As dificuldades de aprendizagem, muitas vezes, são vistas como as grandes vilãs de qualquer sala de aula. Quando detecta-se sua presença, que por vezes acontece por meio das notas, trata-se de procurar os culpados. Uma coisa que é tão natural ao processo de aprendizagem é rotulada como um empecilho para o sucesso dos alunos e da escola. Ora o professor é cobrado para que melhore seus métodos de ensino, ora o aluno é cobrado por mais esforço e dedicação, quando não é encaminhado para que seja tratado com fármacos que lhes "garantirão" melhores notas. Fala-se tanto do que ensinar e como ensinar, mas reflete-se tão pouco sobre o maior objetivo do ensino que é a aprendizagem. As concepções dos sujeitos acerca do que é a aprendizagem ou a não aprendizagem afetam a forma como estes vivenciam o dia a dia da escola. Com o intuito refletir acerca das crenças e das concepções dos membros de uma comunidade escolar e sobre sua influencia na aprendizagem, foram realizados três estudos que contaram com a participação de 272 membros de uma rede privada de escolas confessionais: 33 alunos, 138 professores, 52 gestores, 14 pais e 35 funcionários administrativos. Nesta pesquisa, com abordagem quali-quantitativa, foram utilizados três instrumentos de coleta de dados: dois questionários estruturados com escala Likert, para análise quantitativa, e um grupo focal para análise qualitativa. Os estudos realizados sugerem que crenças ingênuas insistem em manter boa parte dos sujeitos amparados no senso comum, em seus discursos e suas práticas. Basear a educação apenas no que “sempre deu certo” ou no que a escola deseja, e não no que o aluno precisa, pode comprometer o processo de aprendizagem. A não reflexão sobre aprendizagem e ensino pode mascarar necessidades, mediante falsos sucessos ou o sucesso da maioria. Enquanto a educação permanecer mergulhada em senso comum, seus sujeitos não alcançarão os significados das próprias ações, não poderão chegar à consciência do que fazem, não poderão criticá-las, nem ultrapassá-las. / The learning difficulties often are seen as the major villains in any classroom. When its presence is detected, which sometimes happens through the student grades, we seek for a reason. One thing that is so natural to the learning process is labeled as an obstruction to the students and the school success. Either the teacher is asked to improve their teaching methods, the student is charged for more effort and dedication or the student is sent to be treated with drugs that will "ensure" better grades. There are a lot of talking about what to teach and how to teach, however so little about the ultimate goal of teaching which is learning. The conceptions of what is learning and what is not affect the way those live at school on daily basis. In order to reflect on the concepts and their influence on learning three studies were held, which included the participation of members of a private network of religious schools: 33 students, 138 teachers, 52 administrators, 14 parents and 35 staff (not teachers or managers). Data was collected using two methods. One method involved the use of two Epistemological questionnaires, while the other involved the use of a focus group. The studies suggest that naive beliefs insist on keeping most of the people supported by common sense in their discourses and practices. Base education only as "always worked" or that the school wants, not what the student needs, may compromise the learning process. This is no reflection on learning and teaching can mask needs by pseudo success or the success of the majority. For as long as the concept and methods of education are viewed as commonsensical, those involved will find it difficult to step outside of this mindset and critique the methods that are used, or indeed to allow those methods to evolve.

