1. RAMAVILASOM TRAINING COLLEGE
VALAKOM
ONLINE ASSIGNMENT
TOPIC: SOCIAL STUDIES TEXT BOOK
Submitted To, Submitted By
Mr.Riju John Jayasree.S
Social Science Social science
R.V.T.C Valakom Reg no:16914341005
R.V.T.C Valakom
Date of Submission: 07/11/2015
Lecture Principal
2. INDEX
SERIAL NO CONTENT PAGE NO
1 Introduction
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2
Purpose of Social studies text book 2
Characteristics of good social studies
text book 3-4
Criteria for a social studies text book 4
Additional Criteria 5
How to use social studies text book 5
Cautions in use of social studies text
books 6
Advantages of social studies text
books 7
Disadvantages of social studies text
books2 7
3 Conclusion
8
4 Reference 8
3. Introduction
Text books have held a major role in social studies education for ages.
Resources states that commercially published text are the central teaching tool for
social studies. Bacon defined textbook as “a book designed for classroom use,
carefully prepared by experts in the field and equipped with the usual teaching
devices”. Most teachers, especially those in grades three and above, perceive the
textbook as valuable teaching tool in Social Studies.
Text books serve as the core of instruction in many social studies
programme and they are used in several different ways. Some teachers use the
adopted text book as the basis of instruction, employing teaching procedures use
the adopted text book as the basis of instruction, employing teaching procedures
similar to those used in the reading programme. Other teachers use a basic text
book as a general guide but supplement various chapters of the text with other
reading materials and Audio visual aids .These approach a step beyond the sole
reliance on a single text book.
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4. Purpose of Social Studies Text Books
The following are the major purposes served by text books
1. To help the teachers .It provides useful guidelines for day to day teaching
suggestions for assignments and serves as a reference book for the teachers.
2. To help the pupil. For pupil, textbooks are most accessible guide, references
books and all time companions.
3. To give minimum essential knowledge at one place. A text book can be
constant standby of Social Studies teacher, an s it gives the minimum
knowledge at one place.
4. To help in self teaching .The efficacy of the textbooks lies in making self
teaching a possible proposition through printed materials.1
5. To provide logical and comprehensive material. A good textbook provides
materials in a logical systematic and comprehensive form.
6. To ensure uniformity and a good standard. The text book provides a
highway for carrying better practice to all schools. Some sort of uniformity
and good standard is ensured.
7. To provide a base from which both the teacher and the pupils may stars and
continue to work. It provides a common ground which both the students and
teachers may explore together.
8. To provide both confirmation and substance. Text books can confirm
knowledge obtained elsewhere
9. To clarify the limitations of the classroom situation in most of the Indian
schools. Number of students, lengthy courses, divergent opinions, non –
availability of other teaching materials necessitated use of textbooks.
10.To ensure intellectual rapprochement of learner’s .It can coordinate the
activities and bring about the intellectual rapprochement of pupils.
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5. Characteristics of a good social science text book.
The text-book helps the teacher to know what he has to teach; it helps
the students to receive what has been taught to them in the classroom. Only a
good text bookwill help in this matter. The selection of a good text book
will help in this matter. The selection of a good text bookhas to be done by
the teacher. The teacher should keep the following points in mind while
making such a selection:
1. It presents the subjects – matter strictly in accordancewith the latest
syllabus.
2. It is written by experienced teachers.
3. It is written according to the aims and objectives of teaching of social
studies.
4. It presents the subject-matter in a propersequence. It may be so
organized that it may be possible for the students to receive what they
have learnt in the class. An effort be made to present the topic in a
spiral from.
5. It should contain well graded problems for revision.
6. The books beso written that they awaken intellectual curiously of the
students and also keeps their interest alive.
7. The language of the book should be in accordance with the age group
of the students.
8. The printing and get up of the bookshould be attractive.
9. It should suggest the teaching method, the possibleaids for teaching
the topic, correlation of the topic and the activities or practical work
connected with the topic.
10.It should contain well illustrated material but not too many solved
problems the answers given to problems should be correct.
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6. 11. It must also contain objective type and short answer questions.
