Selecting Materials in Elementary EFL Classroom

master's thesis

• Author: Marija Španjol
• Mentor: Renata Geld (mentor)
• Committee member: Višnja Josipović-Smojver (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Stela Letica Krevelj (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2016-09-27, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to examine which materials are used the most and the least in Croatian public elementary EFL classrooms and also whether there is any difference in selecting materials between teachers working in cities and towns or villages in Croatia. In order to answer the main research questions, a study was conducted on teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL), both from cities and towns or villages. Teachers filled in a questionnaire on selecting materials in the elementary EFL classroom. The questionnaire consisted of seven sets of questions which represented one specific type of materials used by elementary EFL teachers. The results were statistically analyzed and discussed in the thesis. While results show no statistically significant differences in the selection and management of materials between teachers working in cities and towns or villages in Croatia, technology is more often used among participants working in cities. With regard to the entire sample, the results show that teachers mostly rely on coursebooks as resources of various types of materials, while supplementary and authentic materials are used less often. The primary conclusion from this study is that teachers do not have enough time nor available resources to use a great variety of supplementary materials, as well as to create their own authentic materials. Coursebooks are the main type of resource for various types of materials and activities among teachers in elementary EFL classrooms of Croatia.

Abstract (croatian)

Odabir i korištenje nastavnih materijala jedno je od najvažnijih područja u poučavanju engleskog kao stranog jezika. Malo je radova koji se bave odabirom različitih vrsta i izvora materijala u nastavi, iako se većina bavi odabirom i korištenjem udžbenika. U ovome radu istražene su razlike u odabiru materijala među nastavnicima engleskog kao stranog jezika u javnim osnovnim školama u Hrvatskoj, točnije među onima koji rade u urbanim i ruralnim područjima. Također je istraženo koje se vrste izvora i materijala najčešće koriste u hrvatskim osnovnim školama. Rezultati pokazuju da nema statistički značajne razlike u korištenju i odabiru materijala među nastavnicima u urbanim i ruralnim područjima Hrvatske. Pokazano je da nastavnici u urbanim područjima češće koriste tehnologiju od kolega u ruralnim područjima. Prema rezultatima cijelog uzorka, udžbenici su glavni izvor svih vrsta materijala. Pronalazak dodatnih i izrada vlastitih materijala zahtjeva puno vremena, a često su i odgovarajući izvori teško dostupni.

• Keywords: materials; English as a foreign language (EFL); teachers
• Keywords (croatian): materijali; engleski kao strani jezik; nastavnici
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:371628
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation, TEFL; Course: TEFL; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra edukacije engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra edukacije engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2023-02-23 10:19:36