The Future of Education
Mesezene: Introduction to a New Hungarian Approach in Fostering Language Skills to Prepare Reading in Kindergarten According to Pilot Studies
Antal Mór Szűcs, Eötvös Loránd University (Hungary)
Abstract
The Mesezene method is a new Hungarian approach for teaching reading. Mesezene is a two-module programme that can be used in preschool education to develop reading skills and applied in primary school as a pedagogical tool in reading instruction. The method applies a specific motivational aspect using tales and collectively played gaming activities that emotionally engages children and provides a more profound cognitive development (Ványi – Sándor – Szűcs 2014; Szűcs 2019). The current study has summarised the pilot studies carried out in order to assess the possible effects of the method on phonological awareness, rapid automatised naming, and phonological short-term memory. Szűcs and Tar conducted two studies in the field: one with children developing typically and living in cities in Hungary (Szűcs – Tar 2020a) and one with children who live in socially and economically disadvantaged circumstances in a rural environment (Szűcs – Tar 2020b). From the presented data, we can deduce that the method has an effect on phonological awareness at different linguistic levels and operational aspects. When comparing the two studies, we can conclude that the effect on phonological awareness is even more pronounced among children situated in economically and socially disadvantaged circumstances than in children living in typical urban settings. The significance of the discovery lies in the fact that linguistic assistance in this relation can be critical for later life perspective. However, the results should be treated with caution as the current subject refers to pilot studies with a relatively small number of cases.
Keywords: Early literacy, phonological awareness, socioeconomic status
References
[1] Ványi Ágnes – Sándor Krisztina – Szűcs Antal Mór (2014): Óvodai Mesezene program: hangulatmesék. Fejlesztő Pedagógia 25(2). 48-64.
[2] Szűcs Antal Mór (2019): Fonológiai tudatosság fejlesztése a Mesezene élménypedagógiai módszerével. In: Bóna Judit (ed.): Az anyanyelv-elsajátítás folyamata hároméves kor után, Eötvös Kiadó, Budapest. 307-323.
[3] Szűcs Antal Mór – Tar Éva (2020a): A Mesezene program óvodai moduljának hatása a fonológiai feldolgozás műveleteire. In: Bóna Judit – Krepsz Valéria (ed.): Nyelvfejlődés csecsemőkortól kamaszkorig. Eötvös Kiadó, Budapest. 67-82.
[4] Szűcs Antal Mór – Tar Éva (2020b): A Mesezene módszer óvodai moduljának fonológiai feldolgozási műveletekre gyakorolt hatásának vizsgálata halmozottan hátrányos helyzetű gyermekeknél. Fejlesztő Pedagógia 31(4-6). 65-74.