12. Hints for difficult problems be provided
13. It should be moderately priced
14. It should give only up to date material
Thus to evaluate a social studies text book ,the criterion may be useful
material , proper organization of subject matter proper gradation of the
exercises material aid devices for motivation, simple language, good
number of illustrations, good printing and an impressive get up .It should
be modernly priced and free from mistakes and errors. It should not
contain too many solved problems and should be up to date in its
contents.
Criteria for a social studies Text books
Jarolimek(1990) listed following criteria for good social studies text book.
Authenticity: Ensure scholarly accuracy as well as suitability in terms of
interest appeal and curricular considerations.
Treatment of Content: Ensure adequate treatment of important concepts in
sufficient depth as opposed to highly descriptive factual accounts or
storybook approaches to significant content.
Format and general apperence: Ensure an interesting and appealing book of
proper size with good –quality binding and suitable type size.
Organization:Ensure the books harmony with the existing curricular pattern
and
Literacy Quality: Ensure that the bookis well written as it can be consistent
with the basic purposes of text book.
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7. Additional Criteria
The following additional criteria are also used assess the quality of social
studies text book.
It should help in achieving the purposes of social studies.
It should be child centered.
It should contain fluent narration
It should have a clear self explanatory arrangement
It should open up various a venues of thought and study.
The language of the text bookshould be suitable for the “Reading
age” of pupils
It should be simple, interesting and attractive enough to take the
form of self study reader.
It should be free from indoctrination.
It should provide proper and adequate exercises and suggestions
for activities.
It must be up to date.
It should help in developing international understanding
It should contain references for further study
It should also enter to the needs of backward pupils
It should promotegroup effort.
It should contain a subject index at the end.
How to use Socialstudies text books
Some guidelines are given for the proper use of social studies text books.
Know the textbook before you use it.
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8. Use the textbook as a basis for planning .Divide it in to topics and
arrange your courses around them.
Use only the parts of the text bookthat seem good to you.
Supplement the text with other readings, audio-visual materials and
activities. Simulation role playing, games discussions, films, pictures
and so on can be used on their own.
Provide for individual differences by means of additional or substitute
readings.
Text books should be used
To give definite information
To establish a common background of basic information on the part of
all the pupils
To set exercises
Cautions in the use of SocialStudies text books
Some cautions are to be taken while using the text books.
1. Text books to be subsidiary and supplementary, not primary and
fundamental.
2. Reading a unit of the bookin the class not desirable.
3. The teacher should not be a mere uncritical mouth piece for what is
contained in the text book.
4. Do not expect pupils to know to get the most out texts without help
5. Do not use text books as a means of avoiding hard work.
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9. Advantages of Text Books.
Some advantages of the use of text books are given as follows
Text books can be great help in the planning of courses units and
lessons.
They provide an organization or structure for the course.
They provide selection of content that can be used as a basis for
selecting coursecontent and determining emphasis
They provide information about other reading s, sources of
information, audiovisual and other aids, and other teaching materials
and tools.
Text books can be used as a basic reading and as a launching pad for
further activities suchdiscussions and research activities.
Disadvantages
There are disadvantages in the use of Social Studies text book
They are usually dull.
They tend to discourage real reading and studying
They are liable to be superficial ,becauseauthors try to include something
about everything and so say too little about too much
They do not provide for differences in pupil ability or interest.
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10. Conclusion
Social studies text book play an important role in the teaching learning
process of social science subject. It helps in achieving the purposes of teaching
social studies. It should be child centred, should contain fluent narration, should
have a clear content . Social studies text books are useful for both teachers as well
as peoples .A good social studies text book gives clear pictures of what should be
taught or learned. So social studies text books have great influence and importance
in learning social studies.
References
1. N.R Saxena,B.K Mishra and R.K Mohanty: Teaching of Social
studies. Surya Publications, Meerut.
2. P.K Sudheesh Kumar and P.P Noushad: Social studies in the
classroomTrends and methods. Scorpio publishers and Distributors,
Calicut,2nd Edition 2009
3. Dr.K Sivarajan, Thulaseedharan and N.K Vijayas: Social Science
Education – Methodology of teaching at pedagogic analysis, Calicut
university ,Calicut 2006
4. www.ericdigests.org/pre-924
5. www.academic.edu
6. https://books.google.co.in
7. www.teachervision.com
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