FEATURES OF SOCIAL SCIENCE TEXT BOOK

1. ONLINE ASSIGNMENT
Submitted to Submitted by
Miss: Sally Paul Vidya. R
Social Science Teacher Optional: Social Science

2. TOPIC
Features of a good social science textbook.

3. INTRODUCTION
By instructional materials e mean the tools of teaching and learning and out of
the classroom .Any discussion on instructional material will generally start with
textbook .A textbook is a specially written book which contains selective and
systematic knowledge regarding the curriculum material prescribed .Every care
is take to maintain coherence and sequence in the presentation of information
and learning activities.It is made simple to the degree that suits the intended
learner.It would indicate various teaching learning devices and a rich does of
pedagogy with all its implications that is why a textbook is said to be ” the
teacher in print.” A Textbook differs from an ordinary book mainly on the basis
that it is basically a student friendly and also and reflects the anticipated
instructional words teaching learning techniques.
TEXTBOOK
The textbook constitutes a inseparable parts of any system of education. In a
developing country like our’s , where even the essential minimum requirement
of classroom are hardly provided , the necessity of quality textbook is evident.
As far as social science is concerned; the textbook is an aid which is considered
in dispensable in all methods adopted for its in situation for the study of the
learner chief aid and support. Generally speaking textbook play amore
important role in high school instruction than in the elementary grades.
PURPOSE OF TEXTBOOKS
The following are the major purposes served by textbooks;
1) To help the teachers: it provides useful guidelines for day to day
teaching suggestions for and serve as a reference book for the teachers
time companion.
2) To help the pupil: For pupil textbooks are most accessible guide,
reference books and all time companion.

4. 3) To give minimum essential knowledge at one place: A textbook can be
constant stand by of social studies teacher , as it gives the minimum
knowledge at one place.
4) To help in self teaching: The efficiency of the textbook lies in making self
teaching a possible proposition through printed materials.
5) To provide logical and comprehensive materials: A good text provides
material in a logical systematic and comprehensive form.
6) To provide both conformation and sustenance: Textbooks can conform
knowledge obtain elsewhere.
7) To ensure intellectual of learners : It can coordinate the activities and
bring about the intellectual of pupils.
CRITERIA FOR A GOOD SOCAIL SCIENCE TEXTBOKS
To be an effective aid, it must contain all qualities of an instructional
materials. A good social science textbook must satisfies the following
criteria:
1) Textbook should help in achieving the purpose of learning social
science.
2) It should be child centered.
3) It should contain fluent narration.
4) Textbook should have a clear and self expletory arrangement.
5) It should open up various avenues of thought and study.
6) The language of the textbook should be suitable for the “reading age
of the pupils”.
7) It should be well – illustrated .

5. 8) It should be simple ,interesting and attracting enough to take the
form of a self study material.
9) It should be free from indoctrination.
10) It should provide proper and adequate exercises and suggestions
for activities at the end of each chapter.
11) It must be up to date.
12) It should help in developing international understanding.
13) It should contain references for further study and a reference for
collateral reading .
14) It should also cater to the needs of backward pupil.
15) It should promote group effort.
16) It should contain a subject index at the end.
CAUTIONS IN THE USE OF TEXTBOOKS
Some cautions have to be taken while using textbooks:
1) Textbook to be subsidiary and supplementary not primary and
fundamental .
2) Reading a unit of the textbook in the class is not desirable.
3) The teacher should not be a mere uncritical mouthpiece for what is
contained in the textbook.
4) Do not expect pupils to know how to get the most out of textbooks
without help.
5) Do not use textbook as means of avoiding hardwork.
FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS
The social science textbook serves the following functions:

6. 1) In the primary classes, it can be relied upon the essential information, so
organised as to show order and continuity and so presented as to lucid ,
interesting and attracting.
2) In the secondary classes, it should contain well arranged comprehensive
knowledge required to enable them for prepare their successful adult
life. The textbook should expand its scope and size to meet the changing
conception of what is considered educationally sound and desirable.
ADVANTAGES OF TEXTBOOK
1) Textbook can be great planning of courses ,units and lessons.
2) They provide an organisations or structure for the courses.
3) They provide selection of content that can be used as a basis for
selecting course content and determining emphasis.
4) They provide certain number of activities and suggestions for training
strategies and tactics.
DISADVANTAGES
1) They are usually dull.
2) They tend to discourage real reading and studying.
3) They are liable to superficial because the authors try to include
something about everything and source a too little about too much.
4) They do not provide for differences in pupil ablity or interest.
CONCLUSION
A properly evaluated , a wisely selected and correctly prescribed textbook is an
asset both for the students and teachers. Textbook serve as the core of
instructions in many social studies program and they are used in several

7. different ways. Some teachers use the adopted textbooks as they of
instruction , employee of teaching procedure similarity those used in the
reading program. Other teacher use as a basic textbook as a general guide but
supplement various chapters of the text with other reading materials and
audio visuals aids. This approach , a step beyond the sole reliance on a single
textbooks gives a children opportunities to use materials on different
readability level and to get the data from various source. All instructional
media including textbooks are resources of information that must be to geared
to the capability of the students and the nature of topics under study.

8. REFERENCE
1)“Social science “studies in the class rooms –“ trends and methods”-
P.K.SUDHEESH KUMAR AND P.P.NOUSHAD, Scorpio publishers and
distributors, kerala, india.
2)”The teaching of social studies”.-H.S.SIDHU, tendon publications
,Ludhiana.
3)www.social science goodtext.com