UNIT-6

TEXT ANALYSIS AND LESSON PLANNING

In the process of schooling, textbooks have very much importance. These are the resources
by which we impart our culture, customs and traditions to the new generation. In all the
educational systems of almost all countries, there are some prescribed textbooks. Even in
American and British Educational System, it is taken very much compulsory and useful to have
some textbooks, though there systems are totally based on activities .Textbooks are actually the
parameters to know the standard of education. Because, only the textbooks can decide what a
teacher has to teach and what a student has to learn. And the wrong use of the textbooks can be
harmful in the long term not only for the student and for the teacher but for the scope of
education as well. It shows that there can be some wrong or misleading uses of textbook. If the
textbooks do not match the social norms, or contradict some theological beliefs or are not
produced according to mental level of the students, or, if they are obscure and out-dated and do
not come up to the requirements of the times, then they are no more useful for the students.
Textbooks might be misleading the teacher, if she relies all-in-all over the material of the
textbooks then there would be no more charm in her teaching. Textbooks must be taken as an
additional aid to the teacher rather than only resource to the teacher. The textbooks may also be
one of the most helpful aids to the affective teacher. If a teacher uses defective or unsound
textbooks or if an inexperience and unsound teacher uses well-produced textbooks then in both
the conditions the process of education will be affected, even hampered. Garinger (2001)
commenting on the usefulness of textbooks emphasizes that using a textbook is one of the most
effective and readily available ways to relieve some of the pressures put on teachers, lessens
preparation time, provides ready-made activities and finally provides concrete samples of classroom
progress through which external stakeholders can be satisfied. McGrath (2002) asserts that textbooks
can set the direction, content and they can propose ways in which the lesson is to be taught. Prof.
Syed Sajid Hussain worked over the characteristics of good textbooks. He read many books and
collected the list of the following characteristics of the good textbooks:

1. They fulfill the objectives of Curriculum.

2. They are helpful towards the completion of purposes of education.
3. They must represent a certain school of thought.
4. They must be according to the mental level of desired group or grade of students.
5. They match to psychological requirements of the students.
6. They must have continuity. It means they use inductive approach from known to the
unknown.
7. They must represent different people of a community belong to different schools of
thought.
8. They use realistic approach in their contents.
9. They must contain some knowledge and be helpful for the development of personalities
of the students.
10. Their material should be given along with the pictorial representation.
11. They must relate with certain teaching techniques.
TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS

Textbook is one of the important and Powerful tools of teaching a foreign language. A good textbook
of language includes suitable subject matter, suitable vocabulary and structures, order and proportion,
exercise glossary and illustrations. So the textbook play very important role in teaching learning
process. Textbook analysis is necessary to arrive at better understanding of the rationale of the
book as well as the needs of the learners. It involves the careful selection of materials examining
whether they reflect the needs of the learners, the aims, methods and values of a specific teaching
program. Textbook analysis helps the teachers move beyond impressionistic assessments and it
further facilitates them to acquire useful, accurate, systematic and contextual insights into the
overall nature of textbook materials (Cunningsworth, 1995; Ellis, 1997). Through the analysis of
a textbook, teachers know the content of the book, its strengths and weaknesses which will
facilitate them to adapt it to suit the course aims, learners’ needs and teachers’ beliefs. As
Littlejohn (1998) observes, textbook analysis serves the purpose of examining whether the
methodology and content of the materials are appropriate for a particular language teaching
context. The analysis would test out the claims materials make for themselves: whether they
truly develop autonomy, whether they truly involve problem solving and if they indeed are
learner centered.

1. Textbook is defined as a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are

produced according to the demands of educational institutions. Although most of the
textbooks are only published in printed format, many are now available as online
electronic books and increasingly, although illegally, in scanned format in P2P networks.
2. Analysis is defined as the focusing study of an object to decide the quality and study the
features of the object.
3. Textbook analysis is defined as the focusing study to decide the quality and study the
features of a text book.

