Original scientific paper

Language Games in Early School Age as a Precondition for the Development of Good Communicative Skills

Katarina Aladrović Slovaček ; Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb
Natalija Zovkić ; Graduate Study, Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb
Andrea Cekovic ; Graduate Study, Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb

Abstract

Game is an inborn (immanent) activity to children; it includes a large number of activities and helps children to develop their own abilities. Since it is filled with harmony, pleasure and rhythm, it makes it easier to accept larger amount of information without fatigue. Research (Velički & Peti Stantić, 2009; Aladrović Slovaček, 2011; Pavličević-Franić, Aladrović Slovaček & Ivanković, 2011) suggests that, learning through games, children master larger amount of information and present better attitudes to Croatian language as a school subject. In fact, language is an abstract system of signs and mastering it very often presents a problem to children until the start of the period of language automation (at 12 years old). However, in early language learning, emphasis is placed on the development of language-communicative competence, which means language use in everyday situations. To make language teaching at that age purposeful, it is necessary to use games as one of the teaching methods.
Therefore, the aim of this paper is to demonstrate the effects of frequent implementation of language games on the development of communicative skills among primary school children. The research has been conducted in the fourth and fifth grades of primary school (N=128) in three different schools of Central Croatia. The subjects had five Croatian language lessons in which language activities of listening, speaking, reading and writing were encouraged through games. After each lesson a short questionnaire was administered, as well as a test of acquired knowledge. During the fifth lesson, an activity was done in which the efficiency of mastering communicative skills on the levels of listening, speaking, reading and writing was evaluated.
Respondents showed an improved knowledge and attitude in relation to these studies (Miljević-Riđički at al. 2004; Pavličevivić-Franić & Aladrović Slovaček, 2009; Aladrović Slovaček, 2011) and have mastered communication skills in speaking and writing more successfully, which confirms that the use of games in teaching Croatian language encourages the development of communication skills.

Keywords

attitude to Croatian language; Croatian language teaching; language games; language skills

Hrčak ID:

117844

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/117844

Publication date:

18.2.2014.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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