Learning to read begins even before entering formal schooling. Parents read fairy tales to their children, ensuring they are in constant contact with written texts in one way or another. In the master's thesis, the school systems of Slovenia and Spain were compared, and the curricula for learning the native language in public primary schools in both countries were presented. The theoretical part introduced the basic development of literacy in children and discussed theories supporting reading development at different ages. The empirical part was divided into two sections. In the first part, a qualitative research approach and descriptive method of educational research were used. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with two teachers, one from a Slovenian and one from a Spanish public primary school. It was found that both teachers follow a systematic approach to teaching reading. They emphasized the importance of phonological awareness, the use of individualization and differentiation, collaboration with parents, and the use of traditional teaching aids that facilitate reading learning. In the second part, a quantitative research approach and descriptive method of educational research were used. An individual knowledge test was conducted with students from Slovenian and Spanish primary schools, revealing that Slovenian students demonstrate better phonological awareness and reading comprehension, while Spanish students read faster. Slovenian students also show greater motivation for reading. All students learned to read for the first time in the 2022/23 school year. Slovenian students were tested in the Slovenian language, while Spanish primary school students were tested in Catalan. The study involved 40 students, 20 from each school. One Slovenian public primary school and one Spanish public primary school were selected for the study. The master's thesis concluded with a model for more successful and diverse reading instruction in the first grade of primary school, emphasizing the importance of systematic language skills development, involving parents in reading instruction, identifying students' needs, and using diverse motivational tasks and teaching aids.
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