Reading Instruction in the Primary Grades
Instructional Materials
Since 1990, teachers have had the ability to work with textbooks developed by various publishers according to various methods of initial reading instruction. The basic materials used for reading development come from a wide range of reading books offering samples of literature from various genres for children and youth. Since the books usually are provided in sets of materials, they are complemented with other educational materials such as worksheets and folding alphabet letters. Spelling books and simple readers are available for initial reading instruction. Materials are widely accessible through educational catalogs and magazines.
The Ministry of Education gives its approval to reading books that fit with the Framework Educational Program for Basic Education and have the appropriate methodological level. Most schools have adopted reading books that meet the Ministry’s approval. In some schools, reading also is developed through the use of other materials such as children’s magazines, books, and encyclopedias. New kinds of multimedia materials also support reading development. Schools are advised to establish school and class libraries, and in some schools lessons can be taught within the library. Teachers are encouraged to cooperate with public libraries on various projects.
Instructional Methods for Reading
Primary schools use various methods for developing reading literacy that differ in the extent to which they are based on creativity, thinking, experience, independence, and cooperation among students. Most teachers believe that the best way to teach reading is through reading aloud, individually and collectively. Therefore, reading aloud is part of instruction not only in primary education but also in the upper grades.
Comprehension is gauged entirely through the use of so-called lower order thinking questions that require students to simply repeat or list simple facts from a text. Teachers often undervalue students’ higher order thinking skills, missing opportunities to develop their abilities to think about the text, ask more sophisticated questions, or justify their answers. Rather, students often are asked to identify simple facts by finding the only correct answer (often one word) at the level of a simple reproduction of some fact.
Use of Technology
Use of technology in instruction depends on finances and the “progressiveness” of the teacher or the headmaster. Financial resources have been specifically devoted to equip schools with SMART Boards (interactive whiteboards) within the last 10 years, and more recent initiatives have focused on using tablets during classroom instruction. Though the use of SMART Boards and tablets has not widely spread, many textbook publishers have begun offering an extension for SMART Board use or an app for tablets. Currently, audiobooks with samples of Czech and world literature are available for reading instruction. Many teachers use computer programs when working with dyslexic students.
Role of Reading Specialists
All teachers at the primary level obtain training in reading instruction and work with students with special educational needs. Other specialists involved in instruction include school psychologists and special pedagogues, though they are not significantly represented at Czech schools. Specialists from pedagogical and psychological centers work with some students outside the classroom, while textbook authors and other specialists can influence instruction by providing teachers with information at in‑service training and courses for professional development.
Second Language Instruction
In December 2000, the government of the Czech Republic adopted the Concept of Immigrant Integration in the Territory of the Czech Republic. Regional authorities provide free Czech language teaching for children in compulsory schooling in the Czech Republic whose parents are foreign citizens. Regional authorities provide in-service teacher education for this purpose. Students can be provided with language training at any time during their schooling at the request of a legal guardian to the school head, who must take action within 30 days of the request. Students’ age, level of education, and knowledge of the Czech language are considered when placing children of foreign citizens in schools. Language classes containing no more than 10 students span at least 70 lessons over a maximum of six months. The content and methods of teaching are based on the Framework Educational Programme for Basic Education, but take into account the needs of individual students. After completing language training, students receive a certificate.
The right to education of ethnic minority students in their mother tongue guaranteed by the Constitution is exercised only by Poles from preschool through the upper secondary level. Students start with Czech language instruction in the second grade. Because many students have parents in mixed marriages and are therefore bilingual, they are able to understand spoken Czech and do not have a problem with instruction in it. From the second grade, students use the same textbooks and other materials to learn Czech as a second mother tongue as students in mainstream schools. From the Second Form, these students receive three to four lessons per week.