The diploma thesis Developing Reading Skills in English in Lower Secondary School Pupils (in relation to the development of reading skills in their mother tongue) is focused on the possible ways how to develop reading skills in English and Czech language teaching by means of the coursebooks which are used at lower secondary schools. In the theoretical part there is a description of the reading skills in terms of reading literacy from the theoretical point of view. There is also a description of different kinds of reading strategies and reading purposes. These two aspects lead to reading with comprehension, which is one of the most important part of reading literacy in both languages. There are also described several types of methods and exercises that lead to development of reading skills. At the end of the theoretical part there are mentioned two types of international studies PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) and PIRLS. PISA assesses three key areas of knowledge and skills: reading, mathematical and science literacy in 15-year-old students. In the practical part there is a description of several types of texts, questions and reading skills that are included in the PISA study. I used the discriptions when analyzing texts, questions and reading skills in the coursebooks for the particular class. The main aim of this diploma thesis is to discover if it is possible to use the contents of the real coursebooks used in the eighth grade at lower secondary schools for developing reading skills that are examined in PISA and if the same techniques are used for developing reading skills in both languages if we know that it is possible and even reading in the foreign language is easier when we can transfer our reading skills from one language to another.

The aim of this diploma thesis is to describe the uniqueness of the Baobab publishing house books for pre-school children and to find out what is the opinion of parents and pre- school teachers on selected books from this publishing house, on their content and on their graphic design. In the theoretical part I describe and explain the basic concepts of the reading literacy. I also devote to the contemporary situation in the book market for children, especially pre- school children, mostly non-readers. I focus on a small alternative publishing house called Baobab, its book production for children in general, and on its awarded books. In the empirical part I interviewed parents (41 returned questionnaires altogether) about their awareness and opinion on the Baobab publishing house and on selected books published by Baobab, namely Jak zvířataspí (How Animals Sleep), Šmalcova ABECEDA (Šmalec's Alphabet) and Z domu a zahrady (From the House And the Garden). I also interviewed 7 pre- school teachers to find out about their awareness of the Baobab publishing house and about their opinion on the selected books. Unlike the parents, all teachers had known the publishing house. It was proved that although the publishing house was awarded several prizes for its children's books (especially for the graphic design), the...

The principal objective of this thesis is the comprehension of students' mental processes while solving verbal math problems about money. There searchis focused on pupils in the first stage of primary school and in particular verbal math problems, in which nominal value of coins, quantity of coins and their total particular verbal math problems, in which nominal value of coins, quantity of coins and their total sum play a key role. There fore, the objective of this diploma thesis is to lay out classify mony-related exprecises in thee currently used lies of elementary school mathematics text books for grade. The theoretical part consist of demarcation of early school age, a certain number of fanticipate dacts by RVP ZV for the first and second educational period, numeracy, literacy, verbal math problems, various strategies on how to solve such problems, basic is sues pipils encounter whilw solving those problems, coments on the topic of verbal math problems which appear in theree volume soft text books in tended for primary schools (Prodos, Taktic, H-mat). Their division into three types (a total sum of coins, nominal value of coins and number of coins) and their mutual comparision. The goal of the practial part is to analyse thought processes of and grade pupils when solving word problems about...

The thesis deals with a support of children's reading. The work is aimed to factors and actors influencing reading education. The first part solves theoretical definition and the meaning of reading. Primarily there are explained two important terms related to the topic - reading and a reader. Further it is proceeding by attention given to different phases of reading education before and during school attendance. Primarily three environments influencing reading literacy were observed. These include family, school and public library. Furthermore, national representative projects supporting reading primarily in libraries are shortly presented at this thesis as well. The second part is focused on the Municipal Library of Prague, specifically Smichov branch and its activities. In this part are charted various programmes for children. Repeated activities for parents with children or for children alone are observed. Also, events for groups of preschool and school children are described. The important part of presented work deals with survey of cooperation between Smichov branch and local schools. The research results are to determine practical experience of teachers from these schools in activities of Smichov branch and in their cooperation with this library.

This diploma work focuses on Adaptation of Czech Language Leaving Examination for the Deaf, which deaf student in Czech republic pass as a part of the their Leaving Examination. As a background of this main theme examines also present situation in the research of reading literacy. In the main part of this work is this examination presented in detail and there are also presented the results of deaf students and some other statisticts information. Examples of test units and student's written works are attached too. The other part of this work describes examinations of Czech language as a foreign language and give some detail information about the most important exams. In conclusion, the author of this work is trying to explore the way how the deaf students language skills in other countries are examined in their Leaving Examination.

