EFFECTIVE METHODS OF LEGAL EDUCATION FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN

In the context of building a legal state and a civil society, the development of legal literacy, legal awareness, and legal culture among the younger generation becomes critically important. Since the foundation of a legally competent personality is laid during school years, particular attention should be paid to the legal education of students. The main objective of this study is to justify the necessity of early legal education and to identify and test effective methods for its implementation in school settings. The research explores the theoretical foundations of legal education, drawing on the works of both domestic and international scholars in the fields of legal consciousness, legal socialization, and civic culture. Based on this analysis, a legal education plan was developed for 5th-grade students, consisting of a set of activities aimed at fostering legal awareness, civic responsibility, and respect for the rule of law. The plan was tested through practical implementation. Results were recorded and analyzed using comparative methods, presented in the form of tables and diagrams to visually assess the effectiveness of the selected approaches. The findings of this study may be applied in pedagogical practice to improve the quality of legal education in the general secondary education system of the Republic of Kazakhstan and beyond.