Orientador: Rosely Palermo Brenelli / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-15T08:59:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Osti_Andreia_D.pdf: 2834392 bytes, checksum: 59f56731b0ac47d29b5177dbc309fc2c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo identificar as representações de professores e de seus respectivos alunos (com e sem dificuldade de aprendizagem) sobre o processo de ensino e aprendizagem. Buscou-se verificar em quais aspectos as representações de alunos e professores se correspondem, se elas se diferenciam entre alunos com e sem dificuldades de aprendizagem e qual a percepção deles sobre a relação com o seu professor. A coleta de dados foi organizada por meio de três instrumentos: entrevista semi estruturada contendo quinze questões abertas para os professores, entrevista para os alunos e a aplicação da técnica psicopedagógica Par Educativo. Os dados obtidos permitiram conhecer as representações de professores e alunos e as diferentes significações que eles atribuem ao ensino, à aprendizagem e à dificuldade de aprendizagem. Participaram deste estudo vinte professores e quarenta alunos (sendo vinte com dificuldade e vinte sem dificuldade de aprendizagem) da 4ª série (5º ano) do Ensino Fundamental da rede municipal de uma cidade da região Metropolitana de Campinas. Os dados coletados foram submetidos à análise estatística qualitativa e quantitativa. As respostas das entrevistas foram categorizadas e descritas em relação a sua frequência absoluta (N) e relativa (%). Para as categorias das questões abertas, em que foi possível comparar as respostas de alunos e professores, utilizou-se o teste exato de Fisher, Qui-Quadrado e de Proporções. O nível de confiança nas análises comparativas foi de 95%. Os resultados demonstraram que professores e alunos apresentam uma visão parcial dos fatores envolvidos no processo de ensino e aprendizagem e do que seja a dificuldade de aprendizagem. O aprender, tanto para professores quanto alunos, é sinônimo de ausência de erros, sendo um processo individual e não social. Professores e alunos sem dificuldades representam positivamente o ambiente da sala de aula, diferentemente dos alunos com dificuldades. Esses últimos demonstraram a necessidade de vivenciar um bom relacionamento com o professor, destacando a questão afetiva nas relações em sala de aula. Nossos dados mostram que os professores depositam a maior responsabilidade pela aprendizagem à família e ao próprio aluno, não considerando a correspondência entre a metodologia e sua prática com a dificuldade do aluno. / Abstract: The aim of this research was to identify the representations of teachers and their respective students (with and without learning difficulties) on the teaching and learning process. Aspects in which teacher representation corresponded to student representation were observed. The study investigated whether there was a difference between students with and without learning difficulties and how students perceived their relationship with their teacher. Data collection was organized by three instruments: a semi-structured interview containing fifteen open-ended questions for the teachers, student interview and application of the Pair Learning Educational Psychology technique. The data obtained allowed us to understand teacher and student representations, in addition to different meanings attributed to teaching, learning and learning difficulties by teachers and students. Twenty teachers and forty students participated in this study covering the fourth grade (5th year) of an Elementary School of the Municipal System from a city in the Metropolitan Region of Campinas. Of the 40 students, twenty had learning difficulties and twenty had no learning difficulty. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the data collected was carried out. The answers in the interviews were categorized and described in relation to absolute (N) and relative (%) frequencies. For categories of open-ended questions, which compared answers given by students and teachers, the Fisher's test, chi-square test and a test of Proportions were used. In comparative analyses the confidence level was 95%. The results showed that teachers and students presented a partial view of the factors involved in the teaching and learning process, as well as the meaning of learning difficulties. Learning, both for teachers and students was synonymous with lack of error. It is an individual and not a social process. Teachers and students without difficulties positively represent the classroom setting, as opposed to students with difficulties. Students demonstrate the need to experience a good relationship with their teacher, emphasizing the emotional issue in classroom relationships. Our data showed that teachers placed greater responsibility for learning to the family and the students themselves, not considering the correspondence between methodology and its practice with student difficulties. / Doutorado / Psicologia, Desenvolvimento Humano e Educação / Doutor em Educação

