Abstract:

The geography of the local landscape has an irreplaceable position in teaching geography. A municipality is considered a local landscape or microregion as a particular grouping of municipalities to which an individual has the most substantial connection. Knowing the place where one exists and lives is conditioned by several aspects. Due to growing globalization trends, values, relationships, and social patterns of behaviour are transforming society, which is manifested in an increasing interest in local – micro geographical knowledge. For a person living in a specific place, not only the physical objects are forming this place but also the events one experienced here in the past are getting more critical compared to the other aspects. Getting to know the local landscape creates a closer relationship to the place and region while being linked to a feeling of home, security and familiarity. With its content, the geography of the local landscape thus provides students with the possibility of a more profound knowledge of their home and its close background. In the educational process, knowledge of the geography of the local country is connected with the principle of progression from simpler to more complex, from close to more distant, from known to unknown.

Teaching the geography of the local landscape is the focus of teaching while in primary school. It starts at the first level of primary schools (1st - 4th grade) in the subject of local history, which mainly includes knowledge from the future subjects of geography and history. In the second grade (5th-9th grade), the knowledge of the local landscape is marginally included in the geography subject. The supplementary cross-cutting topic can be addressed in more detail - regional education and traditional folk culture. There are those focused on the local landscape in the geography textbooks. This comes across to the students as less attractive while acquiring and understanding geographical information they are in daily contact with. The insufficient amount of such textbooks is determined by obtaining funds for their creation.

The paper aims to present the options of teaching the geography of the local landscape through textbooks and other didactic tools created in Slovakia, specifically for this reason. We will primarily focus on those created at the Department of Geography, Geoinformation and Regional Development of FNSaI CPU in Nitra, which is considered the leader.

At the theoretical level, the paper was processed based on studying various scientific and professional print and electronic information sources. Information from research in the field of geography education of the local landscape was also used. In the practical part, the paper presents the primary drafts of textbooks created within the projects or the students' final theses. The obtained information was processed and interpreted using explanatory description, comparative and system methods.

The paper presents an original synthesis of knowledge on the options of teaching the geography of the local landscape together with examples and topics for creating teaching aids. It provides detailed information that current and future teachers (not only) geography can use in practice.

Keywords:

Didactic resources and aids, textbook, geography of the local landscape, school practice, Slovak Republic.