To analyses the Curriculum, Syllabi and Textbooks of English used in the schools

Shweta Sharma¹*, Dr. Ram Naresh Singh Tomar²

1 Research Scholar, University Of Technology, Jaipur, Rajasthan

sharmashwetaa0495@gmail.com

2 Professor, Department of English, University Of Technology, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Abstract

The study investigates the correlation between English proficiency and access to higher education, employment opportunities, and social mobility. The study concludes with recommendations for curriculum improvements, teacher training programs, and policy reforms aimed at making English language education more accessible, inclusive, and impactful. This thesis contributes to the ongoing discourse on the role of English in education and its broader implications for students’ academic and professional growth in a rapidly evolving world.

Keyword: English, Teacher, Language, Education, Textbooks.

INTRODUCTION

We use our expertise in professional development, evaluation, and curriculum to enhance English language instruction, broaden participation in high-quality professional development, and benefit students and educators alike.

In order to help nations create long-term education systems and integrate more effective and inclusive methods into daily teaching, our work facilitates better decision-making about curriculum creation, learning standards, and the demands for professional development of educators. As a result, educators are better able to enhance their own teaching practices and bring about positive change for students of all backgrounds.

Teachers are primarily responsible for instructing students in the art of writing. Only by implementation of appropriate curricula and instruction in the form of assignments and skill development can secondarily school pupils' writing abilities be elevated. While there isn't yet a foolproof formula, what we do know may inform how we approach teaching writing in secondary schools. Teaching writing in a communicative and intentional way may boost language development.

Inadequate language components in the textbooks, a lack of competent instructors, and a flawed system for selecting teachers all had a role in the poor performance of the schools. It is a primary goal of teacher preparation programs to provide future educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify and address issues that may arise in their classrooms. The Tamil Nadu government has modernized the Tamil Nadu High School so that all secondary schools in the state provide a uniform curriculum. Recently, the government approved a law that makes the instructors' Eligibility Test essential for the appointment of primary and middle school instructors. This is a great step towards inspiring pupils.

The trend towards subject-level curriculum standardization at the state level is another noteworthy development. Since 'Education' was included to the concurrent list, this has been going on, and NCERT has been making a concerted effort to standardize it. The Secondary Education Board of Tamilnadan (SEBT) and the Tamilnadan Higher Secondary Council have begun the process of conducting a comprehensive assessment of the state's curricula. As a result, we must address the difficulties of assisting vernacular medium students from low-income backgrounds in adapting to this standardization. Their morale has taken a hit since, after years of instruction, these students still have not been able to achieve success in learning English.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Falah (2023) Since there has to be an improvement in the quality of instruction and student achievement, a revamp of the educational curriculum is unavoidable. The importance of English at the elementary level is consistent with its place in the curriculum. School preparation and the availability of English instructors determine whether this optional topic is offered. It is worthwhile to investigate the difficulties encountered by instructors in implementing the new curriculum, which places an emphasis on students' interests and requirements in learning. The study on the difficulties of implementing the Merdeka Curriculum, especially in the English language classroom, has also not received much attention from other scholars. Consequently, the purpose of this research is to identify the difficulties encountered by English instructors. The study's methodology is based on an exploratory case study. Two men and four females from primary schools who teach English to students in grades one and four took part in the research. Interviews served as the primary data collection method for this investigation.

Strakova, Zuzana. (2015). In most European nations, teaching elementary school students English is a difficult undertaking. Opinions differ on the optimal time to begin education, the most effective methods and strategies for this level, the desired results, and the assessment procedure. While new studies lend credence to the idea of starting early, they also highlight the need of having well-defined goals for education to avoid becoming counterproductive. The current state of elementary school English instruction in Slovakia is detailed in this article. The author evaluates the pros and downsides of making English language instruction mandatory in elementary schools.

Cahyati (2019) How well elementary schools are prepared to teach English and how proficient their pupils are both have a role in this area of education. The readiness of schools to teach English depends on the availability of sufficient media, textbooks, and English instructors. Reason being, that the ideal time to acquire information is between the ages of 6 and 12, which is when elementary schools cater to their students. It follows the first premise that states that children and teenagers have an advantage while learning English [11]. Primary school English teachers face both opportunities and threats in their work. While Moon [16], Singleton [10], and Read [18] detail the advantages, Copland et al. [9], Khamari et al. [8], and Wei-pie [7] highlight the disadvantages.

Saud, Mohan. (2020). It may be quite a challenge to teach English as a foreign language in Nepal and other non-English speaking nations, especially when English is included in the curriculum. This research examined the difficulties encountered by English language instructors in the Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City of Kailali district of Nepal while instructing students in the English language at the elementary school level, with an eye on the growing importance of English as a global language in Nepal. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach and a non-random, purposive selection strategy to enroll four ESL instructors. Participants were surveyed using semi-structured interviews; subsequent data analysis and thematic discussion were conducted in accordance with the study questions.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research and its methods of data collecting and analysis are detailed in this chapter. In the first part of the article, the study's scope, methodology, and variables are outlined. A short summary of the tools utilized, together with information about their validity and reliability, follows.