A avaliação psicológica da criança destaca a importância do estudo da dinâmica familiar que, embora imprescindível, não encerra em si o universo das relações com as quais a criança se vincula. Estudos sobre a avaliação psicológica, especialmente a partir do modelo compreensivo, apontam à necessidade de se considerar a integração de aspectos intrapsíquicos, familiares e sociais. A análise dos aspectos sócio-ambientais, apesar de relevantes diante da queixa escolar, mostra-se pouco sistematizada. O presente estudo teve como objetivos identificar e comparar os processos psicodiagnóstico de crianças com idades entre 7 e 10 anos, com queixa escolar em dois momentos históricos distintos, 1983 e 2001 e descrever e propor estratégias complementares à prática diagnóstica, como a Visita Domiciliar e a Visita Escolar. Para a comparação histórica foram analisados 164 prontuários de clientes atendidos em uma Clínica-Escola, em termos de freqüência absoluta (fa) e freqüência relativa (fr). Destes, 116 (70,73%) foram de casos atendidos em 1983 e 48 (29,23%) referiam-se a 2001. O procedimento utilizado na segunda etapa contou com a análise qualitativa de seis estudos de caso envolvendo a queixa escolar, nos quais foram descritas as Visitas Domiciliar e Escolar. Os resultados da análise documental indicaram que, apesar do crescente desenvolvimento das técnicas e procedimentos para o diagnóstico psicológico, poucas mudanças ocorreram num período de 18 anos, no que se refere à seqüência do processo, aos instrumentos utilizados e ao número de sessões, num período de 18 anos. Observou-se o predomínio da avaliação focalizada na criança e em suas dificuldades. Estes dados subsidiaram a proposição de estratégias complementares, como a visita familiar e a escolar, que sustentadas pelo raciocínio clínico, atingiram a dimensão do social. Assim, a totalidade dos casos apresentados ilustrou como o uso das visitas poderia contribuir fornecendo dados para uma leitura diagnóstica mais contextualizada, e conseqüentemente para o embasamento da entrevista devolutiva, adequando-a a realidade da criança, da família e da escola. A utilização desses procedimentos, não substituiu, nem prevaleceu sobre outros recursos, tampouco se constituiu num procedimento padrão, cabível a qualquer tipo de queixa. Mas, em conjunto com as demais técnicas, possibilitou ampliar a compreensão diagnóstica por meio da observação direta dos espaços de significação da criança com queixa escolar. / The psychological evaluation of the child stresses the importance of studying the familiar dynamics as an indispensable procedure, though it does not confine in itself the whole universe of relationships linked to the child. Studies on psychological evaluation, particularly the ones based on a comprehensive model, point to the need of considering the integration of psychological, familiar and social aspects. However, the analysis of social and environmental aspects regarding child’s difficulties in school is scarcely systematized, in spite of its importance. This study examined cases of psychodiagnosis of children with school difficulties aged between 7 and 10, in two different periods of time, in 1983 and in 2001. It aimed to describe and propose strategies complementing diagnostic procedures, as the Home Visit and the School Visit. In order to proceed to a historical comparison, the study analyzed 164 files of a School-Clinic, in terms of absolute and relative frequencies, of which 116 ((70,73%) were from 1983, and 48 (29,23%) from 2001. Following, the study did qualitative analysis of six cases of child’s difficulties in school, in which the Home Visits and School Visit proceedings are described. The results of the files analyses showed that, in spite of the growing development of techniques and other resources for the psychological diagnosis, few changes have occurred in a period of 18 years, concerning proceedings, tools and numbers of sessions. It was noticed the preponderance of an evaluation focused on the children and their difficulties only. The data substantiated the proposal of additional strategies as the Home Visit and the School Visit, thus reaching a social dimension enriched by the clinical reasoning. The totality of the cases presented showed how the visits could contribute with valuable information for a more contextualized diagnostic reading, and also for a more sustained return interview, making it more suitable to the reality of the child, the family and the school. The adoption of these proceedings did not replace, nor did it prevail over other resources. Also, these proceedings do not constitute a standard tool to be used in any kind of school complaint. But, together with the other proceedings, they helped to broaden the diagnostic understanding by allowing the direct observation of the spaces of significance for the child with school difficulties.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-09-14T18:27:59Z No. of bitstreams: 1 cristiarosineirigoncalveslopescorrea.pdf: 605292 bytes, checksum: 38562bbea5f7579ce213dc0e85703e9a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-10-04T13:48:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 cristiarosineirigoncalveslopescorrea.pdf: 605292 bytes, checksum: 38562bbea5f7579ce213dc0e85703e9a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-10-04T13:48:50Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 cristiarosineirigoncalveslopescorrea.pdf: 605292 bytes, checksum: 38562bbea5f7579ce213dc0e85703e9a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-04T13:48:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 cristiarosineirigoncalveslopescorrea.pdf: 605292 bytes, checksum: 38562bbea5f7579ce213dc0e85703e9a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-17 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A presente dissertação tem como proposta investigar no campo de interlocução entre Psicanálise e Educação a problemática das dificuldades de aprendizagem. Partimos da pergunta: “nos quadros de dificuldades de aprendizagem trata-se de um Outro que não sabe, ou um Outro que sabe demais”? O nosso caminho para