TYPES OF TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS

Prior to the analysis of textbooks, it is necessary to conduct a preliminary analysis of the context in
which the material is going to be used and a survey of the learners needs. This need originates from
the realization that there is a distinctive line between the analysis of the textbook and its valuation
According to McGrath (2002, p. 22) “analysis is a process which leads to an objective, verifiable
description whereas evaluation involves the making of judgments”. Evaluation is feasible when a
comparison is made between the descriptions of a context with the description of the textbook.
Therefore, the analysis of textbooks should be made by looking at specific required elements or set of
criteria. Analysis of teaching materials can be divided in three types according to the literature in the
field of English Language Teaching.
 Pre-use or predictive analysis involves making decisions about the potential value of
materials for their users.
  In-use or whilst-use analysis which involves measuring the value of materials while using
them or observing them as being used.
 Post use analysis measures the actual effect of the materials on the users. As Tomlinson
(2003, p. 25) states post use evaluation can measure the actual outcome of the use of the
materials and thus provide the data on which reliable decisions about the use, adaptation or
replacement of materials can be made

LEVELS OF TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS

According Littlejohn (1998) proposes a three level analysis.

1. At the first level of analysis the focus is on the physical aspects of materials and how they
appear as a complete set or book.
2. At the second level the focus of analysis is on the actual role of learners in the classroom
activities, whether language form or meaning is focused, forms of activities and classroom
participation and finally the contents of the tasks.
3. The third level examines the implications derived by evaluating the overall aims of the
materials, content, task selection and sequencing, teachers and learners’ roles, demands of
learner knowledge, effects, skills and abilities and the role of materials as a whole.

TEXT ANALYSIS OF PRESENT ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS

While analyzing an English textbook, a reader for teaching English at any class, must have the
following qualities or characteristics of a good English teacher, in mind:

 The content
 The objective of teaching learning English
 Structure/ Vocabulary introduced
 Suggestions give to the teacher for effective teaching
 Exercises on reading or writing for the effective learning
 Intensive Reading/ reading and appreciating a poem/ Extensive reading- Experiences of
reading all the three is introduced in the textbook.
 Workbook exercises which goes along with the reader
 The number of core elements introduced in the reader under analysis.

EXAMPLE OF TEXT BOOK ANALYSIS

Analysis of Primary Textbooks for Class-I

Section A . General Information
 1.1 Title of the book: Marigold (Text Book in English for Class-1)
 1.2 Year, date and place of publication: 1 January 2014
 1.3 Name of the Publisher / Organization: National Council of Educational Research and
Training
 1.4 Stage: (Primary/Upper Primary) Primary (Class –1)
 1.6 Total No. of pages: 74
 1.7 Total Lessons: 20 Chapters
  1.8 Language: English
 1.9 Product Dimension: 20.3 X 25.4X4.7cm
 1.10 Price: 90
 1.11 Print Quality: Excellent
Section: B Physical Aspects of the Textbook
 2.1 Cover Page: Coloured/2 Coloured/Attractiveness: Colored and Attractive…
 2.2 Quality of paper: Good
 2.3 Quality of binding: Good and Stapled
 2.4 Font size used and its appropriateness: Big font size, appropriate for class – I students
 2.5 Layout of text: Portrait

Section: C Coverage of Syllabus in the textbook and linkage of syllabus with the text
 3.1 Support your answer (Yes/No) by providing evidences/examples with page Number(s)
 yes but free hand drawing of four basic shapes are not given in any questions.(though
 by joining dots it is given)
Section: D Curriculum Load

4.1 Organization and Presentation

Whether the book has only running texts or a variety of genres (texts0 involved?
 There is a variety of genres and full of activities
Whether the texts are all authentic (stories, poems, narratives written by authors not for
the purpose of textbook, but used here as text for exposure to language) or textbook
author created. (Texts at the primary stage will have texts written for the textbook as all
authentic tests will be a problem. We have to find out how the balance is maintained.)
Mention chapters/ themes taken from authentic text: The very first lesson titled “ A
happy Child” is nothing but stereotyping the image of a happy child—the one who never
cries and has a tree to sit under when the play is done.
Mention chapters/ unit developed by the authors: All pictures are related to the theme
or topics presented in the book.

4.2 Are there any illustrations? If yes, do they support the concepts/ideas conveyed in the text? If
yes, Please give reference appropriately.

