Outcomes, teaching content and assessment in teaching English as a foreign language to young learners

master's thesis

• Title (croatian): Ishodi, nastavni sadržaji i ocjenjivanje u nastavi engleskog kao stranog jezika u primarnom obrazovanju
• Author: Lorena Bručić Pavuk
• Mentor: Tea Gavrilović Smolić (mentor)
• Committee member: Alenka Mikulec (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Silvija Hanžić Deda (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Tea Gavrilović Smolić (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Teacher Education; Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2024-09-02, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Interdisciplinary Humanistic Studies; Teaching Methods in the Humanistic Sciences

Abstract

The educational system is a dynamic matter; thus, it requires critical examination and continuous improvement. The objectivity, uniformity and consistency of assessment, as well as grading in particular, is one of the major issues in the Croatian educational system that has yet to be resolved. This master's thesis focuses on English as a foreign language in Croatian primary schools and investigates the causes of different English teachers grading the same piece of work differently by looking at the Croatian National Curriculum outcomes, the teaching content in the student's books, and the assessment process. The first part of this thesis is theoretical. It presents important documents for education and for learning English in lower and upper primary education (National Curriculum, National Syllabus and Curriculum for Primary School, and Bylaw of Methods, Procedures, and Elements of Assessment of Students in Primary and Secondary Education) , teaching contents that are being presented to students and teachers in student books and workbooks, types of assessment and terms related to assessment, as well as what experts have said on the topic. The main part of the thesis is the analysis of thirty teachers’ responses to a questionnaire about grading students’ work and assessment, as well as their ideas on how to solve the problem. The participants answered close-ended and open-ended questions while expressing their attitudes about the issue of inconsistencies. They also offer suggestions on the necessary changes. The findings demonstrate that although the teachers are aware of the issue, they lack the time and resources to implement meaningful improvements and changes.

Abstract (croatian)

Obrazovni sustav je dinamičan i često promjenjiv, što znači da ga uvijek treba sagledavati kritički i težiti ka njegovom unapređenju. Objektivnost, ujednačenost i dosljednost pri ocjenjivanju jedan je od glavnih problema koji se vežu uz obrazovanje u Republici Hrvatskoj te koji i dalje nije riješen. Ovaj diplomski rad istražuje uzroke pojave pri kojoj različiti učitelji engleskog jezika različito ocjenjuju isti učenički rad proučavajući i analizirajući Nacionalni kurikulum i ishode propisane u njemu, sadržaje poučavanja koji se mogu naći u udžbenicima i radnim bilježnicama, te samog procesa vrednovanja. Prvi dio rada jest teorijski. Predstavljeni su dokumenti važni za razumijevanje i učenje engleskog jezika u osnovnoškolskom obrazovanju (Nacionalni kurikulum, Nacionalni plan i program za osnovnu školu te Pravilnik o načinima, postupcima i elementima vrednovanja učenika u osnovnoj i srednjoj školi), sadržaji poučavanja koji su predstavljeni učenicima i učiteljima u nastavnim materijalima, vrste vrednovanja te pojmovi povezani s vrednovanjem, kao i što su stručnjaci rekli o navedenoj temi. Glavni dio rada odnosi se na analizu odgovora na upitnik trideset učitelja engleskog jezika. Sudionici istraživanja odgovaraju na pitanja otvorenog i zatvorenog tipa izražavajući svoje stavove o nedosljednostima koje se događaju. Također nude prijedloge kako napraviti promjene. Rezultati pokazuju kako iako su učitelji svjesni problema, nedostaje im vremena i sredstava kako bi se napredovalo i kako bi se dogodile promjene.

• Keywords: English as a foreign language in Croatian primary education; teaching content; outcomes; assessment; curriculum; Bloom’s taxonomy; the National Curriculum
• Keywords (english): Engleski kao strani jezik u hrvatskom ranom osnovnoškolskom obrazovanju; sadržaji poučavanja; ishodi; kurikulum; vrednovanje; Bloomova taksonomija; Nacionalni kurikulum
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:147:603088
• Study programme: Title: Integrated undergraduated university study with english language and german language; specializations in: English language, Deutsche sprache; Course: English language; Study programme type: university; Study level: integrated undergraduate and graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja (magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-11-07 11:20:37