(in English): This thesis deals with the issues of teaching listening in Czech as a foreign language. It is based on studying theoretic sources, structured observing and the comparison of didactic materials, on questionnaires and informal interviews. In its theoretical part, it brings a brief overview of present knowledge in this field, using predominantly foreign sources that deal with teaching English as a foreign language. The second part enables the comparison of various didactic materials from the points of view acquired in the previous chapter, and it also provides an overview of the typology of listening tasks, including their evaluation. The last chapter designs some new sample materials based on what has been found out about their imperfections in this field so far, and it also mentions some suitable resources for designing the new listening tasks. The merit of this thesis on the theoretical level consists of making the main results of contemporary Anglo-American science accessible for the Czech auditory, on the practical level it lies in presenting an overall list of listening tasks and showing (in the Czech materials) some so far unknown possibilities of teaching the listening comprehension, these alternatives being accompanied with practical examples.

The main objective of the thesies is to compare a frontal teaching method and teaching by simulation. Two comparable groups of students were taught the same topic by the two methods. The topic was focused on an uneven world development. Following assumptions were set. Simulation is a more attractive teaching form, therefore it can help to raise the motivation of students. Frontal method is capable of transmitting more information. Simulation, however, can have bigger impact on students' values. The impact of simulation has a long-term impact in comparison to frontal teaching. These assumptions were confirmed by qualitative and quantitative methods.

This diploma thesis, which has a descriptive and analytical feature, comprises a determination of emotional disorders with their various manifestations and symptoms. I also described social consequences of a neurotic child because they are neurotic children's crucial factor having significant consequences in the process of education. I also analysed the omitted topic of emotional intelligence, which has been studied in the field of science recently. The crucial part of the diploma thesis includes the analysis of a neurotic child motivation within the process of education and the adequate pedagogical and educational attitudes which involve specific treatments. Regarding the basic part of child's emotional life consists of upbringing within a particular family, it precedes not only the period of school education but also it forms its core and is a natural continuance of the prenatal period. The end of the diploma thesis comprises a description and analysis of a large variety of therapeutic options and alternative ways of treating emotional disorders. Nowadays it is possible to treat emotional disorders effectively even without a pharmacological therapy and their correction can be rather permanent. CRUCIAL VOCABULARY: emotional disorders/defects anxiety tension self-concept family upbringing family...

This master thesis deals with history teaching from 1948 up to 1970. The main focus is not put on the way how the teaching looked really like, but it deals with the teaching methods how history should be taught. The major sources are journals of education for history teaching, mostly Dějepis ve škole and the preceding and following journals. The basic question is whether the magazines could have really helped the teachers in terms of teaching methodology and what was this support like. In the first chapter the history of education is described, the second chapter deals with the journals of education for history teaching. Next is described how a lesson should look like, the whole-class presentation, examination, revision, using a textbook. Special chapter deals with various tools for history teaching, including maps, images, audiovisual aids and literature. Moreover there is covered regional history, excursions, cooperation with museums and archives. In the end the basic question is answered; the journals were able to help the teachers well, many interesting and inspiring articles were in them. Nowadays, the problems of history teaching are almost the same, the have not been solved yet. Furthermore in the end are discussed special methodological debates in the half-public space that were present in...

The thesis is concerned with the application of Feuerstein's theory of mediated learning experience to teaching in the first year of primary school. It summarises basic information about Feuerstein's work, the theories of mediated learning experience and structural cognitive modifiability. It also deals with the application of mediated learning experience to teaching in the first year of primary school. In this respect, it characterises the period of early school age and the role of the teacher. The central theme of the work, the theory of mediated learning experience, is an approach targeted at the process and structure of thought. The application of this theory is aimed at the individual's general cognitive development, especially the development of the thinking process. The principal goal of the thesis is to introduce the possibilities of applying the theory of mediated learning to teaching in school and thus contribute to the spread of this methodology only recently introduced to the Czech Republic, which can be considered a helpful and meaningful way to enrich teaching and support the children's cognitive development.

The diploma thesis focuses on teaching grammar in the context of in-company language courses. What needs to be taken into consideration are both the psychological aspects of adult learners and the sociological characteristics of a typical course participant, their position of a client which is connected to high expectations of the service provided - language tuition. The role of the teacher in an in-company course is much less authoritative than in a traditional course and teachers become rather partners or coaches for the learners. The pedagogical research conducted among 172 Czech in-company learners with the help of an electronic questionnaire shows that the main aim of in-company students is to be able to communicate efficiently in real-life situations from their private and working lives. It is the role of the teacher, or the coursebook author, to choose which grammar structures are necessary to succeed in the respective situations. Therefore, the most suitable method for teaching grammar in the context of in-company courses is the Engage, Study, Activate method combined with the eclectic method.

