Teaching is a planned and systematic process in which teachers use various teaching methods to impart knowledge to students. The exclusive use of a single teaching method can lead to monotony and discourage active participation and critical thinking among students. Especially with first-graders, it is crucial that knowledge is conveyed in an experiential way, using concrete materials, didactic games and movement. Traditional teaching, based solely on textbooks and workbooks, does not allow for sufficient dynamics and flexibility, as it limits students' active participation. It is therefore important to explore alternative teaching approaches that encourage interactive and experiential learning.
In our master's thesis, we investigated how teaching without textbooks and workbooks is carried out in primary schools, what teaching methods teachers use, what resources they use to replace textbooks and workbooks, and what the advantages and challenges of this type of teaching are. We focused on the experiences of teachers who teach in the first stage of primary school without textbooks and workbooks, and on their views on the effects of this approach on students. Our aim was to contribute to a better understanding of alternative forms of teaching and to explore the possibilities for their wider implementation in the school system. The data for the study were obtained through semi-structured non-standardized interviews with eight teachers who teach in the first stage of primary education and who teach or have taught without textbooks and workbooks. The interviews were conducted in April and May 2025.
The results of the master's thesis showed that teaching without textbooks and workbooks in the first stage of primary school enables more comprehensive, active and experiential learning that is adapted to the developmental characteristics of students. The teachers involved in the study highlighted greater motivation and activity among students, better understanding of the material and more opportunities for differentiation and individualization in teaching as the main advantages. In their work, they most often use operational-practical teaching methods, such as station work, didactic games, movement and the use of concrete materials, which they mostly prepare themselves. Despite numerous advantages, they also face challenges, such as a greater time burden and the need for cooperation between teachers.
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