responder a essa questão partirá da verificação lógica da sugestão de Lacan (1967): a segregação do real pelo Ideal. Com esse percurso, pretendemos avançar nesse ponto da segregação que a dimensão do Ideal coloca em jogo. Subsequentemente, visaremos a uma interlocução entre a abordagem psicanalítica e a teoria piagetiana das aprendizagens, discutindo a noção do egocentrismo infantil reivindicado por Piaget. Também, visaremos posteriormente uma interlocução com uma abordagem crítica das políticas públicas educacionais que denuncia uma forte dimensão idealizante no fundamento dessas políticas. Tal interlocução se dará no sentido de verificar se essa visada é a mesma da visada psicanalítica, avançando um pouquinho mais nesse tema. O passo seguinte será a investigação detida das dificuldades de aprendizagem na psicanálise a partir da abordagem da inibição neurótica da qual a inibição na aprendizagem faz parte, à luz da tragédia “Hamlet”, de Shakespeare, onde podemos encontrar a inibição de Hamlet intimamente articulada com um Outro que sabe demais. Trabalharemos com a hipótese de uma dimensão excessivamente idealizante no cerne de quadros de séria inibição na aprendizagem. Dimensão de um saber idealizado demais que obstrui o ato de aprender. É justamente essa hipótese que será investigada. / This dissertation aims at investigating learning difficulties at the intersection of Psychoanalysis and Education. We begin with the following question: “Learning difficulties pictures: the Other does not knowledge or knowledge too much”? To deal with this question we will begin with the logical verification for Lacan’s suggestion (1967) about the segregation of the real order comprised by Ideal dimension. With this approach, we aim at advancing in this segregation notion introduced by the Ideal. Subsequently, we will be concerned with the conversation between psychoanalysis and Piaget’s theory about learning, discussing child’s egocentrism claimed by this researcher. After, we will also be concerned with the conversation with a critical approach of educational public policies denounces a strong Ideal dimension in the core of these policies. Such a conversation will take place in the sense of verifying whether this reading and psychoanalytical one are the same, advancing a bit more, in this theme. The following step will be the learning difficulties detailed investigation from the neurotic inhibition approach from which the learning inhibition takes part, on the lights from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, where we can find the Hamlet’s inhibition closely related to an Other that kowledges too much. We will be concerned with the excessively idealized dimension hypothesis in the core of the learning difficulties pictures. Dimension which comprises an idealized knowledge that prevents the act of learning. It is justly this hypothesis which will be investigated.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur digitala verktyg används i den undervisning av elever i matematiksvårigheter som forskningen studerat, samt vilka effekter denna undervisning har på elevernas matematiska utveckling och lärande. Metoden för detta arbete är en systematisk litteraturstudie, där 30 forskningsstudier inom området kartläggs och analyseras. Forskningsfältet analyseras översiktligt, följt av en fördjupad analys. Resultatet av litteraturstudien tyder på en stor variation kring de digitala verktygens användningsområden. Av studien framgår att digitala verktyg används för att låta elever följa instruktioner och lösa matematiska uppgifter, att undervisa med virtuellt laborativt material, för anpassningar och som hjälpmedel, för att kommunicera och ge återkoppling, för en spelbaserad undervisning samt för mängdträning och repetition i matematik. Resultatet tyder överlag på positiva effekter av en undervisning med digitala verktyg på elever i matematiksvårigheter gällande lärande och utveckling i matematik. Resultatet tyder även på att den undervisning som framgår av forskningsstudierna till övervägande del går ut på att eleven interagerar med det digitala verktyget på egen hand. Detta resultat diskuteras utifrån ett sociokulturellt perspektiv på kunskap och lärande. Implikationer för vidare forskning och konsekvenser för undervisning diskuteras. / The purpose of this study is to investigate how digital tools are used in the teaching of students in mathematical diffuculties that research has studied, and the effects of this teaching on the students’ mathematical development and learning. The method for this study is a systematic review, where 30 research studies are charted and analyzed. The field of research is surveyed, followed by a profound analysis. The results of the study indicates that there is a great variety in the use of digital tools. The study shows that digital tools are used by letting students follow instructions and solve mathematical problems, for teaching with virtual manipulatives, as accommodations and support tools, for communication and feedback, for game-based learning and for increasing the amount of mathematical practice and repetition. The overall results indicate positive effects of teching with digital tools on mathematical learning and development of students in mathematical difficulties. The results also indicate that the teaching methods in the research studies are mainly based on letting the students interact with the digital tools on their own. This result is discussed based on a sociocultural perspective on knowledge and learning. Implications for further research and practice are discussed.

