Gimtosios kalbos puoselėjimas kaip penktokų tautinio ugdymo veiksnys
Nurturance of mother tongue as factor of 5th formers’ national education

Summary/Abstract: National (self-)education has not lost its topicality in Lithuania in the 21st century and the mother tongue is perceived as an important factor of national education. It should be mentioned that school learners’ national (self-)education is based on nationality, patriotism and nationalism. The research data that include the analysis of case study in Vilnius revealed that at nationality level, 5th formers evaluate the mother tongue from cognitive perspective and other manifestations of national culture are felt stronger through experiences and participation. About three thirds of 5th formers perceive richness of their mother tongue, accentuate positive experiences linked to nation’s symbols 28. 29. 30. or want to go on excursions that reflect a certain historical period of the nation. The research also revealed that school learners lack knowledge of their mother tongue, Lithuania’s past and present, Lithuanian traditions and customs (42 % of fifth formers do not know any Lithuanian writers; 45 % of the respondent are not aware of phenomenon of book smuggling; 31.3 % do not know any Lithuanian knights; 21.3 % of school learners are unwilling to participate in nurturance of customs, etc.). Patriotic feelings are more linked with other manifestations of cultural heritage rather than with nurturance of language. The discourse of nationalism is based on understanding of uniqueness of the language. The research data reveal that 5th formers’ attitude to their mother tongue is mainly related to nationalism only in a very narrow context. It can be concluded that according to their age-defined abilities, school learners are sufficiently aware of distinguishing features of their mother tongue but their understanding of other language peculiarities is very superficial and, therefore, cannot have a more considerable effect on formation of national awareness in the contemporary context. Statistically significant correlations identified between nurturance of the mother tongue and other manifestations of nationality and patriotic experiences show their close interrelations and strengthen the assumption that the mother tongue is a significant factor in national (self-)education.

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