 Illustrations abound in the textbook and they are very meaningful and relevant to the
ideas conveyed in their respective lessons. The poem goes like this: My House is red- a
little house/ I have a tree, a green tree/ To shade me from the sun.
 Whether the visual/graphics texts like stories in cartoons, graphic stories are used as
inputs for language teaching-learning? If yes, please give reference appropriately
 Yes, visual /graphic text are used for stories, e.g. Pg, 58,Chapter-8, Pp, 29 Chapter- 03
One little kitten, A Happy Child, Pp-02, Chapter-1 . Some illustration show a story as a
passage unfolds such as Chapter -6 if I were an apple, pp-64 etc.

4, 4 whether the textbooks presents local contexts in terms of visuals, texts and presentation? If
yes, please give reference appropriately.
  There are pictures of local relevance in almost all chapters. After a bath by Alllen Fisher,
Our Tree by Pranab and Smita Chakravarti display the local cultural context. There are
certain words that are so simple and easy to understand. At the same time some phrases
and verbs is unfamiliar and not commonly use words.

4.5 Whether the book is divided into sub-division of sections for making easy and coherent
progression?

Yes, the progression is coherent and all chapters all well arranged.

Section: E Pedagogical analysis

5.1 Whether the textbook uses contemporary language in rubrics? Whether the texts (Stories,
poems, etc.) are chosen from contemporary writers? If yes, please give reference appropriately.

 Simple contemporary language has largely been used but there are some rubrics which
may be considered so difficult for Class-I level. The book is perhaps written keeping in
view the children in metro cities with command on spoken English. Most units are moral
science lesson rather than the language lessons.

5.2 Is there coherence within the textbook (from unit one to last unit)? This may tell how the
language aspects (not necessarily explicitly) and themes are progressing from familiar to
unfamiliar or from known to unknown. The ‘new language’ (new usages, words, sentences)
which is introduced moves from one level to another level in the text. If yes, please give
reference appropriately

 The pre-writing activities are sequenced well. A few initial lessons are written to build
the sight vocabulary about certain objects in the environment of the child along with
developing listening and speaking skills through short simple poems linking to the
transition of new content from the old one.

5.3 Whether the teacher is able to understand the philosophy of the book (the approach to
language teaching-learning like constructivism, communicative language teaching, whole language
perspective, etc.) through the teacher’s pages or through the activities.
 Yes, the teacher allows the children to talk and helps them to express their thoughts by use
of their mother tongue, visuals, pictures, sketches, single word questions and answers.

5.4 Whether the language learning activities are introduced in learner’s context (suitable for the age,
region, etc.).
 This book doesn’t suit the context of rural children.
5.5 Whether the language of the textbook is simple and comprehensible to the learners and teachers
 When one goes through the book, it seems that book has been written with the assumption
that children have already been to the English Medium pre-school and their home language is
English.
5.6 Whether the tasks and activities give scope for engagement with language? This means how
much time the learner is asked to spend on a task doing and thinking about language and the
ideas of the tasks.
 Yes, the textbook as a whole has exercises.
i. Fun with colors. ii. Reading is fun. iii. Let’s Speak. iv. Let’s write. v. Language
practice, Match with pictures, Exposure to language, conversation based on role play, draw lines etc.
5.7 Whether the tasks / activities create an anxiety in the learners and the teacher? If yes, how?
No
Section : F Child Centeredness

6.1 The Language of the Textbook:

Whether the themes are related to the lived in experiences of learners? Whether the units / lessons
make attempts to connect with the lives of learners? (Please list the title of the units and the theme
they fall under. This could be done in a table)
Chapter Page No. lesson Theme
1 1-7 A happy Child Happy Child House
2 8-15 Three little pigs Being kind and
helpful
3 16-20 After a bath Save water
4 21-28 The bubble, the straw friendship
and the shoe
5 29-33 One little kitten Caring for animals
6 34-41 Lalu and Peelu Mother love
7 41-44 Once I saw a little Love for Birds
bird
8 45-52 Mitthu and the yellow Love for fruits
mango
9 53-55 Merry-go-around Appreciation of nature
10 56-63 Circle Creativity
11 64-66 If I were an apple Imagination
12 67-76 Our tree
13 77-79 A kite Happiness
14 80-87 Sundari
15 88-90 A little turtle Love for animals
16 91-97 The tiger and the Being kind and
mosquito helpful
17 98-102 Clouds Appreciation of nature
18 103-109 Anandi’s Rainbow Rainbow in the sky
19 110-113 Flying man Flying man
20 114-122 The tailor’s and his Friendship
friend

