The connection between the development of fine motor skills and learning English in preschool age



This article examines the relationship between the development of fine motor skills and learning English in preschoolers, and also provides examples of effective techniques that facilitate this process.

Keywords: preschool education, fine motor skills, English language learning, reusable learning materials, Quantum STEM School, educational innovation, play-based learning, vocabulary development.

Introduction

Teaching foreign languages in preschool and primary school age is becoming increasingly common. Parents and teachers strive for the early language development of children, understanding that this period is the most favorable for the acquisition of new knowledge. At the same time, the development of fine motor skills contributes to the overall intellectual development of the child, improving his learning abilities. Modern researches by scientists in the field of child psychology and pedagogy emphasizes the importance of developing fine motor skills in children from a very early age. Fine motor skills are directly related to cognitive processes such as memory, attention and language development.

The purpose of this article is to identify and analyze the relationship between the development of fine motor skills and the success of learning English in preschool children. Main tasks include:

1. Review of theoretical aspects of the relationship between fine motor skills and cognitive development.
2. Analysis of methods that promote the development of fine motor skills and their impact on learning English.
3. Examples of practical application of these methods in educational institutions.

Main part

Developing fine motor skills involves improving the coordination of the small muscles of the hands and fingers. This is not only a physical skill, but also an important cognitive process that affects the development of a child’s brain. Research shows that children with well-developed fine motor skills are more likely to score well on tests of intellectual development, including language ability.

At the same time, early learning of a foreign language contributes to the formation of language competence, improves pronunciation and helps children more easily perceive and remember new words and phrases. Preschool-aged children who begin learning English demonstrate more flexible language skills and a broader vocabulary than those who begin learning at a later age.

To develop fine motor skills with their impact on language learning, the following techniques are used:

1. Game form of learning. Games that actively use fine motor skills, such as clay modeling, drawing and design, are effective tools for teaching English in preschool age. For example, through the process of modeling clay, children can create different figures and then name them in English, which helps strengthen the connection between words and visual images. This not only helps improve the memorization of new words, but also develops spatial thinking and motor coordination in children. Adding game elements to the learning process also stimulates student motivation and makes learning more fun and effective. Through fine motor play, children not only learn language structures and words, but also develop important small object skills that benefit their overall development.
2. Writing and drawing. Writing and drawing play a central role in the development of fine motor skills in preschool children. The use of interactive notebooks, where children can not only write, but also draw in English, promotes the integration of motor and language skills. In the process of drawing, children learn not only the correct dynamics and writing of letters, but also master the visual representation of linguistic elements. It is especially important that writing and drawing help children strengthen the associations between images and the sounds of words in English, which contributes to deeper learning. This approach not only develops hand motor skills and coordination, but also improves understanding and memory of language structures.

Example and results of practical application

In pre-school groups at Quantum STEM School in Astana, Kazakhstan, a reusable educational notebook has been successfully introduced to promote the development of fine motor skills and English language learning among children. This notebook contained a variety of activities related to drawing, sculpting and writing, which stimulated the improvement of children's language skills and motor development.

During the school year, five lessons per week were held, of which one lesson was devoted to working with a notebook. The notebook tasks covered various vocabulary topics such as colors, numbers, animals and others. The children completed the notebook tasks with great pleasure, without fear of making mistakes, since they had the opportunity to erase and redo the tasks. This contributed to creating a comfortable environment for experimentation and learning.

Over time, children returned to completed pages of the notebook, completing tasks in more complex, developmentally appropriate ways, from beginning stages such as drawing or attaching face parts to animals, to more complex tasks such as tracing the letters of animal names and writing words on their own.. This stepwise increase in task difficulty allowed children to progress smoothly in their language skills.

The results showed a significant improvement in pronunciation, expansion of vocabulary and increased children's interest in learning English. At the end of the course, the children successfully knew and used from 100 to 150 new words. This experience prepared them for a successful transition to first grade by providing them with the necessary foundation of language and writing skills.

Table 1

Vocabulary development across subjects: beginning vs. end of course.

Subject	Vocabulary at the beginning of the course	Vocabulary at the end of the course
Numbers	Basic numbers 1–10	Extended numbers 1–20
Colours	Primary colours	Secondary colours
Shapes	Basic shapes (circle, square)	Geometric shapes (rectangle, oval, hexagon)
Animals	Common animals (dog, cat)	Zoo and farm animals (elephant, cow, horse)
Fruits	Basic fruits (apple, banana)	Exotic fruits (mango, pineapple, kiwi)
Body Parts	Head, arm, leg	Hands, feet, shoulders
Weather	Sunny, rainy	Cloudy, snowy, windy, thunderstorm
Family	Mom, dad, brother, sister	Grandparents, cousins, aunt, uncle
Food	Cheese, milk	Pasta, salad, hamburger
Vehicles	Car, bus	Truck, airplane, rocket

This table demonstrates significant development in vocabulary across multiple subjects throughout the course, reflecting effective learning and retention of new words and concepts.

Conclusion

The development of fine motor skills plays an important role in the cognitive and language development of preschool children. Integrating techniques aimed at developing fine motor skills into the process of learning English can significantly improve the educational results and motivation of children. The practical application of such techniques in educational institutions confirms their effectiveness and feasibility of use.

It is recommended to introduce methods for the development of fine motor skills into the English language learning program in preschool institutions. It is also important to continue research in this area to develop new innovative techniques that promote the comprehensive development of children.

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