Teacher preparation for the formation of legal knowledge of primary school students in the process of applying a differentiated approach

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of training of the elementary school teachers to develop legal knowledge of students. Urgency of the problem is forced by the complicated social conditions in the country. It is determined that to secure effectiveness of the legal culture of students, it is necessary to start developing legal knowledge of the students from the elementary-school age. The authors give characteristics of the concept of legal knowledge as a system of knowledge in the field of right, laws, civil responsibility, health and safety, moral and national laws, as well as ability to use the laws. The research outlines kinds of legal knowledge of elementary school students (general theoretical, educational, historical-legal), as well as defines requirements to the educational legal knowledge (development of legal knowledge as a gradual and continuous process; consideration of needs and capabilities of students basing on learning different educational courses; consideration of the modern society demands to a personality, etc.).  Having analyzed the available researches, the authors evaluate readiness of the elementary school teacher to develop legal knowledge of students as an integral professionally important competence in the system of structural components (professional motives and interests, knowledge, instruments, methods, learning technologies, etc.). The work provides argumentation of differentiations as assisting instruments in solution of the problem of successful promotion in learning, communication, and opportunities of self-fulfillment. The article confirms the necessity of differentiation in the training of teachers to develop legal knowledge of elementary school students. It is designated that the differentiated method of learning is considered as an appropriately organized educational activity, which suggests an optimal intellectual development of students and organizes the content of educational material, selects forms, educational instruments, and methods considering students peculiarities. The authors specify the role and significance of extracurricular work, which supplements, expands, and improves the system of legal knowledge and outlook. It is substantiated that in the conditions of absence of a separate course like science of law in the elementary school, the extracurricular work and successful development of legal knowledge of students should be expected in the training of teachers to conduct such activity on the fundamentals of the differentiated approach.