The Squares Family is a game developed as a learning aid in mathematics. With its graphical representation of the decimal system, the four basic arithmetic operations and positive and negative numbers together with a learning agent as pedagogical approach, the game’s primary purpose is to motivate students in their learning of mathematics. Although the game is strictly based on mathematical rules it attempts to encourage students to play and work with math without experiencing it as mathematics as this is initially not obvious. The game being internationally tested on normal performing students, this project introduced the game to six Swedish students who experience low motivation for and/or difficulties in mathematics. The students from fifth up to seventh grade participated therefore in a three weeks’ study. The ultimate goal of this project is to make suggestions on the integration of the game in the students’ learning environment and on the adaptation of it to fit their needs. In order to be able to make such recommendations, following question was raised: How does the learning situation look like for students experiencing difficulties in mathematics? An attempt to understand the complexity of their learning situation was made through several tests in students’ attitude, self-efficacy and understanding of mathematics, through observations of their game playing, interview with their pedagogue and through a questionnaire on their attitude towards the game and their special education in mathematics and in their understanding of traditionally vs. graphically represented mathematical problems. Despite the time limited study it is obvious that the students’ difficulties in mathematics are not independent of other factors, as the majority of these students display a negative attitude, a low self-efficacy and a sensibility for disturbances and reactions from their social network. / Räkna med Rutiga Familjen är ett spel utvecklat som läromedel i matematik. Spelets huvudmål är att motivera elever i sitt lärande genom sin grafiska representation av decimalsystemet, de fyra räknesätten, positiva och negativa tal samt genom sin pedagogiska ansats av en lärande agent. För att motivera elever att spela och arbeta med matematik utan att initialt vara medveten om det, är matematiken i spelet trots sin matematiska grund, nedtonad. Spelet som testas internationellt mot normaltpresterande elever, introducerades i detta projekt till sex svenska elever med låg motivation för och/eller svårigheter i matematik. Eleverna som är från femte till sjunde klass deltog i denna undersökning under en tre veckors period. Projektets huvudmål är att föreslå rekommendationer för matematikspelets integration i undervisningen av elever med matematiksvårigheter och för anpassning av spelet till deras behov. Som utgångspunkt för framtagning av rekommendationerna ställdes följande fråga: Hur ser lärsituationen ut för elever som upplever svårigheter i matematik? I ett försök att förstå komplexiteten av elevernas lärsituation genomfördes flera tester i deras attityd, självvärdering och matematikförståelse, observationer av deras spelande, intervju med specialpedagogen samt enkät kring deras attityd gentemot spelet och specialundervisningen och kring deras förståelse för traditionellt vs grafiskt representerade matematikuppgifter. Trots studiens tidsbegränsning är det uppenbart att elevernas svårigheter i matematik hänger samman med andra faktorer, då majoriteten av eleverna uppvisar en negativ inställning, en låg självvärdering samt känslighet för störningar och reaktioner från sitt sociala nätverk.

