Abstract:

The paper describes the issue of the perception of the concept of death by pupils in the 6th year of primary school. In our society this topic is viewed as a “taboo” so the teachers and the parents are very often afraid to open it with young pupils. Pupils at primary school do not usually encounter the concept of dead education at all.

Therefore, we present the results of the pre-research Research of Reception and Interpretation of Historical Texts. For pre-research, we used our own design questionnaire to specifically focus on associations which pupils recollect about the term death. We assume that pupils adopt a negative attitude. The questionnaire also included the texts for children that are more closely related the issue. Pupils evaluated the reception of the texts in terms of comprehensibility and impressiveness and the potential of the texts (personal benefit, connection with their previous experience, possible inclusion in literary lessons).

The questionnaire survey was followed by an interview using the focus group method. We provided the pupils with the opportunity to comment on the associations they had written. We are interested in the extent to which their acceptance/non-acceptance is influenced by their own experience or its absence and how their reading of fiction intentionally including the topic of death influences their perception. Interview in the group enabled the pupils to share their observations with each other and to refine their attitude towards the concept of death.

Based on the results of both the pre-research and the research, it is possible to provide the teachers at primary school with the incentive to engage the dead education in their lessons, for instance through the work with intentional literature.

Keywords:

Death perception, children, reading, literary lessons.