Den svenska gymnasieskolans läroplan understryker att undervisning ska ge elever de väsentliga insikter som krävs för att förstå hur de själva kan främja en hållbar utveckling (Skolverket 2011: 7). Denna litteraturstudie syftar huvudsakligen till att undersöka huruvida implementeringen av utbildning för hållbar utveckling har främjat elevers förståelse för hållbar utveckling. Ett ytterligare delsyfte är att analysera deliberativa samtal som undervisningsmetod kopplat till hållbar utveckling. Syftet besvaras genom två preciserade frågeställningar. De vetenskapliga artiklar som används i denna studie riktar sig i synnerhet mot den svenska gymnasieskolans verksamhet och all insamlad data har analyserats genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Uppsatsen utgår ifrån teorin om deliberativa samtal som undervisningsmetod men tar också avstamp i den normativa, faktabaserade och pluralistiska lärandetraditionen. Studien visar att implementeringen av utbildning för hållbar utveckling inte har resulterat i att elever signifikant ökat sin förståelse för hållbar utveckling. Denna studie påvisar dock att det deliberativa samtalet kan bidra till elevers förståelse för hållbar utveckling i den bemärkelsen att det ökar elevers kommunikationsförmåga, förståelse för andras perspektiv och engagemang. Vidare visar studien att det deliberativa samtalet uppfyller många kriterier för den pluralistiska undervisningstraditionen. Detta indikerar att metoden kan bidra till en förståelse för hållbar utveckling och att den således kan vara ett alternativ vid undervisning för hållbar utveckling.

In light of increasing mandates to incorporate close reading of primary source historical documents at the elementary level, this study explored the reading difficulty level of the US Constitution with preservice elementary teachers using a traditional cloze assessment procedure. While best practice pedagogy of social studies has long included thoughtful reading of primary sources, new language arts guidelines situate the analysis of primary documents within formulaic quantifiable frameworks, often problematic to the pre-service teacher. With implications for reading and social studies, this paper explores several relevant issues to both pre-service teachers and the elementary classrooms they will teach in.

This diploma thesis "Education of Pupils at Jedlička Institute and Schools" contains information about physically disabled pupils. The aim of the diploma thesis was to discover the needs and methods of physically disabled pupils' education. The research was focused on what teaching methods, didactic tools, compensation aids and other means and access to pupils are used by teachers at primary school. The diploma thesis includes an analysis of an asset of Jedlička Institute and Schools. The research uses the following methods: structured interviews with teachers and participant observation at primary school. The theoretical part of the thesis comprises kinds of physical disability, combined disability, Jedlička Institute and Schools and information about education of physically disabled pupils and pupils with combined disability. The practical part of the thesis deals with an interaction between pupils and teachers, with cerebral palsy, teaching methods and pupils' needs. The pupils need a barrier-free environment, compensation aids, support measures, support of their motivation and self-sufficiency. The teachers often explain the school work and ask questions. The pupils have individual education, verbal evaluation, marks, tests, examinations, excursions and various school courses. The teacher...

This dissertation examines the nature, scope, and significance of a new pedagogical approach to teaching of views on nature of science (VNOS) to high school students. Educational approaches based on teaching ‘correct’ VNOS continue to be dominated by the epistemology of logical empiricism and, as I will point out, these approaches are inadequate to address the issues of VNOS. I assert and the findings presented in this dissertation offer evidence that students’ VNOS are dynamic and context-based. In this research I used filmmaking to explore students’ VNOS. High school students, supported by a professional filmmaking crew, completed a short film entitled, The Shadows of Hope; this film explores the use of scientific knowledge in understanding everyday life problems. The filmmaking environment introduced simultaneously a number of contexts in which students’ VNOS were concurrently collected using mixed methods methodology. The results show that contexts sway students’ VNOS and generate a variety of the VNOS for each student. Evidence shows that there is a common, theme-based pattern to individual students’ set of VNOS. The variety of expressed VNOS seemed natural to the students, with no registered discomfort. However, in this study a contrast between students’ VNOS and their ‘school-based’ understanding of science also became apparent. This is evidence that cognitive dissonance is not sufficient to explain the full spectrum of ways in which students learn, deepen knowledge and arrive to conceptual change. I assert that including cognitive contextual expansion in our understanding of conceptual change is essential to provide a framework that allows to integrate cognitive diversity into the theory of learning, reflecting a perhaps more natural way human mind works. The project’s findings offer evidence that students’ VNOS deepened and expanded through filmmaking; students arrived to a more examined and mature VNOS while enjoying the activity of making a film. There is evidence that cooperation with a professional team provided students with a feeling of respect and pride. Filmmaking offers a robust way of learning, based on collaborative work that enlivens a large number of learning-enhancing activities. Additional resources and a Brief Guide For Teachers are added to this text to support teachers in adopting filmmaking as a unique pedagogical method. / Graduate / 0714 / 0900 / 0533 / akottova@uvic.ca