6.2 Whether the rhymes / songs used in the textbook are completely foreign or Is there
any attempt to present Indian rhymes/ songs?
6.3 Whether the book has any narratives (texts, poems) translated from Indian languages.
Please give reference appropriately.

6.4 Are the rubrics (i.e. the instructions) in the textbook addressed to the learners or
teachers? Are they given in mother tongue / state language also? Please give
examples of

Section : G Themes and Tasks / Activities

7.1 What are the themes in which the texts and activities are drawn from their context? Please list the
themes.
7.2 Are there any alien themes? If yes what attempt the book makes to contextualize the theme?

7.3. In English language textbooks, the rhymes and songs are mostly foreign, what attempt is made in
the textbook (through exercises and texts) to connect with the life
of the learner?

Section: G Tasks/ Activities

9.1 Whether the book has activities like group work (group reading, singing,) pair work, whole class
activity, debate, mutual reading (one reading out a paragraph to another), recitation, action activities
like action songs, etc. Please give afew examples.

9.2 . Are the tasks real life tasks and rooted in contexts? Please give a few examples.

9.3 . Whether the reading text / narrative has pre-reading, while –reading and post reading activities?
Whether the post reading activities give scope for the learner to revisit / reread (in whole or part of
text) for doing the activities? If yes, Please give references appropriately.

9.4 . (a) How is writing introduced in classes one and two? From a,b,c,d, or from stroke to slanting
letters to others?

(b) How is writing done in class three onwards?

(c) Is there any scope for process writing? Process writing involves learner go through the processes
of jotting down the points, writing the draft, re-writing, editing and finalizing. If yes, please give a
few examples.

9.5 Whether the book provides ‘route’ for the learners? Route here is the interconnectivity or the
connection between the tasks (from task one to last either continually or spirally).

9.6 Whether the book gives scope for further reading, extended reading? Does the book provide any
further reading list in each unit? If yes, please give a few examples. No

9.7 . Whether the tasks give scope for problem solving and discovery learning? Please give a few
examples. No

9.8 . Whether the textbooks promote communication skills among learners? Lots of communication/
dialogue kind is given but little practice is provided.

9.9 . How far the focus of the text is on language use rather than teaching usages? Here the tasks
need to be analysed to find out how far learners use language in the activities like say the following
to your partner or use the words and phrases in your own word to complete the passage and so on.
Please give a few examples.
Some lessons are stories meant to sharpen listening and speaking skills of children like “The
Bubble”, the straw and the shoe” told though through conversational method and develop right
pronunciation and preach conservation of water and cleanliness to inculcate values among learners.
9.10. How far the texts, themes, illustrations, visuals and tasks are sensitive towards following
aspects?
Gender – Boy and Girl
People with special needs – Helen Kelen
Environmental concerns - Butterfly
Against some section of society – NA

Section: H Critical Pedagogy

Whether the themes and activities have room for promoting critical pedagogy i.e. for letting the
learner to have an argument before coming to decision on issues and problems? . If yes, please give a
few examples. Term – i

Pg. 72 (Let’s write), 73 (Let’s Speak), 62 (Let’s write)

Term – ii, Pg. 70 (Let’s write), 57 (Let’s speak)

Section: I Assessment

(a) Does the textbook have a range of typology of questions (like MCQ, Short answer, short writing
(notice, message, etc.) long answer questions (letters, articles, arguments, etc). (b) Does the book
have projects and assignments? (c) Whether the textbook lends itself to Continuous Comprehensive
Evaluation / Assessment (CCE)? If yes, please give a few examples for a, b and c.
EXAMPLE OF TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS

