2. INTRODUCTION
Concentric approach children in the primary classes begin to develop simple
generalizations about man carrying on his everyday activities. Gradually as they
progress through secondary and higher secondary classes, they work with more and
more difficult management or arrangement of information, and as a result deepen and
reshape the dimensions of their generalizations about there activities.
The approach provide for adequate repetition for fixing events. This approach
is based on psychological principles that children come to know things in the first
instance as ‘wholes’ and gradually learn to analyse them. For example, the freedom
struggle of India can be taught in the primary classes through some of the importance
leaders of the struggle.
This is a system of organising a course rather than a method of teaching. It
implies widening of knowledge just as concentric circle go on extending and
widening. It is a system of arrangement of subject matter. In this method the study of
the topic is spread over a number of years. It is based on the principle that subject
cannot be given on exhaustive treatment at the first stage. To begin with, a simple
presentation of the subject is given and further knowledge is imparted in following
years. Thus beginning from a nucleus the circles of knowledge go on widening year
after year and hence the name concentric method.
In the secondary stage the information will be imparted through Events - the
Indian National Congress, Gandhian Era, Non-co operation movement, Civil Dis
obedience, Quit India, INA etc....
In the Higher Secondary Stage, pupil will learn to compare and contrast the
freedom struggle in our country with other countries of the world. Thus concentric
plan fosters continue, un broken learning of the subject matter of social studies
through primary, secondary and higher secondary stages.
3. Procedure
A topic is divided into a number of portions which are then allotted to different
classes. The criterions for allotment of a particular portion of the course to a particular
class is the difficulty of portion and power of comprehension of students in the age
group. It is mainly concerned with year to year teaching but its influence can also be
exercised in day to day teaching knowledge being given today should follow from
knowledge given yesterday and should lead to teaching on the following days.
Merits of Concentric Approach
It Provides of frame work from course which is of real value to students.
It develop interest and revision become easy.
The way is very simple
It will make social studies a subject of immediate and real.
It provide from easy to difficult and whole to parts.
It provides opportunity for revision of work already covered in a previous class
and carrying out new work.
It take into consideration of the mental level of pupils.
Drawbacks
For the success of this approach we require really capable teacher. If a teacher
becomes over ambitions and exhausts all the possible interesting illustrations in there
introductory year then the subject loses its power of freshness and appear and nothing
is left to create interest in the topic in subsequent years. The important drawbacks are;
4. Some facts are repented again and again
It is difficult to develop time sense and place sense through this approach
Very resourceful teachers are needed for following this approach
It is psychologically unsound as it is devoid of novelty and freshness
Boredom and dullness is inevitable
In case the topic is too short or too long then also the method is not found to be
useful. A too long portion makes the topic dull and a too short portion fails to leave
any permanent and lasting impression on the mind of the pupil.
CONCLUSION
Concentric method is a good method for being adopted for arranging the
subject matter. It should be kept in mind, by the organisers, while organising the
subject matter no portion is too long or too short. It would also be much useful if the
teacher teaches the same class year after year so that he can reserve some illustrative
examples for each year and thus can maintain the interest of the students in the topic.
REFERENCE
Social studies in the class room trends and method
P.K. Sudheesh Kumar
P.P. Noushad