Critical Analysis of Text Books
International Journal of Research in Linguistics and Social & Applied Sciences
Volume 1: 2012
Critical Analysis of Textbooks of English (Compulsory) Class IX And X, Published By Sindh
Textbook Board, Jamshoro, Pakistan
Abdul Sattar Gopang1, Sheeraz Illyas Shaikh2, Dr.Saleha Parveen3 & Dr.Mohammad Khan
Sangi4
1
Lecturer, Faculty of Education, University of Sindh,Pakistan
2
Lecturer, Faculty of Arts, University of Sindh Pakistan
3
Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Sindh Pakistan
4
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Arts, University of Sindh, Pakistan
Abstract
Education and the schooling are the two different things. Schools and classrooms have their own sets
of normative beliefs, methods of social organization, rules, routines and instructional strategies.
School education is totally dependent upon “Curriculum”. Syllabus, being a part of the curriculum,
contains facts, concepts, generalization, principles etc. according to which the teacher performs his/
her academic activities and directed to achieve the objectives of education. In the process of
schooling, “textbooks” have very much importance. Because, only textbooks can decide what a
teacher has to teach and what a student has to learn. Mal-use of the textbooks can be harmful for the
students, teachers and the scope of the education, at large. Kenneth (1989) says that if a teacher uses
defective/ unsound textbooks or if an inexperience and unsound teacher uses well-produced textbooks,
in both conditions the process of education is affected, or even hampered. The objective of current
study is to examine the contents of textbooks of English (Compulsory) Class IX & X. The study
further aims to investigate the effects of textbooks on schooling. The objectives and guideline of the
National Curriculum (2003) kept as a standard against the contents of textbooks of English
(Compulsory) Class IX & X. Findings showed that contents do not match the requirements given in
the National Curriculum. While the diction used in Book IX and X showed that they follow the
principles of grading.
Introduction
The importance of education in the process of nation-building and economic prosperity cannot be
denied. The famous Greek philosopher Plato, while emphasizing the need and importance of
education, said: “Education brings light to human mind and eye”. There is no denying the fact that
uneducated people cannot perform their duties, national as well as personal, in a proper and befitting
manner. Educators use the term “education” to refer to the varied and informal ways children learn the
customs, attitudes, beliefs, values, social skills and other behaviors that they require to be successful
members of a family, cultural group or society (Cushner et., 1992). But, an interesting aspect of
education is that most education is informal and occurs outside the school. It occurs in contexts that
are immediately meaningful, face-to-face and influenced by group dynamics. Co-operation, not
competition, predominates. A common language is the medium of learning; the motivation to learn is
often influenced by familial, peer and similar emotionally laden relationships (Borich, Gray. D and
Tombari, Martin. L. 1995). It means that there is fundamental difference between education and
schooling. Schools and classrooms have their own sets of normative beliefs, methods of social
organization, rules, routines and instructional strategies. Learning inside the school is characterized by
a reliance on words, explanations and questions (Borich, Gray. D and Tombari, Martin. L. 1995).
And, school-education is totally dependent upon “Curriculum”, because without curriculum we
cannot teach. Curriculum is considered as the pivot of school-education or schooling. It is the
curriculum, which decides: why and to which category or class or people, do we have to educate?
What are the aims and objectives of education? What do we want to make these people? What
18
Critical Analysis of Text Books
characteristics or qualities, do we want to develop in these people? After deciding all these above and
many other points, it is curriculum again, which makes us to think as to how we might achieve these
goals; what would be the resources and activities to achieve the goals. Goodrich and Falsome have
defined the curriculum in the following comprehensive words: “All experiences, in and out of the
school, used by the school to attain educational objectives, constitute the curriculum” (Hussain, S.S
1999).
