Recent research has elucidated the sustained benefits of early mathematics instruction. With growing concern about the performance of South Africa’s senior learners in mathematics, it is imperative to look at long-term solutions within the education process. One such solution may be to focus on improved mathematics instruction as early as preprimary school. However, children at this young age are not typically suited to formal teaching. Alternative methods of mathematics instruction must be considered for maximum and effective impact. The study was conducted to test the notion that not all early methods of mathematics instruction are equal. During the empirical research approximately 200 preprimary school children in three different socio-economic environments (urban higher SES, township and rural) were tested after experiencing a teacher-guided play-based mathematics teaching intervention, or after experiencing a worksheet-based or free-flow play-based curriculum. The test performance of the participants was primarily compared to find relations between teaching methods and early mathematics performance. The study found that a teacher-guided play-based curriculum is superior to other curriculums in the instruction of mathematics in all educational settings, regardless of socioeconomic background. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The thesis deals with the use of classical and contemporary literature for the development of reading literacy at primary schools. We focused mainly on the research of popular literature of third to fifth grade primary pupils. We also investigated what extra-curricular reading materials teachers choose to develop their pupils' reading literacy and how they work with them. In the theoretical part, we present a brief insight into the issue of reading literacy, current research results, methods, strategies and factors influencing reading literacy. In the research part, we present the results of a questionnaire survey of pupils' parents, where the main attention was paid to the preferences of titles, authors and genres of their children. In the practical part, we followed up on the results of these surveys and designed worksheets with activities aimed at promoting reading comprehension and developing reading strategies. We focused mainly on their motivational and entertaining character. Worksheets with activities were verified in selected classes of primary schools and supplemented by rich reflection from practice.

This diploma thesis deals with literary work for children and youth of Norwegian writer Jostein Gaarder and its use in leisure time education as a means of intentional ethical, personality and social education. The thesis contains a theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part deals with the introduction of the life and creation of contemporary Norwegian author and the analysis of key themes of selected works for children and youth. The practical part includes work with selected examples, on which suitable methods and activities are applied with respect to the studied subject. The diplomat uses activation methods for the development of critical thinking leading not only to the development of reading literacy, but also to the development of so-called functional literacy. The set of materials is verified in practice; work also includes reflection and (auto) evaluation.

This diploma thesis, Didactic exploitation of the francophonie in the Oceania, resulted from insufficient outcomes of a questionnaire focusing on the francophonie and francophone facts of the overseas territories located in the Pacific Ocean. The diploma thesis consists of three main parts which are subsequently divided into subchapters. The first part explains the choice, focus and targets of the questionnaire and provides its evaluation as well. The theoretical part aims at clarifying and defining receptive and productive competence from a didactic viewpoint with regard to language level A2 and B1, given by CEFRL. The practical part follows with a description of created worksheets always containing exercises that aim firstly at receptive competence - listening, and then at productive competence - speaking. Texts together with exercises focus mainly on culture and tradition, then on language situation and language oddities of the following French overseas territories in the Pacific Ocean: French Polynésia, Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. KEYWORDS the Pacific Ocean, language oddities, local languages, overseas territories, francophone, worksheets, receptive and productive competence - listening and speaking, language level, language resources, language games, didactic processing

Recent research has elucidated the sustained benefits of early mathematics instruction. With growing concern about the performance of South Africa’s senior learners in mathematics, it is imperative to look at long-term solutions within the education process. One such solution may be to focus on improved mathematics instruction as early as preprimary school. However, children at this young age are not typically suited to formal teaching. Alternative methods of mathematics instruction must be considered for maximum and effective impact. The study was conducted to test the notion that not all early methods of mathematics instruction are equal. During the empirical research approximately 200 preprimary school children in three different socio-economic environments (urban higher SES, township and rural) were tested after experiencing a teacher-guided play-based mathematics teaching intervention, or after experiencing a worksheet-based or free-flow play-based curriculum. The test performance of the participants was primarily compared to find relations between teaching methods and early mathematics performance. The study found that a teacher-guided play-based curriculum is superior to other curriculums in the instruction of mathematics in all educational settings, regardless of socioeconomic background. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

This diploma thesis deals with selection, design and creation of new education materials for high school teacher supporting webpage www.studiumchemie.cz. The selection of the proper theme was done on the basis of research and evaluation of recent materials on the mentioned webpage and materials created at the Department of chemical education of Faculty of Science of Charles University in Prague. Preliminarily, the themes of synthetic macromolecular materials and new materials were selected. The convenience of the selected themes was confirmed by research and evaluation concerned to the preliminarily selected theme of recent high school textbooks and webpages. Consequently, educational materials in the form of PowerPoint presentations, websites, worksheets, tests, games and experiments focused on the themes of synthetic macromolecular substances and new materials were created. Materials were processed in accordance with the Framework Education Programme for Secondary General Education (Grammar Schools) as well as in accordance with the requirements of the Catalogue of graduation exam requirements from chemistry. The PowerPoint presentation and the webpage on synthetic macromolecular materials were roughly evaluated by group of teachers and the results of the evaluation are also part of the thesis....

Charles University in Prague - Faculty of Science Department of Teaching and Didactics of Chemistry Albertov 3, 128 40 Praha 2, Czech Republic CARBON DIOXIDE IN SCIENCE EDUCATION (STUDY AIDS FOR GRAMMAR SCHOOL) Bc. Lucie Kristlová lucie.kristlova@gmail.com In this thesis the principles of Framework Educational Programme and method IBSE alias Inquiry Based Science Education were summarized. The results of international research PISA 2006 were evaluated. In 2006 the focus was on scientific literacy. In the theoretical part the study supporting documents on the theme Carbon Dioxide were worked up. The documents would serve teachers of Chemistry and Biology mainly at the grammar schools. Methodically processed materials were created such as presentation, worksheet and subject matter of chemical experiments with the inclusion of the author solutions. The worksheet was verified by pupils at grammar school.

The purpose of this thesis is to design, implement and evaluate lessons oriented towards gender issues. The theoretical part of this thesis introduces the topic of gender and places it in the school context. It addresses gender-sensitive education and the courses of action by which gender issues can be integrated into teaching. Furthermore, this part deals with the methodology of content-based approaches. Finally, it presents the lesson planning process based on the Six-Ts method and lesson reflection using the ALACT model. The practical part consists of planning sample lessons and designing students' worksheets, both oriented towards gender issues. The sample lessons were consequently piloted in Business Academy Heroldovy Sady. The evaluation of their progress is also included in this section, together with practical recommendations for similar lessons based on personal teaching experience. Lastly, the thesis notes that teachers of English and other foreign languages can raise awareness of gender issues in their lessons while developing students' language skills. The thesis is enriching as it finds solutions to integrate gender topics into English language teaching and provides examples of this practice. KEY WORDS English as a foreign language, EFL, English language learning, content-based...