Page 399 - Štemberger Tina, Čotar Konrad Sonja, Rutar Sonja, Žakelj Amalija. Ur. 2022. Oblikovanje inovativnih učnih okolij. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem
P. 399
Use of the Picture Book in Teaching Mathematics and Serbian Language
potential, and make sure that all children have positive experiences in the
speech development stage (Brock and Rankin 2008).
The question is – How can we achieve this? The answer is complex and
multifaceted. There are numerous ways, methods, and procedures to achieve
this. The teacher is the key factor on whom the success of this plan depends
entirely. This paper wants to draw attention to the picture book as a didactic
device which should ensure learning of mathematics and Serbian language
in students with learning disabilities related to these two courses, and which
at the same time represents an integrative element of the learning activity
within these two courses.
Picture Book as a Didactic Material for Teaching Students with
Learning Difficulties in Adopting Mathematics and Serbian Language
The first book in the life of each individual is a picture book. The appearance
of the picture book is related to the Czech pedagogue J. A. Komensky (Come-
nius) and his work Orbis pictus published in 1658. The picture book may have
a very important role at the very beginning of primary school education as a
didactic device for teaching students who face learning difficulties in adopt-
ing content from mathematics and mother tongue. Numerous studies have
shown that combining texts (descriptive representation) and pictures (de-
pictive representation) is beneficial for teaching (Mayer 2001). Authors who
estimate the representation of these students in the overall school popu-
lation tell us that approximately 5 of all students in regular schools have
been identified as persons with learning difficulties (Lyion 1996; Golubović
2005). Given the percentage of students with learning disabilities, we must
provide a cognitive context which allows students to adopt the material pre-
scribed in the curriculum more easily. The picture book could help us achieve
that, given that it is defined in literature as ‘multifunctional reading mate-
rial’ (Martinović and Stričević 2011, 52), which achieves different functions:
informative-educational, cognitive, aesthetic and entertaining (Čačko 2000).
Student in the initial stages of education exhibits no resistance toward
the picture book, since he/she is very familiar with this book, and since this
book was created precisely for children. Contemporary authors define the
picture book as a collection of text, illustration and overall design (Bader,
1976; Hameršak and Zima 2015, 164). Precisely due to their dual aspect in the
form of text and images and specific importance, picture books possess a
pedagogical, psychological, artistic and linguistic potential to influence the
child and a means of expanding and enriching their vocabulary, whereas
reading picture books represents the beginning of literacy where the child
399
potential, and make sure that all children have positive experiences in the
speech development stage (Brock and Rankin 2008).
The question is – How can we achieve this? The answer is complex and
multifaceted. There are numerous ways, methods, and procedures to achieve
this. The teacher is the key factor on whom the success of this plan depends
entirely. This paper wants to draw attention to the picture book as a didactic
device which should ensure learning of mathematics and Serbian language
in students with learning disabilities related to these two courses, and which
at the same time represents an integrative element of the learning activity
within these two courses.
Picture Book as a Didactic Material for Teaching Students with
Learning Difficulties in Adopting Mathematics and Serbian Language
The first book in the life of each individual is a picture book. The appearance
of the picture book is related to the Czech pedagogue J. A. Komensky (Come-
nius) and his work Orbis pictus published in 1658. The picture book may have
a very important role at the very beginning of primary school education as a
didactic device for teaching students who face learning difficulties in adopt-
ing content from mathematics and mother tongue. Numerous studies have
shown that combining texts (descriptive representation) and pictures (de-
pictive representation) is beneficial for teaching (Mayer 2001). Authors who
estimate the representation of these students in the overall school popu-
lation tell us that approximately 5 of all students in regular schools have
been identified as persons with learning difficulties (Lyion 1996; Golubović
2005). Given the percentage of students with learning disabilities, we must
provide a cognitive context which allows students to adopt the material pre-
scribed in the curriculum more easily. The picture book could help us achieve
that, given that it is defined in literature as ‘multifunctional reading mate-
rial’ (Martinović and Stričević 2011, 52), which achieves different functions:
informative-educational, cognitive, aesthetic and entertaining (Čačko 2000).
Student in the initial stages of education exhibits no resistance toward
the picture book, since he/she is very familiar with this book, and since this
book was created precisely for children. Contemporary authors define the
picture book as a collection of text, illustration and overall design (Bader,
1976; Hameršak and Zima 2015, 164). Precisely due to their dual aspect in the
form of text and images and specific importance, picture books possess a
pedagogical, psychological, artistic and linguistic potential to influence the
child and a means of expanding and enriching their vocabulary, whereas
reading picture books represents the beginning of literacy where the child
399
