CURRICULUM REFORM AND LANGUAGE TEACHING AT SLOVAK PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Lýdia Simanová & Mgr. Marian Trnka, PhD., Matej Bel University, Slovakia;    Abstract: The paper deals with the issue of 2008 curriculum reform impact and subsequent changes in teaching approach of Slovak language and foreign language. Research findings (2018) pointed to the fact that Slovak education is still notably marked by educational academism. Many teachers teach pupils to memorize concepts, facts practising transmission, mechanical learning as before 2008. The paper presents research findings based on the analysis of structured observations, assessment of lessonsʾ quality  in numerical scaling and inventory of 518 school lessons at 60 Slovak primary schools recording the innovating items in teaching. The data were statistically processed by indexing that was carried out in dimensions: 1. lesson content and objectives 2. means of teaching 3.teaching conditions. The paper presents research findings of both school  subjects separately and in mutual comparison interpreting the most innovated dimension 2 and the least innovated one 1. Significant differences were demonstrated in the degree of academic approach based on comparison. This points out on completely different teaching approaches. This paper was supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under the control No. APVV-16-0458.