Mathematics, Smiles, and Bilingualism: The MSUPE Department of Ethnopsychology Co-Founds a New Inter-University Laboratory on November 2
Mathematics, smiles, and bilingualism: what do children from Moscow, Tskhinval, Limassol, and Istanbul have in common?
How can preschool children be socialized and supported in their moral development within a multicultural world?
On November 2, at 12:00, the Institute of Childhood at Moscow Pedagogical State University (MPGU) will host the launch of the inter-university scientific and practical laboratory with international participation titled "Universal Languages of Friendship." The laboratory's overarching theme is "Socialization and Moral Development of Preschool Children in a Multicultural Environment: Diagnostics, Technologies, and Personnel Training." Educators and researchers from four countries are invited to the inaugural session to address a vital question in contemporary early childhood education: how to support preschool children—both typically developing and those with disabilities or special health needs—in becoming open-minded, kind, and socially competent individuals in an environment where cultures, languages, and traditions meet in a single playroom.
The laboratory operates in a hybrid format, combining an in-person venue with online contributions from Russian and international partners. The following institutions will take part online: the MSUPE Department of Ethnopsychology and Psychological Problems of Multicultural Education; Armavir State Pedagogical University; the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of South Ossetia and preschool institutions of Tskhinval; the YASAM Special Education Center (Limassol, Republic of Cyprus); and the Olgoped-istamdul project (Istanbul, Republic of Turkey).
Participants will include university faculty members, special education teachers (defectologists), preschool educators, early childhood specialists, students, and members of student scientific societies.
The laboratory program includes:
- Diagnostics and resources for socialization: presentations by Professor A.V. Krotkova (MPGU) on the social development of preschool children with disabilities, Associate Professor S.I. Semenaka (ASPU) on the "My Choice" technology, and Professor O.S. Pavlova (MSUPE) on cross-cultural aspects of prosocial behavior.
- "A Smile Makes Everything Brighter" Station: a live video broadcast from Tskhinval featuring Lyudmila Dyakunchak, an educator at Preschool Educational Institution No. 2 "Zolotoy Klyuchik," demonstrating how the digital platform "Kindness Begins with a Smile" enhances group dynamics.
- "Mathematical Theater of Friendship of Peoples" Station: students from the MPGU Student Scientific Society demonstrating that mathematics is a universal language accessible to children regardless of their cultural or linguistic background.
- "Journey into the Land of Bilingualism" Station: speech therapist and intercultural specialist Olga Gürgüç (Istanbul) presenting an interactive workbook for bilingual children and examining the boundary between natural bilingualism and speech pathology.
- "Voices from the Field": Ekaterina Pingos, head of the YASAM Special Education Center (Limassol), sharing international experience in multilingual remedial and corrective support for preschool children.
- A round table featuring an expert from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of South Ossetia: from assessment to practice, and toward the development of the "Universal Languages of Friendship" inter-university resource bank.
Participants will have the opportunity to:
- Discover socialization techniques already tested in Russia, South Ossetia, Cyprus, and Turkey.
- Obtain ready-to-use diagnostic, corrective, and developmental tools for multicultural and inclusive classrooms.
- Become co-authors of the "Universal Languages of Friendship" inter-university repository of adapted case studies.
- Directly consult practitioners from four countries.