Innovative Educational Technologies: STEAM Education as a Means of Integrating Ethnocultural Competence (Based on the 4th Grade "Literary Reading" Course)

STEAM is an innovative educational approach that integrates multiple subject areas, serving as a tool to develop critical thinking, research skills, and teamwork among students. Ethnocultural competence is considered a vital component of personal development and socialization, fostering understanding and respect for cultural diversity, as well as acceptance of one’s own ethnocultural characteristics and international interactions. To examine the role of the course "Literary Reading for 4th Grade" in developing ethnocultural competence among primary school students. The study reviews methods and their implementation to promote ethnocultural competence in 4th-grade students through the "Literary Reading" course. Educational techniques and didactic materials used during lessons are evaluated. The research employed surveys, analytical methods, literature review, analysis of curricula, and other materials to identify their content, ideas, and core messages. The study also discusses group and individual analysis methods, providing recommendations for their use to ensure comprehensive student development. These text analysis methods closely examine the pedagogical significance of the curriculum and emphasize key aspects of the teaching process. Ethnocultural competence is viewed as a multifaceted personal trait, developed in students through knowledge, skills, abilities, motivation, values, and other aspects aimed at interpersonal interaction. The study findings show that about 40% of students are only superficially familiar with the material, possessing a basic level of knowledge. Combining teaching methods with modern educational technologies and selecting them based on the specific goals of each lesson significantly enhances the quality of teaching literary reading in primary grades.