DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL COMPETENCIES OF PEDAGOGICAL PROFILE STUDENTS

The article tackles the problem of social competencies' development of teacher candidates (pedagogical formation students). In the theoretical part, the leading contemporary academic approaches to understanding of social competencies are defined. The study tried to define the meaning of social competencies in private as well as professional lives of young adults. The analysis of the professional sphere indicates that possession of high level social competencies by teachers is necessary. It is especially important considering that complicated social situations take place often during work in that profession. The author also emphasizes the influence of the level of social competencies on the job satisfaction, as the low level of these competencies leads to increased stress and burnout. The analysis of the private sphere of life indicates that low level of social competencies frequently leads to family conflicts and divorces. The attention is paid to the development and improvement of social competencies in young adults in the university environment. The empirical part consists an analysis of outcomes of the social competencies test performed on pedagogical formation students. The study has been performed on female members of teacher education programs (N=90). In the survey, the Social Competencies Questionnaire (Matczak, 2001) has been used. The results of the study indicated on average level of the student's social competencies according to three scales: intimate situations behaviour (I); social exposure behaviour (ES); behaviour in situations demanding assertiveness (A). The need for conducting social competencies trainings among students is emphasized.