Usually, we use the term “Curriculum” and “Syllabus” interchangeably but there is a definite
difference between them. Curriculum involves all areas of learning which the school has
responsibility (Lee, J.M), while the Syllabus is simply a part of the curriculum, which contains some
material (facts, concepts, generalization, principles and so forth) according to which the teacher
performs her academic activities and directed to achieve the objectives of education. “Syllabus is
clearly intended to be a sub-section of curriculum. It is a list of content areas which are to be
assessed” (Murry, 1993). Formally the contents of syllabus are prescribed and approved by an
Educational Board, and hence institutions, schools and teachers are bound to follow their academics
as per syllabi.
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 (Hussain, Sajid. S.). American educationists Wesley and Sheetle (1989)
were of the view that “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 textbooks. Syed Sajid Hussain says that:
“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 thy 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 (Mills & Douglass). Kenneth (1989) says that 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. 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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
They fulfill the objectives of Curriculum.
They are helpful towards the completion of purposes of education.
They must represent a certain school of thought.
They must be according to the mental level of desired group or grade of students.
They match to psychological requirements of the students.
They must have continuity. It means they use inductive approach from known to the
unknown.
They must represent different people of a community belong to different schools of
thought.
They use realistic approach in their contents.
They must contain some knowledge and be helpful for the development of personalities
of the students.
Their material should be given along with the pictorial representation.
They must relate with certain teaching techniques.
19
Critical Analysis of Text Books
Following are some principles to use textbooks. They would be helpful, if applied skillfully:
1. A teacher should be well prepared and well-versed in the text material before she goes to
the classroom.
2. A teacher should know what to teach rather than how to teach. Because, inside the class,
she has to teach in one or the other way, which depends upon the context and receiving
capabilities of the students.
3. Teaching through examples is not the other way to teach but it is the only way to teach. A
teacher should keep-on mentioning examples from the textbooks and from other reference
books, magazines, newspapers etc.
4. Textbooks can be utilized as a best source of learning new vocabulary and for making
notes.
5. Textbooks must be used along with the audio-visual aids.
6. Textbooks are very much result-oriented only when there is discipline in the classroom.
7. Teacher should ask the students to work-out from/ in the textbooks at their homes, so that
students can improve their knowledge.
8. Teacher should adopt democratic technique inside the classroom and encourage the
students to talk and discuss the matter of the text.
9. Students should be encouraged to make indices, references and footnotes so that they
could get benefit from the textbooks at full.
10. Textbooks must not be given the status of a tutor.
11. We should not use Textbooks literally. Teacher should describe, explain and clarify the
contents in simple wordings with the help of giving related examples.
In the Education Policy of Pakistan of 1970, it was approved and later-on extended in all the
Education Policies and Conferences that,
1. All the Textbooks of all the Subject of all the Classes should begin with the name and
praise of Almighty Allah.
2. Every chapter must be started with concepts given by Islam and Ideology of Pakistan.
3. There must be given ample examples for the sake of explanation in every chapter and in
every book.
4. They should take care of the sanctity of all the saints and pious people.
5. They should encourage or elicit the thinking capabilities of their users.
6. Before publication of these books, there must be a review committee, to review all the
contents in detail and by the consent and formal approval of the Committee, these books
will be allowed to publish and use.
While,Education Policy (1998-2010 A.D) spelled out the following objectives that English should
achieve by the end of Secondary School Stage. It reads as under:
By the end of the course, a student should be able to:
1. Read with fluency and understand passages of prose written within the limits of teaching
points and reading vocabulary suggested in the syllabus.
2. Understand a simple talk on a subject within his experience, and
3. Use the language correctly in speech and writing within the limits of the teaching points and
active vocabulary detailed in the syllabus.
Aslam, M (2003) has observed that English is being taught as a subject in our schools (earlier it was
from Class VI and onward, but now it started from Class I) and as a medium of instruction from the
Higher Secondary Stage (Class XI & XII). It is being taught for six periods a week and throughout the
session. But, it has been observed that, by the time the students join the university, he hardly knows
1500 words, and he is even not been able to use them effectively in day-to-day communication.
