TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS
A ) Introduction
The
mathematics textbook is an important source for learning mathematics and it
plays a key role in effective teaching and learning. A textbook should stimulate reflective
thinking and develop problem-solving ability among students. The textbooks
should present real learning situations, which are challenging and interesting
for the students and should not render itself as a means of rote learning.
Text books and teachers’ guides occupy a unique place
in the teaching learning process. Text book are an indispensable part of
primary and secondary education. The text book is a teaching instrument. It is
not only a source of information, but a course of study, a set of unit plans
and learning guide. It helps to revise and reinforce the language material
already taught. In the absence of any other instructional material, the text
book becomes a potent tool in the hand of a teacher to teach the skill of a
language and the more so of a foreign language.
B) Qualities of a Mathematics Textbook
The qualities of a good textbook in mathematics can be
broadly classified under the following heads
- Physical features
- Author
- Content
- Organization and presentations
- Language
- Exercise and illustration
- General
1.
Physical features:
v Paper:
the paper used in the textbook should be of superior quality
v Binding:
it should have quality strong and durable binding
v Printing:
it should have quality printing, bold font and easily readable font.
v Size:
bulky and thick. It should be handy
v Cover:
it should have an appealing and attractive cover page.
2.
Author:
v Qualified
author should write it
v Experienced
teacher should write it
v Competent
teachers should write it
v It
should be written by committee of experts constituted by the state government
v For
the authors, certain minimum academic and professional qualifications may be
prescribed.
3.
Content
v It
should be child centered
v The
subject matter should be arranged from simple to complex and concrete to
abstracts.
v The
subject matter should create interest in the pupil.
v It
should be objective oriented
v It
should be written according to prescribed syllabus
v It
should satisfy the demands of examination
v The
answers given at the end of each section should be correct
v It
should include the recent developments in the mathematics relating to the
content dealt with.
v Oral
mathematics should fine its due place in the textbook.
4.
Organization and presentation
v It
should provide for individual differences.
v There
should be sufficient provision for revision, practice and review.
v It
should stimulate the initiative and originality of the students
v It
should offer suggestion to improve study habits.
v It
should facilitate the use of analytic, synthetic, inductive, deductive, problem
solving and heuristic approaches to teaching.
v Content
should be organize in a psychological consideration
v Content
should be organize in a logical way
v It
should suggesting project work, fieldwork and laboratory work.
5.
Language
v The
language used in the textbook should be simple and easily understandable and
within the grasp of the pupils
v The
style and vocabulary used should be suitable to the age group of student for
whom the book is written.
v The
term and symbols used must be those, which are popular and internationally
accepted
v It
should be written in lucid, simple, precise and scientific language.
6.
Exercise and Illustrations:
v The
illustrations should be accurate
v The
illustrations should be clear and appropriate
v It
should contain some difficult problems
v It
should contain exercises to challenge the mathematically gifted students.
v There
should be well-graded exercises given at the end of every topic.
v The
exercise should develop thinking and reasoning power of the pupils.
7.
General:
v At
the end of book there should be tables and appendices.
v The
textbook should be of latest edition with necessary modifications
v The
book should be moderate price and readily available in the marker.
C) Conclusion
Every teacher of mathematics uses a textbook. An
average teacher uses it as “his stock in hand” but a good teacher uses it as “a
helper”. The textbook that is considered “as store house of basics information”
can facilitate a teacher to do wonder in his subject.
The textbook should not be used as the
only source of instructional material. It should be used as an aid in teaching.