Summaries in English, Xitsonga and Afrikaans / Reading literacy for many black South African learners is a problem. In order to understand what happens in the South African foundation phase classrooms that affect learners’ reading performance, this study uses the adapted early grade reading assessment (EGRA) tool to assess Grade 1 learners’ reading abilities in the home language (four schools) and in the first additional language (one school). The EGRA is important for measuring foundational literacy skills. Its outcomes help teachers plan instruction that accommodates diverse learning capabilities. Data were collected through observing literacy practices and activities in the Grade 1 classrooms, evaluate classroom settings and interview Grade 1 teachers and curriculum advisors of the general education and training band to understand their perception of Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The main findings revealed that the Grade 1 learners are acquiring foundational reading skills in Xitsonga very slowly during the first year of schooling and on all measures, performance was either low or very low. The teachers’ lack of deep understanding of how early reading develops and how each of the reading activities contributes to different aspects of this development may have contributed to the learners’ reading outcomes. Findings further revealed that the ability to read fluently and with comprehension is determined by hierarchical relationships between various reading skills. Thus, knowledge of letter-sounds facilitates word reading which impacts reading fluency and then reading comprehension – all these skills are important for reading development during early learning only if they are taught well in the classroom. / Ku hlaya ni ku tsala swi tikela vadyondzi vo tala laha Afrika Dzonga. Eka ndzavisiso lowu, ku va hi ta kota ku twisisa leswi swi humelelaka mayelana na matirhelo yo hlaya ya vadyondzi va ntangha R-3, hi kambela vuswikoti lebyi vadyondzi va ntlawa wo sungula (Giredi 1) va nga na byona byo hlaya hi ririmi ra manana (mune wa swikolo) na hi ririmi leri ri nga le eka xiyimo xa masungulo (xikolo xin’we) hi ku tirhisa xikambelwana lexi xi vuriwaka early grade reading assessment (EGRA). Xikambelwana lexi (EGRA) xi ni nkoka lowu kulu mayelana ni ku kambela vuswikoti bya n’wana byo hlaya. Mbuyelo wa xikambelo lexi wu pfuna ngopfu mayelana na leswaku vadyondzisi va kota ku kunguhata madyindziselo lama ya angarhelaka vadyondzi hinkwavo. Ndzavisiso lowu wu humelerisiwile hi ku kambela madyondziselo yo hlaya ni ku tsala eka ntlawa wo sungula (Giredi 1), ku kambela xivumbeko xa kamara ro dyondzela eka rona, ni ku kambela vutivi bya kharikhulamu bya vadyondzisi va ntlawa wo sungula na vaseketeri va vona (curriculum advisors). Mbuyelonkulu wu humesele erivaleni leswaku vadyondzi va kuma ntokoto wo hlaya hi Xitsonga hi ku nonoka va ha ri eka lembe ra vona ro sungula xikolo. Leswi swi thlela swi nyanyisa na hi leswaku mbuyelo wa vona wo hlaya eka swiyenge hinkwaswo swa xikambelo lexi xi nga tirhisiwa ku va kambela a wu ri ehansi ngopfu. Eka ndzavisiso lowu, ku pfumala ka vadyondzisi vutivi hi vuenti bya ku dyondzisa vana eku hlaya swi nga va swi vile na xiave eka mbuyelo wa vadyondzi wo hlaya. Vulavisisi lebyi byi thlela byi humesela erivaleni leswaku vuswikoti byo hlaya hi ku twisisa swi koteka ntsena loko mudyonzi a ri ni ntokoto eka swiyenge hinkwaswo swa ku hlaya hikuva swi na vuxaka. Hikokwalaho, vuswikoti byo hlaya mimpfumawulo ya maletere swi pfuneta ku hlaya marito lawa ya thlelaka ya pfuneta ku hlaya hi nkhuluko ni ku twisisa leswi swi hlayiwaka. Vuswikoti lebyi hinkwabyo byi ni nkoka mayelana ni ku dyondza ku hlaya ntsena loko madyondziselo yo hlaya ya landzelerisa leswi kunguhatiweke eka kharikhulamu. / Leesgeletterdheid vir baie swart Suid-Afrikaanse leerders is ‘n probleem. Om te verstaan wat in die Suid-Afrikaanse grondslagfase-klaskamers gebeur wat die leesprestasie van leerders beïnvloed, word in die studie die aangepaste instrument vir vroeë graad leesassessering (EGRA) gebruik om die leesvermoëns van Graad 1-leerders in die huistaal (vier skole) en in die eerste addisionele taal (een skool). Die EGRA is belangrik vir die meting van fundamentele geletterdheidsvaardighede. Die uitkomste daarvan help onderwysers om onderrig te beplan wat voldoen aan verskillende leervermoëns. Data is versamel deur die waarneming van geletterdheidspraktyke en aktiwiteite in die Graad 1-klaskamers, die klaskamerinstellings te evalueer en onderhoude met Graad 1-onderwysers en kurrikulumadviseurs van die algemene onderwys- en opleidingsband te onderneem om hul persepsie van Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) te verstaan. Die belangrikste bevindings het getoon dat die graad 1-leerders in die eerste jaar van skool baie stadig basiese leesvaardighede in Xitsonga verwerf, en dat prestasies op alle maatstawwe laag of baie laag was. Die onderwysers se gebrek aan diep begrip van hoe vroeë lees ontwikkel en hoe elkeen van die leesaktiwiteite bydra tot verskillende aspekte van hierdie ontwikkeling, het moontlik tot die leerders se leesuitkomste bygedra. Bevindinge het verder aan die lig gebring dat die vermoë om vlot en met begrip te lees, bepaal word deur hiërargiese verwantskappe tussen verskillende leesvaardighede. Kennis van letterklanke vergemaklik dus die lees van woorde wat die vloeiendheid van lees en dan leesbegrip beïnvloed - al hierdie vaardighede is slegs belangrik vir leesontwikkeling tydens vroeë leer as dit goed in die klaskamer geleer word. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / Ph. D. (Languages, Linguistics and Literature)