He also found the following major problems in learning English at Secondary School Level. The
problems are: (1) Large Classes, (2) Congested Classrooms, (3) Lack of facilities i.e., AV aids etc. (4)
20
Critical Analysis of Text Books
Untrained teaching staff, (5) Out-dated methods of teaching, and, last but not least, (6) Unsuitable
Textbooks, which contain very less motivation or even not at all. They look alien and do not arise any
interest.
He is of the view that language is not knowledge alone, rather it is a skill, which needs to be
developed with all its diversities in an integrative way involving all the four skills—listening,
speaking, reading and writing. Teaching one or two skills will not make our students
communicatively competent. The traditional approaches to language, Grammar translation in
particular, taught reading and writing only with the result it never succeeds in producing effective
communicators. Their whole attention is on grammatical accuracy.
Actually, we have no clear-cut policy or system to follow or we can say that it looks more like an
unwritten customary law, which is also called “Tri-language Formula”, According to which,
1. The mother tongue or regional language should be the medium of instruction at Secondary
level.
2. During the Middle School Stage, High and Higher Secondary, at least three languages should
be studied, one of which is National Language i.e., Urdu, other is regional language
(MT/NMT), and the third is English as Compulsory.
Another researcher Hashmi, S.A (1976) from Jamia Millia Government Teachers College, Karachi
tried to warn the government of all the gross consequences of this chaos. He observed that, English
Medium Schools, which begin English teaching form Class I. The course used in these schools is the
same as the course in English for English-speaking children. The Readers and the Textbooks used in
these schools are NOT based on any principle of selecting material for a second language. These
English medium schools study English as a subject and use it as a medium of instruction and
communication for almost ten years from K.G or Montessori to Class VIII. Their command over the
language and knowledge of “literature” can well be imagined.
On the other side is the Urdu/ Sindhi medium students, who have done “English” merely as a subject
with six periods a week for only three years from Class VI to Class VIII previously and now-a-days
from Class I and on.
These students have done their course in very unsatisfactory conditions, and therefore, a very meager
knowledge of the language is obvious.
For Class IX & X, a uniform course of compulsory English, for the schools public as well as private,
is being taught without any regard to the medium of instruction in other subjects and also without any
regard to students’ previous educational background. This anomalous situation places the English
medium students at an extremely advantageous position vis-à-vis Urdu/ Sindhi medium students, as a
result former feel psychological superiority, while the later fall in inferiority complex in the marathon
of life.
He also critically analyzed the currently used series of English Textbooks, taught from Class VI to
VIII and found that these textbooks are produced not on the basis of requirements of the time but on
seeing the qualification and caliber of teachers, which is, most these J.ST’s (Junior School Teachers)
are simply intermediate. Their presentations and skills are not worthwhile to bridge the gap between
the students and the challenges of the modern time. These students, when they are shifted to Class IX
& X, face even embarrassing condition because, they have to appear at Board’s Examination at the
end of the course and as such they cannot afford to cover only a part of the course, which is generally
practiced in previous classes, where the students take the home examination. Success at Board’s
Examination becomes the focal point in teaching and memorization of prepared notes, and dictated
summaries become the call of the day.
Sheikh, N.A (1989) from Central Training College, Lahore says, Poetry along with the portion of
prose is extremely significant for the school children because, it introduces an element of variety in
21
Critical Analysis of Text Books
English work. As the music of the musical lines has a lure of its own, in the same way it provides a
play situation and gives a sense of pleasure to the students. It draws his interest and attention to the
new language. He can better swallow the bitter pitter of foreign language with sugarcoating of poetry.
The aim of teaching of poetry is inculcating love for the new language through the appreciation of
beauty of the musical lines. The appreciation is three folded:
1. The emotional experience of the poet.
2. The imagery, which represent that experience.
3. The music expressing that experience.
We all agree that poetry cannot be taught. It can be read in school, studied, and learnt by heart and can
be enjoyed. The teacher can only create conditions in which a poem may have its fullest possible
significance for the pupils reading it. Though, there is no hard and fast rule of teaching a poem but
following steps, if followed, can be helpful to comprehend and to enjoy the joy of poetry at fullest:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Introduction
Reading, with proper expression. Reading may takes place twice followed by the student(s).
