Explication of Activities in the Textbooks on Developing Primary School Age Childrens Communicative Competence
Authors: Strakšienė Giedrė 
Published: October 2015

The development of communicative competence is one of the most distinct priorities in contemporary education system in Lithuania (Lietuvos valstybinė švietimo strategija 2013–2022 m.; Pradinio ir pagrindinio ugdymo bendrosios programos (patvirtinta LR švietimo ir mokslo ministro 2008 m. rugpjūčio 26 d. įsakymu Nr. ISAK-2423). Conception of communicative competence of primary school age students is founded on the communication and competence definitions: communication is the activity of conveying information, based on the principle of dialogue, through the exchange of thoughts, messages, experiences, as by verbal or nonverbal interaction, seeking mutual understanding and competence is the entirety of knowledge, abilities, and valuebased attitudes necessary for successful development / self-development and daily life.

The objective to enhance effectiveness of the processes of the development of communicative competence induces turning back to the opportunities proposed by training through arts, specifically through drama activity. Effectively applied, drama activity methods can play importante role in transforming and supporting teaching.

Following this we raised the research questions: How to specify activities in the textbooks by identifying the methods of creative activity relevant to the development of communicative competence? How in the textbooks (Lihuanian language, Nature Science and Mathematics) are proposed teaching and learning activities relevant to primary school age student‘s communicative abilities (listening, speaking and reading), and how activities are distributed under classes and object of textbooks? How drama activities are presented in the textbooks on developing students’ communicative abilities?

This article covers a comparative analysis of the textbooks of the Lithuanian language, Nature science, Mathematics designed for primary school students. Quantitative research design was used and method was employed content analysis (Bitinas, 2008; Ferari et al., 2010; Kojanitz, 2009) of textbooks: Lithuanian language “Pupa”; Nature science “Gilė” and Mathematics “Riešutas” for the first-fourth grades. Total were analysed 32 textbooks. Provision made for sampling of texts, breakdown into constituent components, their categorization, encoding of text units under semantic categories, and interpretation of the contents categories. Drama activity was analysed under to semantic categories – to perform (lt. vaidinti) and to play (lt. žaisti); communicative abilities and activities were analysed under to sematic categories – reading, speaking and listening.

Results of the textbooks analysis highlights the nature of the activities contained in to the textbooks and relationship with drama activities, and with development communicative abilities. It has been established in the textbooks, intended for the first through fourth grades, more attention is given to listening and speaking in first and second grades, while in third and fourth grades focus is replaced upon reading, listening and speaking. Analysis of textbooks has shown that pupils are given sufficient amount of activities that develop their communicative abilities, however, when doing analysis in terms of drama activities (semantic categories of the content), only but few drama activities have been identified. The results showed that the students’ communicative competence are most frequently developed in the class (in the textbooks) of the Lithuanian language and Natural sciences. Drama activities are used not always in a suitable manner, i.e. failing to take advantage of the opportunities provided by drama activities. Drama activities in textbooks normally are limited to reading of texts (in dialog) and, focusing upon memorization and reproduction of a text. It has been found out that textbooks also lack tasks associated with different kind of drama activities, there is shortage of learning resources fir to such activities, such as fairy tales, poems, small form folklore, etc.