Essential characteristics of the concept of “functional literacy of students in additional education”

In the conditions of constantly changing socio-economic realities, the education system is now oriented not so much towards students gaining academic knowledge, but towards acquiring the necessary life skills. In this regard, the priority task of educational institutions becomes teaching skills for applying knowledge in practical activities. This leads to the need for the development of corresponding functional literacy (reading, scientific, mathematical, etc.) in children. Although it is in institutions of additional education that favorable conditions are created for the development of children's motivation for cognition and creativity, the functional literacy of students in additional education is not sufficiently studied. The research aims to reveal the essential characteristics of functional literacy of students in additional education. The author conducted an analysis of metasubject skills formed in students in the educational space of institutions of additional education and concluded that integrated lessons organized in institutions of additional education increase the opportunities for students to gain experience in acquiring cognitive skills. The results show that the functional literacy of students in additional education should be assessed via metasubject and subject results, which reflect the level of awareness, understanding, and application of functional literacy formed in the conditions of interdisciplinarity.