Explanation of difficulties.
Partial recapitulation with appropriate questions.
Re-reading by the teacher and by the students.
Questions by the students, if they have any.
Final recapitulation with suitable questions.
Appreciation of the pictures and the music.
Shaikh Nazir Ahmed in his book “Teaching of English as a Second Language” (1968) writes:
A vast majority of teachers in our schools have no definite aims in view while teaching
poetry. They make no difference, in their treatment, between poetry lesson and prose lesson.
They indulge in the hair-splitting of different shades of meanings and explanations. Instead of
attending to the music of words, they dissect them by giving their meaning and their
equivalents and spoil the charm of poetry by subjecting it to paraphrase.
Seeing the importance of literature, Frisby (1964) has suggested that we must inculcate the taste of
literature, in the form of story, a piece of novel, drama or some selected and easy lines of classical
poetry, among the school children by including in their syllabi courses. He was of the view that
Secondary School Level students are ideal for that because, at this stage of age, students are not only
familiar with the language but it is also the requirement of their age, i.e., adolescence, to appreciate
the beauty and to express one’s feelings and sentiments. He further said, at this stage of the age, we
could also establish the future trends of students’ lives.
Prof. Haq (1963) of Government College, Lahore says, when a Pakistani child comes to learn English,
there are no “known factors”, because he comes absolutely ignorant of the knowledge of any
European language. Here proceeding from known to unknown means the grading of course on the
basis of a series of stages, each stage serving as a basis for the next. We must assure ourselves that the
child has thoroughly mastered the first stage before proceeding to the second stage. In language, this
gradation or systematic arrangement of the material, in which each step serves as a base for going up
to next one on the ladder, can be applied to a number of things e.g., to vocabulary, teaching of
grammar, oral work and semantics (i.e., science of meanings).
Palmer (1963) suggested the following as psychologically sound ways of grading:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Using the ears before the eyes.
Reception before production.
Oral work before reading.
Immediate memory before prolonged memory.
22
Critical Analysis of Text Books
5. Chorus work before individual work.
6. Drill work before free work, and
7. Concrete objects and actions before abstract objects and actions.
Prof. Haq (1963) further suggested that the subject matter of textbooks should be interesting, their
should be variety in topics, the language should be modern spoken English and not archaic, and there
should be a separate book of poems containing easy descriptive poems, ballads and easy kind of
lyrics.
He also divided the syllabus of English for Class IX & X into three categories. Actually, they serve
three different purposes:
1. Lessons for Linguistic acquisition.
2. Lessons for Literary appreciation.
3. Lessons for Composition.
The first type of lessons improves the vocabulary (words, phrases, idioms, and metaphors etc.), the
second cultivates the taste for reading the new language, while the third helps the child to express his
thoughts in a clear and logical manner. Through this third type of lessons, a child is given training in
thinking-out a subject, planning his composition, critically examining its parts, discovering their
relationships and finally expressing them in correct English. He further drew a map of exercises for
this stage. According to him children should be given training in the following disciplines:
1. Story writing
2. Essay writing over:
i. concrete objects may be first taken-up for description e.g., a class-room, a picture, an
electric lamp etc.
ii. description of “Pet Animals”; such as, the dog, the rabbit, the monkey etc.
iii. description of people and professions; such as, the postman, the village headman,
friends and neighbours etc.
iv. objects that change with seasons; such as, fruits, flowers, the various seasons etc.
v. description of journeys, as in a bullock cart, a bus, a railway train etc.
vi. description of buildings and places; such as, the school, the railway station, the
museum, the post office, the mosque etc.
vii. description of fairs and festivals; such as, the Eid, the Muharram etc. or visit to places,
as a picnic and so on.
viii. imaginary description, such as, a storm, a house on fire, a dream etc.
3. Letter writing.
4. Summarizing (Comprehension and short notes etc.)
5. Answering the questions.
Nadeem Alam Alvi (1998) discussed the importance of linguistics in teaching the second language.
