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A CASE STUDY OF TEACHING ENGLISH IN KINDERGARTENS SINCE 1989 – A NORTH-EAST HUNGARIAN CITY
127-137Views:83In our paper, we deal with the significance of learning languages at an early age. The research aimed to explore how the teaching methods employed in kindergartens have altered with the change of the political regime in 1989–90. A case-study was conducted using semi-structured interviews (n=7) with early childhood educators and language teachers in 2016/2017. Oral history method was used because no written material was produced. Based on information we received from the informants and local authorities, early English activities were available in 68% of kindergartens in the North-East Hungarian city when the research was undertaken. The number of kindergartens which organize playbased foreign language practices has been increasing since the 1990s. In the beginning, providing educational personnal was the most difficult task. Using audio-visual devices and props has been highly important, and Early Childhood Educators have been doing their best when working with children aged 4–7. However, there are differences too, due to the development of technology.
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TEACHING GERMAN IN NYÍREGYHÁZA TO STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
69-81Views:204The present paper deals with the issues of teaching a second language to school-aged children with SEN in Nyíregyháza, Hungary. In our research, we made semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions featuring 25 children with Special Educational Needs in grades 7 and 8 in order to gain more information about their opinion and attitudes concerning German lessons at school, which in turn might help to unify the material and/or the methods. We also contacted the children’s parents (25) to fill out a questionnaire about their impressions and opinions with regard to their children’s German learning experience at school. Finally, we asked the two teachers to paint a broader picture of teaching German to children with SEN. The research took place in spring 2020 in Nyíregyháza. We did our research in Viktor Göllesz Vocational School, Skills Development School, Student Hostel, and Integrated Special Educational Methodological Institution as well as in Gusztáv Bárczi Primary School, Skills Development School, Student Hostel, and Integrated Special Educational Methodological Institution. To carry out our research, we asked for the parents’ and the head teachers’ ethical consent. Our experience underlines that all the participants in the teaching process feel that there is a need for unification. It would be much easier for all parties to have a German coursebook written for students aged 13-16 with SEN. Based on the answers of the language teachers, we came to the conclusion that they pay attention to individual development and playful, communicative language teaching, even though it is challenging to teach German to children with SEN, as they often have difficulties in their mother tongue.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY - THE USE OF GAMES BY SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS TEACHER AND MAJORITY TEACHERS IN LESSONS
7-26Views:1131Nowadays, the priority task of pedagogy is to develop skills and basic competencies, because these are necessary for a successful teaching-learning process. In contrast to the traditional frontal education, which the learners treat as a passive recipient. The current education places more and more emphasis on exploration, action-based learning, and knowledge acquisition based on one's own experiences, which can be based on play and playful activity. Gameplays a key role in the development of skills and personality, so in this research, we examine the role of game in the teaching of typical and learning disabilities children. During the study, we used an online questionnaire, which was sent to special educational needs teachers and the majority of teachers working in schools in Hajdú-Bihar and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg counties (N = 102 people). The distribution of the answers was even for each grade and school type, so we were able to form groups of 25 and 26 people. Our results reflect a different teaching method because special educational needs teachers use games much more often in their work and spend much more time on them compared to the majority of teachers. Special educational needs teachers attribute much more developmental effects to the game, so they use it more often in upper grades as well. The majority of teachers are dominated by info-communication tools, while special educational need teachers use several self-made tools. In terms of methods, teachers consider differentiation to be paramount, followed by an illustration and cooperative learning, while playing came in fourth place.