Word in the Teacher’s Hands (Word as a Didactic Tool)

Abstract

The teacher is bound to the word. The word can be a carrier of information, but also, e.g., a mood, forming relationships in the classroom. Through the word, the teacher interacts with others, especially pupils. The word can teach, educate, learn, share, but it also has a negative aspect when it does not interest, does not develop, deceives and leads to quarrels. The word has (no) power, not only in the school environment. The paper shows whether and how dialogue takes place in a selected school practice. Non-participant observation has been chosen as the method to investigate dialogue in schools. It was observed how communication takes place, how and what questions are asked, how they are answered, the atmosphere in the classroom, the role of the teacher, etc. This provided concrete information on how dialogue takes place in practice, what its attributes might be. The specific context of the teaching situation was captured in order to make recommendations for developing effective communication and relationships in a school environment where group diversity is natural and desirable.