He said, if a person knows a language and its structure, it might help him write better textbooks, teach
it more efficiently and translate it more accurately. If a learner who wants to learn a language is told
about its systems and sounds scientifically, he may learn it sooner and better than he would do by
haphazard, hit or miss manner. A language of foreign can be acquired with the help of phonetics and
accurate pronunciation. In this case linguists and linguistics could play a vital role.
1. Linguistics is one of the major components of language teaching, others being organizational,
pedagogic, technological, psychological and sociological. Pure linguistics have tremendous
insights to offer to the teacher as well as to the learner by answering questions, like the
following:
i. How is a language learnt?
23
Critical Analysis of Text Books
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
ii. What is the difference between first language acquisition and second language
learning?
iii. What is the innate, built-in property of human mind that internalizes the generalizations
about a language?
iv. What does it mean to use language according to the role, the situation and the occasion,
the hearer etc.?
v. Is register-based course possible and useful? If yes—how can a register-based course be
prepared?
Linguistics helps in taking fundamental decisions such as which languages are to be taught up
to what time and what level in an educational system.
Linguistics helps in determining the place and position of a foreign language in a syllabus and
also helps in determining the aims and objectives of teaching of the target language.
Linguistics also helps in devising the syllabus and teaching materials and could be useful in
determining how, why, when and whom to teach.
Linguistics can help the textbook writers to prepare linguistically sound and learners’ needbased textbooks. Linguistics can also contribute in the selection and gradation of vocabulary
selection.
As the methods of teaching are rapidly changing, so linguistics and linguists could be called
upon to contribute some effective, useful, result-oriented and up-to-date methodologies in
teaching the language.
7.
Hence, the study of linguistics to language is rewarding. Linguistics offers:
1. Insights
Notions, that increase one’s understanding of the nature of the language and consequently of
the nature of learning.
2. Implications
Implications are affecting the decisions about the methods and techniques of teaching the
language; and
3. Applications
The cases, where notions and information drawn from linguistics, act directly upon the
process of language teaching.
Research Design
In our research, we studied Textbooks of Class IX & X in the light of National Curriculum for English
(Compulsory)—2004 and we also have counted the diction used in the textbooks of Class IX & X.
Procedure
In our investigation, the critical analysis of Textbooks of Classes IX & X, chapter wise, was done in
the light of National Curriculum for English (Compulsory). As this curriculum booklet sets the
principles for the designing and effective usage of the textbooks. No doubt, these principles are
competitive and if applied, could produce the desired results. These principles are formed after a long
and deep consultation of experts and educationists.
In the last but not least, we have calculated the diction of English Textbooks Class IX & X, in order to
see the level of difficulty i.e., grading. In this regard, we have given separate entities to the compound
nouns, singulars and plurals, different forms of verbs, phrases and idioms along with other words,
while the names of persons and places are excluded.
Observation and Analysis of Results
National Curriculum for English (Compulsory) discusses a guideline for Textbook writers and
features of English Textbooks. We match these given guidelines with the textbooks of English Class
IX & X. We found that these textbooks do not fulfill the required features at all or even at some places
they contradict to these recommendations and decisions.
24
Critical Analysis of Text Books
First point in the guideline for Textbooks says, “short stories from the real life situation should be
adopted”. While we see that there is one small chapter HEALTH IS WEALTH given in book IX and
four such chapters are given in the book X viz. “A VISIST,” “DIGNITY OF WORK”, “A VILLAGE
FAIR”, and “SHOPPING”. Careful study of these chapters shows that they look very formal and do
not strike the attention of the learners, while we could use an attractive and expressive diction in these
chapters to make them more interesting and informative, close to the everyday life.
