways and means of forming soft skills in the future primary school teacher of Uzbekistan.
Objectives of the study: The main objective of this work is to determine the level of skills ofprimary school teachers and the possibility of introducing these skills as one of the basic ones.
The object of the study: The formation ofprofessional competence among primary school teachers.
Subject of the study: the process of the formation of soft skills in the future primary school teacher.
Keywords: soft & hard skills, leadership, communication, primary school, preschool education, higher education.
DEVELOPMENT OF SOFT SKILLS AS A PEDAGOGICAL PROBLEM.
As the nation strives to meet the challenges of the modern world, much depends on the intellectual development of citizens and, in particular, teachers. Thus, teacher education plays a key role in ensuring that the teacher is able to meet the needs of the time. Critical thinking, creativity, and a value system are the priorities of modern education. The development of "soft skills" for the modern educator is crucial for the success of the profession.
The term soft skills encompass a wide range of personal and interpersonal qualities aimed at transforming both the individual and society as a whole. There are numerous studies that reveal the significance of such skills. Graduates of higher education institutions are expected to have hard and soft skills. In order to achieve the desired outcomes, higher education institutions are required to provide graduates with sufficient skills to succeed in their careers.
The Cambridge Dictionary interprets the concept of soft skills as "the ability of people to communicate." According to Chulanova O., (2017), modern researchers divide soft skills into three groups:
1. cognitive personality skills;
2. socio-communicative skills;
3. skills that constitute emotional intelligence.
At the same time, it should be emphasized that this type of skills does not depend on the specifics of a particular job, they are related to the personal qualities of the specialist and the degree of their development:
1. professionalism;
2. workplace discipline;
3. ability to take responsibility;
4. effective communication skills;
These skill characteristics describe non specialized paraprofessional skills, which aims to help professional in the work process. While Davidova V (2017) considers soft skills as "acquired skills that have been acquired by a person through additional education and his personal life experience and which he uses for his further development in professional activities".
The authors of scientific papers on this topic note the similarity in the results of the formation of soft skills. Meaning representatives of various areas of industry will have specific skills, which means their partial interrelation. Consequently, the skills will depend on the requirements presented by the employer.
Foreign studies emphasize the importance of the following groups of soft skills:
1. personal dynamics,
2. interpersonal relations,
3. motivation for success,
4. endurance.
While the most popular skills are the 4C group of skills according to Tang T., Vazzani V., Ericson V., (2020) which includes:
1. critical thinking,
2. creativity,
3. communication skills,
4. cooperation.
THE WAYS OF DEVELOPING SOFT SKILLS IN FUTURE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS.
As already mentioned, flexible skills are considered to be in demand nowadays in the labor market for effective implementation of professional competencies. Soft skills are correlated with so-called 4C competencies (21st century competencies): critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, and cooperation, according to US National Research Council (n.d.). Although there are many scientific works in this direction, and this trend has been realized in the West for many years, there are still many undiscovered aspects in Uzbekistan.
"The problem of the diagnostics of soft skills in the pedagogical universities lies in the complexity and versatility of their assessment and monitoring. The survey of teachers at a pedagogical university and students about soft skills states, only 48% of teachers and 23% of students are familiar with the phenomenon under study according to the conclusions of Yarkova T., Cherkasova I., (2016).
A significant part of teachers and the majority of students have no idea about soft skills, which leads us to the idea of how to develop soft skills in primary school teachers. In the scientific work of Tskvitaria T., Vlasova V., and Butenko V., and Shatokhina V., (2020) it is stated that the analysis of the standards of higher education in the areas of training "Clinical Medicine" and "Health Sciences and Preventive Medicine" showed that "the task for teachers is to form the following general cultural competencies attributed" to soft skills:
1. Ability and readiness for social interaction with society;
2. Readiness for independence;
3. Possession of the culture of thinking and the ability of logical analysis and synthesis.
The formation of these competencies has an important role in the specialty of health care because graduates are prepared for certain types of activities, one of which is organizational and managerial. However, the above-mentioned resources cannot be fully used for the training of future teachers. Based on the analysis made by Yarkova T.A. and Cherkasova I.I., (2016), it was revealed that teachers pay insufficient attention to the formation of soft skills, focusing on intra-subject knowledge and skills, i.e., on the formation of professional competencies. Only 19% of teachers emphasize the inclusion of tasks for students to develop soft skills in the content of classes. This problem can be solved without radically changing the education system. To solve it, it is necessary to:
1. To introduce additional master classes for the development of soft skills.
2. To organize problem solving workshops to strengthen skills.
3. Psychological and pedagogical training of university teaching staff through the study of modern teaching technologies.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, it should be noted that the formation of soft skills is a systematic two-way process, where the student acquires skills while the teacher trainer strengthens existing skills and builds new skills needed for teaching in the primary grades. But at the same time, it is necessary to note the importance and necessity of revising the current system of education for narrow areas of pedagogy.
REFERENCE
1. Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction of the Republic of Uzbekistan. 2024 r.
2. Yarkova, T.A. Cherkasova I.I. - Formation of flexible skills in students in the conditions of realization of professional standard of a teacher. 2016. Vol. 2. No. 4. 222-234
3. Tskvitaria T.A., Vlasova V.N.,.Butenko V.S and.Shatokhina I.V. - Formation of soft skills of pedagogical staff of profile university. 2020, No. 3, Vol. 8.
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