BOOK REVIEW ON ENGLISH GRADE 5TH TEXTBOOK

Book : English Grade 5

Author: Sobia Kiyani & Zairah Najib
Layout Designer: Sakhawat Hussain
Supervised by: Safdir Hussain
Prepared by: Apple Educational Press
Printing date: January 2014

Copies: 211200
Price: 62.00
Aims to Introduce: The book provides Forms, Functional Improving language vocabulary. The
book provides guidelines to help teachers for conducting such activities by keeping contextual
realities in view.
Unit: It contains 13 units on different topics related to oral communication skills, Grammar,
Writing skills, phonics etc.
Reading Material includes stories, dialogue, factual account, poems etc. The book also provides
flexible strategies to display their understanding by producing well written texts for various
purposes.
Objectives:
 Main objectives of the whole book are not given
 Each of its unit contains objectives related to its topic or theme.
 These objectives are not written on title page of each unit according to the topic.
Some of the objectives of different units are given below:
 Demonstrate the use of common and proper nouns.
 Demonstrate the use of has/have as main verbs
 Comprehend questions to write appropriate answer.
 Demonstrate use of prepositions.
 Illustrate use of Future tense.
 Find opposite of words
Strengths: Strength of the English Grade 5th book are divided into two parts
1. With in the whole unit — 2. Within each unit
Cover page: Cover page is colorful.
The book has Normal Font size, highlighted headings.
Educational quote is written on the cover page
National Song is also written
A little introduction of the book is also given.
Table of content with division of portions.
First unit starts with the topic “The Holy Prophet”
The book contains topics on religious aspects, moral aspects, habitual development, etc.
Each unit has footer contain heading” for the teacher” in which there is activity related to
grammar and language etc.
Activities are also given within highlighted box shapes.
Each unit contains pictures related to its topic or theme
Each unit contains two types of activities,
Pre-reading activities
During-reading activities
Guidelines for teachers are also given with in each unit.
Each unit exercises are based on these headings:
Vocabulary,
Reading comprehension,
Grammar,
Phonics,
Writing skills,
Oral communication skills
WEAKNESSES
 Some of the noticeable weaknesses are also present in it which may not directly affects
its reader but may be noticed by teacher.
 The activities in each unit only contain questions. There is lack of performing activities.
 No one can easily judge that it’s English Book by its cover. It contains simple picture of
girl busy in writing.
 Low or rough paper quality
 Ink spreading, double writing, blur picture etc.
PRINCIPLES OF CURRICULUM
The content of this book meet the following principles.
 The creative principle
In English Grade 5th book, the creative principle is also present.
The whole book is colorfully designed.
Pictures are also there related to the topics which enhance creativity, attraction and
intelligence of the students.
Activities are also mentioned in it which also shows its creativity towards students.
 Child centered curriculum
With the passage of time, the students are more Sharpe and intelligent, so the curriculum
designed according to the mental abilities of the students.
It contains all the authentic and relevant material according to the need of the modern
times.
 Vertical articulation
If we will compare the book of English Grade 5th with English grade 4th then we may say that the
curriculum of Grade 5th is enhanced according to the mental abilities of this grade level student.
Comparatively the units of Grade 5th are more briefly explained.
 Horizontal articulation
The each unit in this book is beautifully interlinked with one another
Knowledge is given step by step to create a better understanding of the book
To enhance the intelligence of the student each exercises is shifted from easy to complex
level.
 Principle of preparation of life
Now our education is totally dependent upon English language. So the book is designed
in such a way that the better coaching can be helpful in further studies and also helps individuals
in many aspects of life.
 Principle of loyalty
We will find units based on the knowledge of God and national values, mannerisms
which are helpful for creating the sense of loyalty in the younger generation.
RECOMMENDATIONS
 The cover page may be designed according to the course of English.
 Fine paper may be used for the printing of the book.
 Color pages may be used for making the book more captivating.
 Glossary may be added at the end of the each unit to make understanding easier for the
students.
 Repetition of material may be avoided.
 The main objective of the book may be given in the beginning.

CONCLUSION

 The book is designed beautifully to enhance the intelligence of students and is more
informative as compare to our time of grade 5th.
 The units mentioned in the book strengthen the loyalty with all the behavioural aspects of
the children.
 The authentic exercises are helpful to get better output of a unit.