Good Start Method®

SEMINAR FOR PARENTS

An introduction to the Good Start Method, which focuses on the social-emotional development of preschool children

Topics: At our preschool, we use the Good Start Method®, which helps children develop all the important skills needed for a successful transition to school.

• Giving Positive Attention to Children
• Respectful parenting, descriptive comments, principles of giving positive attention
• Recognizing and Praising Children
• Positive feedback, principles of praise, what to praise children for
• Giving Instructions
• How to replace ineffective demands with clear and understandable instructions
• Shared Rules and Boundaries
• How to Establish Shared Rules
• Logical and Natural Consequences of Breaking the Rules
• Resolving Conflicts
• Emotions
• 4 Steps for Solving Problems and Conflicts

This program combines movement, speech, music, and art activities into a unified whole that supports the child's harmonious development.

The method was developed by American psychologist Dr. Barbara Brann and was professionally refined and adapted in the Czech Republic by PhDr. Hana Žáčková. Today, it is used by many preschools, special education teachers, and speech-language pathologists as an effective tool for preventing specific learning disabilities and promoting school readiness.

Basic Principles of the Method

The "Good Start" method is based on the integration of motor, sensory, and cognitive activities. Children learn through their entire bodies, which strengthens coordination between the brain's hemispheres, concentration, and fine motor skills.

The program is built on three key pillars:

1. The brain and body work together – children learn through movement and activity, not passive listening.
2. Learning takes place in a playful, rhythmic, and joyful way – rhymes, songs, rhythmic activities, drawing, and movement games are used.
3. Speech, motor skills, and perception development are interconnected—concentration, memory, speech comprehension, and graphomotor skills are all enhanced.

How the Program Works

The method is organized into thematic blocks and lessons that follow a consistent structure.

Each lesson consists of three parts: The activities are short, clear, and naturally repeated, so that children gain confidence, a sense of rhythm, and the joy of success.

1. Opening Ritual—a group welcome, rhythmic activities, singing, or a short poem to get the children in the right mood.
2. Main activity—combines movement (coordination, balance, spatial orientation) with drawing, nursery rhymes, or working with symbols. Children practice hand-eye coordination and prepare for writing and reading.
3. Closing segment—stretching exercises, relaxation, and a brief summary.

What the Method Develops

Thanks to its comprehensive nature, the Good Start Method addresses multiple areas of a child's development simultaneously:

gross and fine motor skills – coordination of movements, posture, hand skills, preparation for writing,

visual and auditory perception – distinguishing shapes, rhythms, direction, and sounds,speech and vocabulary—rhythm, pronunciation, comprehension, sentence formation,attention and memory—the ability to follow instructions, concentrate, and complete a task,social skills—cooperation in a group, waiting for one's turn, respect for others,self-confidence and joy in learning.

Benefits for Children

The "Good Start" method is popular among both children and educators because it delivers visible results in a natural way:

it improves motor coordination and body awareness,

strengthens the connection between movement, speech, and thinking,

helps children with concentration, memory, and understanding instructions,

supports graphomotor skills and visuomotor coordination—that is, the skills necessary for writing,

and is also suitable for children who have deferred school enrollment or have mild speech and motor difficulties.

Why We Use This Method in Our Preschool

We believe that the best preparation for school is the joy of learning.

The "Good Start" method combines music, movement, and creativity—thereby naturally developing the child's whole personality.

During lessons, children play, sing, exercise, and draw without even realizing that they are learning important skills for future reading, writing, and math.

For educators, it is a sensitive tool for observing a child's development and providing timely support to those who need it.

"A child learns best when they are moving, in rhythm, and having fun."

(Barbara Brann, creator of the Good Start Method®)