Denna studie undersöker vad det är som gör att elever i grundskolan kan upplevas ha svårigheter med ämnet matematik i år 4, när de inte visade det i år 3. De lärare som tar emot eleven i en övergång ifrågasätter de lärare som undervisat eleven under tidigare år. För att få information om vad det är som händer med elevers matematikkunskaper i övergången, valde jag att genomföra intervjuer med lärare som är behöriga i matematik. Varje lärare måste ha arbetat både med elever i år 3 och elever i år 4, med avgränsningen att läraren inte följt med eleverna från år 3 till år 4, utan haft sin anställning i respektive stadie. Eftersom det inte finns en färdig teori kring vad som påverkar elevens matematikkunskaper, har jag valt att göra kvalitativa intervjuer med inspiration från Grundad teori. Det gör att intervjuerna har formats av varje lärare med utgångspunkt från en intervjuguide som inte varit styrande. I analysen av intervjuerna, framkommer det att det är i förändringen som sker runtomkring eleven i övergången som svårigheter med matematiken uppstår. Eleven får träffa nya lärare med annorlunda förhållningssätt och undervisningsmodeller mot det de är vana vid tidigare. Matematikundervisningen förändras från att ha innehållit praktiskt material och färggranna matematikböcker som eleven skriver i till att bli mer teoretisk. Vidare förändras kunskapskraven i läroplanen och det visar sig att lärare i de olika stadierna inte är insatta i varandras läroplaner. Det leder till att det blir ett glapp i undervisningen i matematik från år 3 till år 4. Ramtiden påverkar matematikundervisningen utifrån att matematikämnet innehåller många olika områden som läraren ska lär ut till eleverna. Lärare hanterar detta olika. Några matematiklärare fokuserar på att varje elev ska ha lite kunskap inom varje område. Andra matematiklärare koncentrerar sin undervisning på att varje elev ska befästa de delar som tas upp inom matematikämnet. Det leder till att eleven inte hinner bearbeta varje område som ingår i matematikämnet. Ofta splittras klasser i år 3 och det bildas nya klasser i år 4. Då blandas elever som undervisats på olika sätt samman. Den nya läraren ska försöka möta den blandade gruppens olika förmågor i ämnet matematik. Förändringen kan ge konsekvenser för eleven, så att eleven får svårt att ta emot undervisningen från den nya läraren. / This study investigates why pupils in elementary school may show difficulties with the subject of mathematics in year 4 when they did not show it in year 3. The teachers who receive the student in a transition question the teachers who taught the student in previous years. To get information about what happens to students' mathematical skills in transition, I chose to conduct interviews with teachers who teathes mathematics. Each teacher must have worked with students in year 3 and students in year 4, with the delimitation that the teacher did not follow the students from year 3 to year 4, but had their employment in each stage. Since there is no complete theory of what affects the student's mathematical knowledge in the transition, I have chosen to make qualitative interviews with inspiration from Grounded Theory. This means that the interviews have been formed by each teacher based on an interview guide that has not been governing. In the analysis of the interviews, it appears that it is in the change that occurs around the pupil in the transition as difficulties with mathematics arise. Students can meet new teachers with different approaches and teaching models to what they are used to in the past. Mathematics teaching changes from having included practical material and colorful math books that the learner writes in to become more theoretical. Furthermore, the knowledge requirements in the curriculum change and it turns out that teachers in the different stages are not familiar with each other's curricula. This leads to a gap in mathematics education from year 3 to year 4. The time frame affects mathematics teaching, based on the fact that the mathematical subject contains many different areas that the teacher will teach to the students. Teachers handle this differently. Some math teachers focus on each student having some knowledge in each area. Other math teachers focus their teaching on the fact that each student is to consolidate the parts that are included within the mathematical subject. This means that the student can not process some of the areas included in the mathematical subject. Often classes are split between year 3 and 4 and new classes are formed. Then students are mixed up in different ways. The new teacher will try to meet the various skills of the mixed group in the subject of mathematics. The change may have consequences for the pupil, so that the student may find it difficult to receive the teaching from the new teacher. / Utbildning

More and more private language schools provide IELTS preparation courses for candidates who want to sit the test for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses in English-speaking countries. This essay investigates whether the IELTS preparation course in a language school in China offers an adequate preparation for candidates. The study focuses on one preparation course for the IELTS reading test (other modules are beyond the scope of the present study). A questionnaire and interview questions concerning both the IELTS reading test and the preparation course were given to 20 candidates and two teachers by e-mail.This study first analyzed the reading skills tested in the IELTS reading test and discussed possible test difficulties. It then investigated the IELTS reading preparation course by means of candidate feedback on course expectations, course structure, teaching materials and teaching methods. The feedback shows that the course fulfilled the candidates’ expectations, i.e. it taught them useful test-taking techniques and reading skills. The teachers’ responses indicate that the course achieved its objective to familiarize candidates with the IELTS reading test. The study results demonstrate that the preparation course is test-based, teaching candidates IELTS test-taking strategies, which effectively prepare candidates for the IELTS test. Candidates and teachers also offered suggestions for future course improvement.

