What should a good textbook include

There is no bias in content, such as over-generalisation and stereotyping. The content and illustrations do not carry any form of discrimination on the grounds of gender, age, race, religion, culture, disability etc. To encourage and facilitate students to read larger amounts of materials on their own, selected further reading lists or related websites are included to let students read extensively. An index is included to make easy reference. The development of generic skills is fostered by engaging students in various learning activities to help students learn how to learn.

There is a balanced coverage of cognitive skills of all levels, e. Generic skills are developed through learning and teaching in the contexts of different subjects or KLAs. Exemplars are available in the relevant curriculum or subject guides. Deep processing, critical and creative thinking are encouraged through involving students in less structured problems and more open-ended questions, and further reading. Positive values and attitudes are cultivated through the learning and teaching in the contexts of different subjects and KLAs.

The content is arranged in suitable learning chunks, which can be used independently or flexibly linked together to form alternative learning paths to cater for student diversity.

Learning activities which are essential to achieving the learning targets are included. A range of varied and meaningful activities is provided. Tasks and exercises are appropriate, balanced in number, and congruent with the instructional strategies and learning targets.

Suggestions for reflection, self-, peer- and group-assessment can be incorporated as appropriate to the learning objectives and learning activities in order to help improve learning. Activities requiring extended and open-ended responses and a variety of response styles with considerable elaboration are included.

The content sequence is appropriate and logical. Key words and concepts are identified and highlighted. The structure of the content is made apparent by means of functional devices including table of contents, chapter titles, headings and outlines. Textbooks are important sources of reading for students. The amount and quality of texts to be included therefore deserves attention.

The texts are of high quality and facilitate students to learn directly and independently from them, and construct meaning on their own i. The level of difficulty of the language is commensurate with the language ability of the target students, with new vocabulary progressively introduced in context at appropriate times. Students are provided with opportunities to make good use of language to study the subject, i. Familiar and interesting language is used to motivate learning and understanding.

Students are provided with help in understanding and using the vocabulary and specific patterns of discourse of the subject. The layout is logical and consistent. The materials are well-organised, with appropriate use of space and margin for ease of reading, but avoiding unnecessary use of blank space. Illustrations such as photographs, pictures and graphs are accurate, appropriate, effective and suitably annotated to stimulate and facilitate learning. They serve to direct students to the instructional focus rather than distract them from it.

A number of factors come into play to make the graphics useful for learning. To help reduce the weight of textbooks, lightweight paper is used. Textbooks can be separated into a few thin volumes, printed in separate modules or bound in loose-leaves. This can help develop in students the ability to manage information as part of their learning.

They are thin and compact in size. The relative ease of completion can help create a sense of satisfaction in students. The design facilitates the reuse of textbooks. For example, materials for one-off use e. The sources of figures and statistics, etc. The font type is one that is commonly used. To avoid confusion, the font type and font size are consistent throughout the textbooks. Based on the "Eyecare" Circular issued by the former Education Department now the Education Bureau , the minimum font size is equivalent to font size 12 in "Microsoft Word" for legibility.

However, in order to avoid eye strain and for more comfort of reading, larger size fonts are recommended, especially for lower levels. Interactive activities and multimedia content such as photographs, pictures, graphs and video clips are accurate, appropriate, effective and suitably annotated to stimulate and facilitate learning. Multimedia, interactive activities and learning tools are easy to operate in consideration of the needs and abilities of learners with a view to enhancing learning and teaching effectiveness.

The glossary of terms is selected in line with the curriculum aims and objectives. Appropriate interface for accessing the glossary is provided. The e-textbook should be compatible with a multitude of common computing devices and more than one common contemporary operating system.

Interactive study takes place when learners are stimulated to engage with textbooks through techniques that encourage them to read, respond and explore ideas in a way that offers some replication of the face-to-face learning experience. In this article, we will outline some of the basic approaches you can use to help textbooks engage learners through interactive study. Textbooks and study materials that encourage an interactive approach are more likely to stimulate deep rather than surface learning.

Deep learning approaches include encouraging learners to try things out for themselves, helping them to process new ideas, and linking learning with existing knowledge and experience.

Since textbooks should be designed to facilitate learning, they should use language that is easy to understand, suitable for the level of the learners, and which is engaging and stimulating. Secondly, to ensure that learners are not just passive readers, you can use language that actively encourages them to think and reflect. Approaches include asking them to think about their own experiences in relation to the subject content, encouraging them to think about how to use the given knowledge and skills themselves, and asking them to criticise and supplement the content provided.

At the start of a new section or chapter within a textbook, it is always a good idea to explain to learners what topics they will be covering, how it links to what they have already studied, and what they can expect to learn as a result.

Providing this information will help your readers relate the new information to what they already know, prepare for what is going to happen, and plan their study time accordingly. Further to this, you can also provide the learners with some clear learning aims and objectives. An aim is a broad, general statement describing what the learner might learn from a piece of instruction, or what the textbook will cover. An objective is a more specific statement about what the learner will be able to do as a result of working through the materials.

Such interventions help learners determine what is required of them to successfully complete each part of a textbook and direct their own activities toward achieving the stated objectives. In creating interactive study materials, it is always a good idea to insert tasks and activities at key points in the text. These require the learner to actively engage with the content of the materials in some way. Language:- should be simple and suitable for students.

Exercise:- it should contains exercises. Share on:. Explain Relation between Syllabus and Textbooks Explain Relation between Syllabus and Textbooks Syllabus: An outline of the course of study is a pattern of subject which should be completed in fixed time.

Syllabus is dependent upon curriculum and it means that objectives, content and other things are reflected in syllabus from curriculum Read full article. Types of syllabus in education Q. Read full article. Qualities of a good text book Q: Qualities of a good text book The text book should fulfill the two major considerations:- Evaluation of std IX Text-book: — A: Academic:- Index: text book includes index of 13 lessons in a systematic manner. What are the various models of curriculum?