Population of the study

This study used a survey methodology. This research made use of survey and quantitative methodologies. In the four districts, there were a total of 171 government primary schools. This group made up the study's population. Out of 171 primary schools in 35 blocks across 4 districts in Jharkhand's Santal Pargana Division, 35 schools (17 rural and 18 urban) were chosen.

Sampling in the study

Area and cluster sampling methods were also used in this investigation. There were two rounds of sampling. When choosing the administrative units, the areas sampling approach was utilized. The selection of elementary schools was done via cluster sampling. Stage one included the selection of Divisions, Districts, and Blocks. Schools were chosen in the second step.

Table 1

Instrumentation in the present study

A "secondary data analysis" refers to the process of analyzing pre-existing data sets. However, original data generally has to be gathered. The indicators and variables needed for the research, as well as the general kind of questionnaire and/or test items, etc., may be derived from the particular research questions and goals set forth in the first phase of a research project. The next step in making the instrument is to make these judgments. Items for tests, surveys, and attitude tests are often written (or borrowed) for this purpose. In order to make sure the items are clear and will get the right answers, they should be checked by professionals in the field.

Statistical Design in the present study

The objectives of the study, for the purpose of data analysis, testing of hypotheses and statistical treatment, were classified according to the nature of analysis to be done. Table 2 shows the hypotheses under respective objectives; the nature of study and the statistical method used for analysis of data.

Table 2: Statistical Design in the study

Study of significance of outcomes		Study of relationship
Study of significance of outcomes		Study of relationship
Significance of means		Linear Correlation		Multiple Correlation
Objective	Hypotheses	Objective	Hypotheses	Objective	Hypotheses
1	H0 1, H0 2, H0 3	5	H0 13, H0	3	H0 8, H0 9, H0 10
2	H04, H0 5, H0 6, H0 7		14, H0 15, H0 16, H017	6	H0 18, H0 19, H020
4	H0 11, H0 12,
Statistical Treatment		Statistical Treatment		Statistical Treatment
	z-test	Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (Pearson's 'r')		Point Bi-serial correlation coefficient and Partial Correlation Coefficient
	All the hypotheses are tested at .05 (Two-tailed)

DATA ANALYSIS

Design of the text books

A new set of textbooks covering grades three through eight has been created with the support of ELTI, SCERT, and OPEPA in response to the decision by the Odisha government to enhance the whole process of teaching and learning English in government schools that use the Odia language. All of these textbooks are built around the solid educational ideas that NCF 2005 lays forth. What matters most about the primary level book introduction is that all of the books have been tested with real kids and necessary adjustments have been made at each step.

The growth of children may be tracked by parents via these parameters. There isn't much of a requirement for students to buy supplementary workbooks or easily accessible essential books for learning natural language since the textbooks cover all the bases. Predicted learning results are hindered by books created for commercial benefit, sometimes known as bazaar books.

Approach, method and technique

A very serious issue, especially in the case of English, is the lack of a systematic statement of guiding principles for language training. American applied linguist Edward Anthony suggested a three-tiered differentiation between approach, method, and technique in 1963. "An approach is a set of correlative assumptions dealing with the nature of language (i.e., linguistic) and the nature of the language teaching and learning," according to him. Consequently, a method is axiomatic. It lays the groundwork for any approach to be established, is more theoretical, and determines the nature of the subject matter to be taught (Krishnaswamy 40). Brown defines approach as "theoretically well-informed viewpoints and beliefs" (67) on language, language learning, and their significance to educational contexts. As we go into the details, it provides a framework or series of procedures to adhere to. The techniques used to teach literature are closely related to the reasons why literature is studied. An approach is the strategy we use when we engage in the process of instruction and learning. The method of instruction for every given language is based on its pedagogical theory. What makes the strategy and method work in the classroom are the activities that make up the methods. The strategies for teaching a language are born out of an approach. ― A technique is an all-inclusive piece of linguistic material. Every step of the process stays true to the principles of the method.

Brainstorming activities in current textbook

Additional types of BS exercises include the Nominal Group Technique, Guided Brainstorming, Team Idea Mapping, Individual Brainstorming, and Question Brainstorming. In any setting, coming up with and collecting ideas for a common objective is the end aim. With BS, students of all skill levels may benefit. The goal is to train your brain to solve a particular issue by drawing connections to your previous experiences. You may find some examples of BS that can be utilized in the current text courses at various levels in the table below.

