AD ALTA
JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
which is yet another proof of the formal instability of this school
subject and its content.
The last change to the Elementary realia
subject was made in 2015 when this school subject again regain
its name Elementary realia,
however, the content did not change
significantly. The content comprised predominantly of natural
science topics. By the performed textbooks analyses
(Duhancikova, Kollarova
2018), (Nagyova, Kollarova 2020) we too observed, that they
consist predominantly of natural science topics. In the 1st grade
of primary schools, these topics represent 82.20% and in the 2nd
grade 74.60% of the textbook material. We consider this to be an
important downside, as this school subject should be part of
following educational areas: Human being and nature, Human
being and society, Human being and world of labour. Therefore,
we believe that this school subject should be meaningfully
supported by educational-artistic activities, as emotions also play
a role in this school subject.
The school subject in its essence
consists of both, natural and social sciences, which should be in
balance.
One part of our research also showed that teachers express
dissatisfaction with the time allocation for this school subject,
which they consider insufficient – in the 1st grade it is one hour
lecture a week and in the 2nd grade two hours a week. We
indeed agree with these teachers, because it is just a first-grader,
who needs to develop a system in observed social and natural
phenomena, that are becoming new objects in pupil’s everyday
observations in a changing school and natural
environment. Our opinions are supported by M. Klusak (2010),
who claims, that the Elementary realia subject is understood as a
subject that is not given any educational importance. He points
out the low status
of this school subject. He also emphasizes,
that teachers who focus rather on the cognitive difficulty of this
subject, forget about an emotional component, that leaves pupils
with a feeling of uselessness of their work.
1.1 Some of Elementary realia textbooks specifics
Syllabus content should be processed in detail in textbooks. In
the case of pupils of 1st and 2nd grades, it is more of an exercise
book, since pupils do not yet master reading on the level, that
would allow them to work with written text. Exercise book
consists mostly of exercises.
Our goal in the presented research paper is not to evaluate the
structure and content of these exercises, rather the topics in the
syllabus. Exercise book supposed to serve as a specific learning
tool for a student, that should fulfil functional educational
requirements, or as J. Prucha (1998) similarly describes the
expected purpose, it should fulfil didactic means in the education
process. E.Petlak (2004) writes about 8 functions: motivational,
communication, control and guiding regulation, developing and
educational, application, integration and innovation function.
Additionally, J. Skalkova (2007) claims, that currently, a
textbook is created more by a content, that has some elements of
exercise book, such as exercises for pupils’ individual work,
experimentation and observing or exercises for enriching pupil’s
experience. Current Elementary realia textbooks also take this
form. P. Knecht (2008) states, that textbooks do not represent
only syllabus content, but also determine which activities should
pupils be able to perform based on this content. Consequently,
textbook authors should be aware, that they have the opportunity
to develop pupils’ higher cognitive processes than just memory
and comprehension. Indeed, we cannot view textbooks only
based on their attractivity for a pupil, but also have to consider
textbooks’ educational-didactic functions.
The authors of one of current Elementary realia textbooks R. D.
Adame and O. Kovacikova (2015) state, that pupils in the 1st
grade of primary school are introduced to a real-world of nature
by observing natural phenomena. Moreover, pupils also adopt
knowledge from the areas of public administration or get to
know the geographical aspects of the country. The authors of
another current Elementary realia textbook L. Zigova, A.
Jancichova and A. Douskova (2006) also explain contents of
educational areas, while stating that by the social contents, a
pupil acquires a basic understanding of oneself in various
situations, creates social contacts and develops own self,
relationships, tolerance and cooperation skills. Natural science
contents provide pupils with a knowledge about living nature,
where pupils get to know living nature’s characteristic features,
as well as non-living objects in nature. The exercises in the
textbook help pupils to familiarize themselves and observe
changes that occur in nature, which leads them to understand
these changes in nature, in the life of plants and animals, by
which pupils learn to wisely use and protect the nature. Here we
appreciate the fact that authors view the content
comprehensively. They understand the underlying condition of
acquaintance – contact and communication with both, people
and nature. They also understand the need to develop pupils’
ability to protect nature, by which they can also stimulate their
personal competencies.
As stated above, the events occurring in nature are the main part
of this school subject. Despite this, we would only hardly find
terms such as forest, forest environment, coniferous trees, forest
animals and their feeding
in the National Education Program.
Among others, the following goals of the Elementary realia
subject are listed in the National Education Program (2017):
develop self-observation ability in a way, that pupils can
obtain new and enrich existing information and knowledge
from everyday situations
create own argumentative-based judgement
cooperate in solving simple observation activities, while a
part of cooperation requires actually knowing and
effectively utilizing one’s knowledge when drawing
conclusions
be able to argue using own experiences, so-called
development of scholar discussion to given topic, that is
adequate to pupils’ age
We believe that if teachers rigorously headed towards these
goals, pupils would not have issues to understand living objects
and phenomena and to be aware of the consequences of their
own responsible or irresponsible behaviour towards themselves,
nature and towards other people. Already in the pre-primary
period, we observe the development of environmental literacy.
Children in this age are able to identify the diversity of animal
and plant world, describe ways of nurturing some animals as
well as describe the human body, name the origin of water or air
in nature and comprehend why are those necessary for our
living. We can find several answers and connections to these
topics in the teaching on forest example. Nevertheless, A.
Wiegerova (2003), co-author of another textbook recalls that the
emphasis in the teaching process of the Elementary realia subject
is placed on pupil’s future application and understanding of
these concepts in real life, rather than overloading pupils with
the facts. We can utilize teaching in the forest environment to
reach this goal or alternatively by inviting external lecturers –
forest pedagogists. We believe that just like the process of
acquiring literacy is conditioned by experiencing, similarly, the
process of acquiring environmental literacy cannot omit the
factor of experiencing.
2 Forest pedagogy in and outside the school
In Slovakia, we offer the option to invite foresters – forest
pedagogists to Elementary realia lectures, however, many
teachers do not know about this possibility. Therefore, it is also
one of our research projects goals, to better promote this
possibility. Above mentioned cooperation with external lecturers
and institutions can improve our pupils’ natural sciences literacy
ranking, who currently ranked among the last third of the OECD
countries (Slastanova, 2014, Lakatosova, 2015). Teachers’
mission should be to understand that in environmental literacy
we must pay attention to pupil’s ability to form values and
develop attitudes towards the natural environment. It is not
enough when pupil only acquires new knowledge by classroom
lectures. Rather, a child needs to be able to develop attitudes
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