Topic: Reading and the child of early school age – from decoding to understanding
Lidija Bakota was born on 15 July 1974 in Osijek (Republic of Croatia) where she finished primary and secondary education as well as Croatian Language and Literature at the Faculty of Pedagogy (today the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) at Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek .
Since the academic year 2006/2007 she has been employed at the Faculty of Teacher Education (today the Faculty of Education) at Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek . She obtained her PhD in 2010 from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb with the thesis Communication Model of Oral Exercises in Elementary School . She acquired the title of Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Education in 2012. At the Faculty of Education she teaches Croatian Language Didactics I, Croatian Language Didactics II, Oral and written communication as well as Public Speech.
Lidija Bakota’s scientific interest is focused on early Croatian language learning, linguistic, sociolinguistic and bioethical analysis of Croatian children’s literature, especially on animalistic themes. Her scientific work is also focused on studying the development of young learners’ reading skills. She is the author of a university textbook and the editor of three books. She has participated in thirty international scientific conferences in Croatia, Poland, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and the UK as well as in organizing several scientific conferences.
As a researcher she has participated in the project Peacemaking the education and employment: answers to new challenges and opportunities within Erasmus + KA2 — Cooperation for Innovation and the Exchange by Good Practices Strategic Partnerships for adult education. She was a member of the editorial board of Life and School, a journal for the theory and practice of education (2012-2014). She is also the co-author of a Croatian Language and Literature textbook Moja staza for early learners (2014).
She has participated actively in teachers’ professional training organized by Education and Teacher Training Agency. She is a member of the Examination Committee for conducting professional class teachers’ exam.