Second point in the guideline says, “essays should be informative, descriptive and in autobiography
form”. There is no such length or other criteria are mentioned. We see four such biographical essays
are given in the book IX viz., “SHAH ABDUL LATIF”, “HELEN KELLER”, “ALLAMA IQBAL”
and “THE GREAT WAR HERO”; one descriptive chapter viz., “THE GUDDU BARRAGE”; three
informative chapters viz., “THE LAST SERMON OF THE HOLY PROPHET”, “MOEN-JO-DARO”
and “THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE PAKISTAN MOVEMENT” are given. Strangely, these
chapters are of various sizes, and written in very ordinary style that hardly any learner can be sunk
and get inspiration from these. While in Class X, there is only one autobiographical essay viz., “KING
FAISAL”, one descriptive chapter viz., “THE KHYBER PASS”, and two informative chapters viz.,
“AN AFRICAN VILLAGE” and “THE CUSTOMS OF VARIOUS REGIONS OF PAKISTAN” are
given. Strangely, there is no guideline or any rule to be followed while adding these chapters in the
two textbooks vis-à-vis Class IX & X.
Third point says, “Poetry should be modern, helpful in teaching the modern syntax of the language”.
There are only six poems given in Book IX and most of their composers belong to the 19th Century
A.C. While, there are thirteen poems given in Book X and again most of their writers belong to the
19th Century A.C. This gives a harmful indicator to the new learners that there is no any worthmentioning work produced in the last 20th Century and in 21st Century. There is no rule to be applied
in giving the number of poems in these textbooks. As, in one book there are only six poems while in
the other book, the number of total poems exceeds the double of the first one.
“Some of the works of the famous literary figures e.g., Shakespeare, Jane Austin etc. can also be
incorporated in abridged form”, the next point says. In Book IX, all the poems except one are written
by known English poets/ poetesses. No work/ translation of local poets is given in these books, which
is again a negative indicator to the new generation.
Next point says, “Exercises should be given at the end of every lesson to check the comprehension of
the text by the students”. But, a simple glance over the exercises, in both the Books IX & X shows
that the exercises are only very much few, which are hardly been able to test the comprehension.
“Grammar should be emphasized more at this level”, the seventh point writes. As, we have already
said that the number of exercises, Textual and non-Textual, are already very much few. So, the
learners as well as the teachers hardly get any room to fulfill their requirements.
The next point writes, “Dialogue and Letter writing should be included in the grammar work”. One
out-dated and formal chapter is given in Book IX viz., “A LETTER ABOUT THE VILLAGE LIFE
IN PAKISTAN”. The format and subject of letter is an obscene that hardly any or even no body
corresponds in such a way in this time of Information & Technology.
The ninth point in the guideline says, “Models of various kinds of writing based on target skills
should be included”. These targets are in Suggested Activities of National Curriculum booklet.
According to which, students are to be trained in letter writing, dialogue writing, story writing from a
given outline, picture writing, paragraph writing, creative writing, descriptive writing and they also
know how to fill-up different forms like, Admission form, Passport form etc. But, none of these are
given in either textbook, neither in Book IX nor in the Book X, and it has never been asked in the
examination (as we know that at this level of schooling, our education has become examinationoriented rather than knowledge-oriented). So, the learners and teachers ignore these writings to the
level of that they do not attempt them at all.
25
Critical Analysis of Text Books
“Proper use of prepositions, pronouns etc. be included”, the tenth point writes. For this, we have to
say it again that comprehension exercises (textual and non-textual) are very few that learners can
make a proper practice to learn and get command in using prepositions, pronouns etc.
The eleventh point views, “Idiomatic translation from English into Sindhi/ Urdu and vice-versa
should be stressed upon”. There are only few idioms are given in Book X but there are hardly any in
Book IX. They are neither in comprehension exercises nor in the text.
“Essay writing should encourage creative writing”, the twelfth point says. Finding the trends of
schooling and pattern of examination, unhesitatingly we would say that they do not support creative
writing in any way at any stage, rather it encourages and evaluates rote learned long and fixed
questions and answers.
Textbooks Development guideline also discusses the criteria or formalities to publish textbooks.