Table 3: Brainstorming activities in different lessons

SL NO	Class	Name of The Lessons	Stage of Learning	Brainstorming
1		Action Song	Pre-Reading	Cats-Eat Fish
2		TPR	Pre-Reading	Dogs-Bark
3		Cat And Squirrel	Pre-Reading	Squirrel-Earthnuts
4		If I Met	Pre-Reading	Crow-Says Caa. Caa…
5		Rain	Beginning of the lesson	Showing the picture of Scenery of Rainy Season ‘the teacher may instruct to predict the contents of the lesson onwards that they are going to discuss.
6		Grasshopper	Beginning of the lesson	Writing the title ‗GRASSHOPPER ‘in the center of the blackboard the teacher instructs the children to find all the associated words they know and fill sup those in The surrounding blanks.
7		Ali Made The Impossible Possible	During the lesson	After discussing the contradictory responses of the two witnesses and the assurance given by the third witness to save the case the teacher may give a chance of brainstorming that what might be the solution for the two Straight opposite statements? ‘
8		The Squirrel WithA Long Tail	Attheendof the lesson	After telling the story ‗The squirrel with a long tail ‘the teacher asks the learners to recall the characters with whom the squirrel met. The central character is written in a circle and the answered characters are written in different circles.
9		The Blue Jackal	At the end of the lesson	The teacher writes in the center ‗the blue Jackal ‘s courtiers ‘and the learners write all the names they learnt.
10		Ali Made Impossible Possible	Pre-reading	The teacher may present the picture of court scene (given in the text) and ask what they guess about the story.

Mental talk in current textbook

The various ideas in the form of sentences are taken as ‗mental talk ‘exercises for the class V are given below.

Table 4: Examples of Different Textbook Mental Talks in Classes

SL NO	Class	Name of The Lesson	Kinds of Lesson	Prescribed ‗Mental Talk ‘in Textbook
1	V	The Monkey from Riger	Fun With English	The monkey and the tiger. A monkey from Riger rodeon atiger.
2	V	The Little Round Bun (1)	Fun With English	Taken out of flour box Made into a dough
3	V	The Little Round Bun (2)	Fun With English	I am away from Grandpa. I am away from Grandma.
4	V	The Little Round Bun (3)	Fun With English	Do hop onto my tongue and sing it once again for the last time.
5	V	Rain	Main Lesson	The rain is raining all around.
6	V	Rainy Day	Follow-up Lesson	(teacher makes his own)
7	V	Raju and the Rooster	Main Lesson	Whatrasgollas are to men, cockroaches are tohen.
8	V	How Clever Small Children are	Follow-up Lesson	Teacher makes of his own
9	V	Grasshopper	Follow Up Lesson	Teacher makes himself.
10	V	Good morning	Main Lesson	Good morning sky, good morning sun, good morning little windsthatrun.
11	V	Morning in Spring	Follow Up Lesson	Teacher makes of his own
12	V	The Frog and the Crow	Main Lesson	The frog is proud but The crow is clever.
13	V	Frogsat School	FollowUpLesson	Teacher frames
14	V	Clouds	Main Lesson	whitesheep, white sheepon ablue hill
15	V	Moon	Follow Up Lesson	Teacher makes himself.
16	V	Rain Clouds	Follow Up Lesson	Teacher makes himself.
17	V	TheLongestStory	Main Lesson	Clever people can even work better than experts
18	V	Wakeup! Wakeup!	Main Lesson	It isa lovely day. Let ‘s play and enjoy.
19	V	AMug forMahatma	Main Lesson	It is too difficult to be simple. Take care of your money; it will take Care of you.
20	V	The Pencil Story	Follow-up Lesson	Waste not want not

Te class, location and time

Instructional observation was a part of this research to ensure that the data collected from teachers was accurate. Data was collected from school administration in order to provide a fuller picture. The research only includes students in grades I through VIII, which is the primary school level. Classes IV, V, and VIII are the only ones to get the new English textbooks, therefore that's where the research is limited. As a member of the cluster monitoring crew known as CRCC, the researcher gets to see a different class every day. Classroom scheduling for the experiment was therefore made straightforward and comfortable. Nevertheless, this research is limited to a two-month time frame. Despite courses being conducted both within and outside the block, and even outside the block during separate training sessions, the following 10 sample schools are the only ones that are being evaluated. Each of the 10 schools under observation had four distinct periods, for a grand total of forty separate classes.

Table 5: Period allocation among different schools

Sl No	Name of The Schools	Target Class	Strength	No of Periods Taken
1	Khanguria Primary School	IV	17	4
2	Chaturbhuja Nodal High School	VIII	52	4
3	Godabhanga Project Upper Primary School	V	35	4
4	Kalanga Kanhucharan Nodal	VIII	37	4
	High School
5	Govindpur Primary School	IV	14	4
6	Harirajpur Primary School	V	15	4
7	Government High School Haripur	VIII	49	4
8	Baman High School	VIII	59	4
9	Gabadiha Patna Project Primary School	IV	3	4
10	Lokanath Nodal Upper Primary School, Joda pada	V	16	4

CONCLUSION

Investigations on the efficacy of activity-based learning strategies for ESL classrooms should be pursued for several, adequately-stated reasons. The launch of this study was motivated by two objectives. First, researchers in Odisha examined the practices of primary school English instructors in order to draw conclusions on the usefulness and efficacy of the activity-based learning approaches utilized in the classes. Research on language acquisition theories and practices has been emphasized in this literature review. Since this research combined a survey with an experiment, and since it is mostly qualitative in nature, studies that used comparable approaches have received more attention than those that just used quantitative methods.

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