Cette étude traite des écueils de communication que rencontrent les apprenants de l’anglais langue étrangère dans l’enseignement secondaire en Tunisie, et à partir de ces constats, propose quelques recommandations susceptibles de les aider à surmonter ces obstacles.Il s’est avéré que ces difficultés de communication ont pour origine deux facteurs principaux: le manque d’exposition à l’anglais et l’inadéquation de certaines méthodes pédagogiques.En effet, l’anglais semble être enseigné tout simplement comme une matière scolaire. Les apprenants ne sont exposés à cette langue qu’en milieu institutionnel, et ce pendant seulement quelques heures par semaine.Il faut noter, par ailleurs, l’inadéquation de certaines méthodes pédagogiques: le recours à la langue maternelle dans l’enseignement de l’anglais en est un exemple. Ceci est une technique qui s’est révélée plus nuisible que bénéfique du fait qu’elle est souvent utilisée uniquement pour expliquer des termes lexicaux et des structures syntaxiques difficiles.Quant à l’approche communicative, elle n’a pas permis d’atteindre les objectifs d’apprentissage escomptés en raison de certaines contraintes sérieuses qui ont entravé sa mise en application.Le fait que cette approche mette l’accent sur le sens aux dépens de la forme et donne la priorité à l’expression orale au détriment de l’expression écrite d’une part, ainsi que les classes nombreuses et le manque ou l’indisponibilité de matériaux pédagogiques, d’autre part, sont d’autres éléments qui ne favorisent pas l’apprentissage.Outre ces facteurs, on remarque également l’absence quasi‐totale de cours théoriques sur les diverses compétences à acquérir avant que ne débute l’apprentissage de la langue étrangère.Donc, afin d’aider les apprenants à progresser dans leur apprentissage et de contribuer à l’amélioration de leur compétence communicative, il serait utile de créer un environnement anglophone au lycée même et dans la mesure du possible, à l’extérieur de l’institution. Il serait également pertinent d’adopter des approches diversifiées et attacher davantage d’importance aux leçons théoriques en parallèle avec l’enseignement pratique. / This study explores the whys and wherefores of the communication difficulties experienced by Tunisian secondary school learners of English as a foreign language, and aims at offering ways out of the issue.It has been demonstrated that the issue proceeds broadly from the woeful dearth of exposure to and practice of the language and certain inadequacies of the teaching methodology.English seems to be learned as a mere curricular discipline, in that students have only a few weekly sessions confined solely to a classroom setting.The inadequacies of the teaching methodology are manifest in a number of aspects. The use of the mother tongue in EFL classes has proved to generate more harm than good. In the very framework, it has also been revealed that Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has not been at the level of the expected outcome. Two CLT principal principles, focus on meaning to the detriment of form, and prioritizing oral fluency over written proficiency, as well as certain constraints, mainly the severe lack of instructional materials and large classes have intervened with its successful implementation in EFL classes. An added factor related to teaching methodology is the quasi‐absence of theoretical teaching as a prerequisite for the success of specific learning activities.Accordingly, exposing learners profusely to English in various ways inside and outside the classroom, adopting an only‐English eclectic approach to teaching the language, and combining theoretical instruction with practical teaching can considerably contribute to surmounting the students’ learning difficulties, and hence to the achievement of their communicative competence.

The theoretical part of this diploma thesis consists of four basic areas which are crucial for better understanding of profession choice difficulties and subsequently provides an introduction to the second part of the thesis - the empirical part. In the first chapter, the reader will be informed about the definition of the profession choice, its historical development, which covers a pretty wide context, in which the profession choice is being accomplished. The following chapter deals with career development theories focusing on personality, development theories targeting career and theories solely focused on social influences effecting the career development. The last two chapters deal with an adolescence period which plays the key role in the further career path of the individual. There is also a chapter describing and sorting difficulties while choosing a profession. The aim of the empirical part is to describe the development of profession choice difficulties at the end of secondary education - the period of life which is considered by many authors to be vitally important for the adolescent profession development. Hypotheses are verified by comparison of the results of the questionnaire that investigates profession choice difficulties in between third, fourth and fourth grade - directly before...