First criterion says, “Title of the textbook should be attractive”. But if we see the titles of textbooks of
Class IX & X, they seem to be very much ordinary as compared to other renowned textbooks, which
private schools use in their schooling as a part of their curricula. Title paper is ordinary, while it
should be of cardboard, and is not using any graphical presentation by using multimedia technology,
which creates curiosity amongst the students to go through the text at least, once.
Second criterion says, “Four colours be used in illustration/ pictures”. While, only handmade black
and white pictures are given. These pictures are not been able to get an attention of their users. They
are even unable to clarify things by providing aid to imagination. In addition to it, these unclear
pictures (could be labeled as blots at extreme) are very much few, as there are only seven pictures in
total against twenty-six chapters in Book X, while there are only fourteen pictures in total against
twenty chapters in Book IX.
Third point says, “Font be used according to the age level of the students”. While, there is no any
difference between the fonts of Book IX & X, which follow the newspaper pattern of writing. There
aren’t different styles and sizes of font, which otherwise creates boredom to the students.
Fourth point says, “Real pictures be used to clarify some difficult concepts”. We have already
discussed the pathetic and ignorant condition of pictures/ illustrations given in the book. In this
regard, there is no harm to seek guidance or follow the pattern of other well-known textbook
publishers, national and international, which have vast and special experience in textbook publication.
Fifth point says, “At the end of the lesson, comprehension exercises related to different skills be
given”. It would be rather better to mention number of exercises, suitable and required to students, in
addition.
Sixth criterion of publishing the textbooks says, “The lessons be arranged in graded order”. This order
has been applied in titles of the chapter, first general then local and then international. It would have
been much better if this is applied in all other areas as well, like diction, concepts, length of the
chapters, applicability etc.
The last point says, “Glossary should be added at the end of the book”. But there is no glossary not
teachers’ guidebook is published.
Nowadays, teachers’ guidebook is considered as important as the textbook by itself. Because, without
teachers’ guidebook, we could not know what was lying inside the mind of its producer(s) and hence
we cannot achieve the objectives of teaching. Sometimes, it is also found that the approach adopted
by the teacher contradicts the objectives of teaching.
The Aga Khan University—examination Board also published an Examination Syllabus, which deals
the same objectives of education and schooling that are mentioned and are given in National
Curriculum booklet. These objectives, designed by government at a National and Provincial level, are
promoted by different public and private educational agencies. While, Aga Khan University—
Examination Board is not a specialized source, which deal with the formation of textbook(s). It is
26
Critical Analysis of Text Books
formed only for the purpose of conducting examination at the level of Secondary School (Class IX &
X). Though fair, free and transparent way of examination can be helpful to utilize these textbooks, at
par. But still, we should make it sure that textbooks would remain universally same throughout the
province/ country.
AKU-EB has recommended a set of other books/ textbooks, which are to be used as resource books,
which students have to go through and get prepared for the examination. This methodology will,
again, create an anomaly in our fragile education system. These books are referred without granting
prior permission from the government or the National Curriculum Wing, which are only liable to
decide the textbooks. It is observed that AKU-EB lays less stress over the Textbook, recommended by
Curriculum Wing, Government of Pakistan, and more on their own recommended books. It would be
much better that AKU-EB, if finding any fault(s) in the Textbooks, published by Sindh Textbook
Board, send suggestion(s) or a proposal to remove these faults and update the text or textbook(s) at
all, which would be beneficial to every one else, rather than recommending some other unauthorized
books.
We also get to know about the diction, used in these Textbooks, Class IX & X. Findings show that
there are total 2785 words (it includes text as well as the Comprehension exercises) and 2141
(counting only the text and exclude the Comprehension exercises) are used in Book IX. These
included phrases, idioms, compound words, different forms of verbs, contractions, singulars and
plurals, while there are total 3618 words (it includes text as well as the Comprehension exercises) and
2659 (counting only the text and exclude the Comprehension exercises) are used in Book X. These
included phrases, idioms, and compound words, different forms of verbs, contractions, singulars and
plurals.
