Didactic game in contemporary pedagogy

The thesis discusses didactic game applied in kindergartens and primary schools in the context of current educational system. The author's objective was to determine differences between employing didactic play in kindergartens and primary schools. Another objective was to verify whether teachers recognise didactic game as an adequate educational method and to ascertain whether didactic game fulfils its activation function in primary schools. Observation and interviewing were used as appropriate methods to conduct the research and collect the data. More specifically the author conducted observations in the pre-school kindergarten classes and the first three grades of primary schools, interviews with kindergarten and primary school teachers, and comparisons between classes where didactic game was used and where it was not. The following conclusions were made: the main difference in applying didactic game in a kindergarten and primary school is the teacher's approach to the assignment of the didactic game and subsequently the children's or pupils' perception. Kindergarten teachers consider didactic game to be a fundamental educational method, whereas in primary schools it is of similar importance as other methods. Based on comparison of two differently held classes, more significant activation effect..