Method "Engine": determining the level of anxiety in children

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

In order for the child to be comfortable in kindergarten, it is necessary to create favorable conditions. Parents are wondering: how is their baby in kindergarten? Does he feel safe there, does he like attending preschool? For this, there are various psychological tests that will help determine the emotional state of the child. The "Twin Train" method for preschoolers will help determine the level of anxiety in children.

The essence of testing

This test helps to determine the emotional state of the child and find out what the baby's mood is, the level of anxiety, fear, how well the baby adapts to new conditions. With this test, you can determine the degree of positive and negative mental state.

The "Engine Train" technique can be carried out with children from 2.5 years old. It is at this age that most children begin to attend kindergartens and interact more actively with others. Therefore, it is necessary to determine how stable the emotional state of the child is.

Testing is best done in a playful way, becausethat in children of this age play activity predominates. In such an atmosphere, the baby relaxes, which is important for the technique. The results obtained should be shown to parents and the teacher and recommendations should be given for the successful adaptation of the child in kindergarten.

Stimulative material and instructions for conducting

For the "Train Engine" technique, you will need a white engine and 8 multi-colored train cars (red, yellow, blue, green, gray, brown, purple, black). These trailers are randomly placed on a piece of paper.

Then the adult explains to the child to carefully consider all trailers. And it is proposed to build a beautiful train. And you need to start with the car, which seems to the child the most beautiful. The kid should keep all trailers in sight. The younger the child, the more often you need to say instructions and point with your hand at the remaining trailers.

An adult needs to make a table in which he will fix the position of the trailer, the child's comments and conclusions. After that, you need to start processing the results.

Processing results

In the "Train Engine" method, the emotional state is assessed on a point scale. For convenience, it is best to write the results in a table:

• 1 point is given if the purple trailer was placed in the 2nd position; black, gray, brown - on the 3rd; red, yellow, green - on the 6th;
• 2 points are given if the purple car was put in 1st place; black, grey, brown - on2nd; red, yellow, green for 7th and blue for 8th;
• 3 points are given if a black, gray or brown car is placed in the 1st position; blue - on the 7th; red, yellow, green - on the 8th.

Then the total points are calculated. According to the "Engine" method:

• if the total score is less than 3 points, then the mental state of the baby is positive;
• from 4 to 6 points - the mental state is assessed as negative in a low degree;
• from 7 to 9 points - this is a negative mental state of an average degree;
• more than 9 points - a negative mental state of a high degree.

Based on the test results, the psychologist gives the necessary recommendations to the educator and parents to normalize the mental state.

Meaning of testing

The "train" method for detecting anxiety is needed not only so that the teacher can draw up a curriculum taking into account the individual characteristics of the child. It is needed so that the baby has a stable positive mental state.

This will help the child quickly adapt to new conditions and easier to interact with people around him. Since the baby is comfortable in kindergarten, the child will be more active in the classroom and take part in various festive events.

But if, according to the results of the "Train Engine: Revealing Anxiety in Preschoolers" method, the baby has a negativemental state, then adults need to create favorable conditions for the child. It is important that parents show their child their love and care. The teacher should pay more attention to the child, try to involve in games with a small number of children. And, of course, sign up for classes with a psychologist, which will help the child quickly adapt to kindergarten.

For children of primary preschool age, it is necessary to select methods that do not take much time and do not require a lot of concentration. Also, there must be visual material, selected in accordance with the age of the child. It is important to conduct such testing when a child starts attending kindergarten - because how comfortable he feels there, he will be able to more successfully interact with others and complete the curriculum.