A Study of Effectiveness of English Textbooks in Development of Basic Skills at Upper Primary Level

Abstract

Textbooks of English language at upper primary level are main source of exposure to English language. In this context significance to textbooks in teaching and learning process of English language is more than anything else. Hence, it was important to know the effectiveness of these textbooks in development of basic skills of English language. Present research was carried out with the prime aim of studying the effectiveness of English language textbooks in development of basic skills at upper primary level. newlineThe research was carried out in three phases. In the first phase of the study textbooks of standard 6th, 7th and 8th were skill wise analyzed in the light of objectives given in the curriculum. Skill wise weightage of the content was analyzed to know whether the text books were designed as par the objectives given in the curriculum or not. newlineIn second phase of the study, a survey of 150 teachers was carried out to know the difficulties faced by teachers while implementing the activities for the development of basic skills and to establish strengths and weaknesses of the textbooks as a means of achieving the objectives of teaching English at upper primary level. The tools used for the survey was questionnaires. The tools were prepared by the researcher himself and it were standardized from various experts in research. As par the suggestions given by the experts the tools were corrected. The tools include three questionnaire for 6th, 7th and 8th standard having two sections each. The first section was to know strengths and weaknesses of textbooks as a means to achieve basic skills of English language. It include 29 questions in 6th standard questionnaire and 30 questions in 7th and 8th standard questionnaire each. The second section included 18 questions to know difficulties faced by teachers practicing the activities given in the textbook for development of basic skills of English language. newlineIn third phase experiments were carried out in five schools of Palghar district on 6th, 7th and 8th standards. The oral and