In this regard, we need to say further that we should seek guidance from other Textbooks as well. So
that we may be able to find different approaches, used in producing sound and mature Textbooks, in
the true sense.
This grading technique, if applied from Grade I, would be more useful and fruitful to evaluate the
students and make planning for the future requirements.
Interpretation of results:
National Curriculum for English (Compulsory) discusses a guideline for Textbook writers and
features of English Textbooks. In the light these given guidelines, we observe that textbooks of
English Class IX & X do not attract the learners to learn the English language as Secondary language.
As, they contradict almost all of their recommended requirements. We also found that these textbooks
do not follow any principle to teach English as a Secondary Language. Their formal and unattractive
style seems to be antitheses to sociolinguistic norms as well.
Our first hypothesis, which states that the “Textbooks of Class IX & X, published by Sindh Textbook
Board, elicit the learners to learn English language as a Secondary language”. Hence, our findings and
observation do not support the first hypothesis.
Textbooks, throughout the world, are designed on the principles of grading. According to which, they
increase their level of difficulty from stage to stage and from subject to subject. We also noted that the
usage of total number of words is increased from Class IX to Class X in the English (Compulsory)
Textbooks, which, in a way, supports our second hypothesis. Our second hypothesis states that the
“Textbooks of English (Compulsory) of Class IX & X are designed on the principle of grading”. Our
findings and observation support this second hypothesis.
References
27
Critical Analysis of Text Books
Ahmed, N.S (1989) Teaching of English as a Second Language (Eds.) The Caravan Book
House, Lahore.
Alvi, N.A (1998) Linguistics and Phonetics. Sheikh Muhammad Bashir & Sons, Lahore. Pp. 4953.
Anderson, John. R.(1990) Cognitive Psychology and its Implications (Third Edition) W.H.
Freeman and Company, New York. Pp. 324-356.
Aslam, M. (2003) Teaching and Learning English at Secondary Level. Teaching of English: A
Practical Course Book for B. Ed. Students. Foundations Book, New Delhi. Pp. 11-23.
Atash, D. (1990) Islamic Education and National Ideology. Tanazur’at-e-Ta’leem.
Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad. Pp. 135-140.
Borich, D.B & Tombari, M. L (1995) Education v/s Schooling. Educational Psychology: A
Contemporary Approach. Harper Collins College Publishers. Pp. 594-615
Frisby, A.W (1964) Teaching English: Notes and Comments on Teaching English Overseas.
The English Language Book Society and Longmans, Green & Co. Ltd.
Gay, L.R (1962) Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Application (Fifth
Edition). National Book Foundation, Islamabad.
Haq, A.S (1963) The Teaching of English in Pakistan (third edition). M.R. Brothers Educational
Publishers & Booksellers, Lahore.
Hashmi, S.A (1976) Problems and Principles of English Teaching in Pakistan (eds.): An inquiry
into objectives and achievements. Qamar Kitab Ghar, Karachi.
Hayes, N. (1994) Foundation of Psychology: An Introductory Text. Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd.
Pp. 101-132
Hussain, S.S (1999) Curriculum and Instruction. Rehbar Publishers, Karachi.
Morgan, C.T et al. (1986) Introduction to Psychology. McGraw-Hill Book Company,
New York. Pp 247-258.
National Curriculum (2002) English (Compulsory) for Class IX and X, Government of Pakistan,
Ministry of Education (Curriculum Wing), Islamabad.
Rabbani, M.I. (2003) Introduction to Pakistan Studies (Revised Edition). Education in Pakistan:
Aims and Objectives of Education in Pakistan. Caravan Book House, Lahore. Pp. 304-311
Sadhu, A.N & Singh, A (1988) Research Methodology in Social Sciences(Fourth Edition).
Himalaya Publishing House, India.
Secondary School Certificate Examination Syllabus (2004) English (Compulsory) for Class IX
& X. Examination Board, Aga Khan University, Karachi.
Sindh Textbook Board, Jamshoro (2004) English for Classes IX & X (Revised editions),
Hyderabad.
28