ENRICHING VOCABULARY WITH ADJECTIVES FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PUPILS’ READING LITERACY

Abstract

The trend observed in the education system is that pupils often spend their free time using mobile phones or computers for entertainment. As a result, pupils have a rather modest vocabulary, which poses a problem to formulate and express their thoughts in the learning process, to describe the central thesis in more detail, for example, using adjectives.

The research aim is to determine the methods used in teaching adjectives and their usefulness in the Latvian language class in order to improve pupils’ reading literacy. The research methods include analysis of corresponding theoretical and methodological literature, a teacher survey, and processing and interpretation of the data obtained. The most appropriate methods for teaching the topic “Adjective”, according to the teachers, are the explanatory illustrating and reproductive method; whereas the documents studied concerning the introduction of competency-based education recommend mainly the heuristic and research method, and this creates a relative mutual discrepancy. To promote the pupils’ reading literacy, teachers need to explore the children’s interests and use them as the basis for creating methodological materials about adjectives which correspond to modern reality and are fascinating and interesting to pupils. Such an approach would motivate pupils to appreciate the importance of using adjectives in everyday life. In the Latvian language class, when teaching the topic “Adjective”, teachers need to try and work as counsellors, gradually guiding their pupils to achieving the goal by noticing different patterns for adjectives, like competency-based education provides.