Text Book

Analysis

Dr. Tapan K. Dutta Ph.D.

H.O.D.
Teachers' Training Department
Panskura Banamali College
Purba Medinipur
West Bengal
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 Text Book Analysis
Use this activity to better
understand the textbook for your
most difficult class. Its purpose is
to teach you how the textbook
works by showing you what it is
made of and how these elements
are organized. 3
What is Textbook Analysis?
Textbook analysis is the systematic analysis of
the text materials including the structure, the
focus, and special learning assists. Teachers
may assume the text is sacred" and follow it
without thought or write it off as useless.
Either approach is a disservice to students.
Many textbook publishers and writers have
developed texts with useful elements, if we
are willing to figure out what they are.
4
 Types of Textbook Analysis?
There are many ways to analyze a textbook,
depending on the intent of the analysis.
Purchasers may want to know reading levels,
costs, ancillary costs, etc. After the text has
been purchased, however, the analysis by the
teacher, which can help instruction include
the Structure of the Text, the Focus of the
Author, and the usefulness of the learning
assists.
5
Importance of Textbook Analysis
Students in the general learning population may
have an easier time of "figuring out" how to use the
textbook than those in the special education
population. With help from the teacher, the text
materials can begin to make more sense. If
structure is explained students can get a better idea
of where they are going in the course. If the teacher
understands focus or bias, he/she can make
additions or deletions as needed to keep the
presentation balanced. If Learning assists are
understood, they have a better chance of being
utilized. 6
 Types of Text
Skim through the book and
make a list of all the different
types of documents or types
of text you will have to read
(include graphic texts like
graphs, maps).
7
 Sidebars and Pull Boxes
Find examples of pull out boxes
or sidebars. What kind of
information appears in these?
Are they standardized
throughout the book (e.g.,
Profiles in History, Science in
the Workplace)? 8
 Feature: Typography
Find examples of different type faces
and styles. Write down the examples
and where they appear (e.g., large, bold
type for chapter titles (e.g., 24 point
font), 18 point font for subheadings
throughout the chapter). How does this
book use bold-faced type ? What does
it mean when they use italicized words?
9
 Feature: Color
Does the textbook use color to
convey information (e.g., what
does it mean when you see
words in red ink on the page?)

10
Feature: Symbols and Icons
Does the textbook use symbols or icons
to convey information? (e.g., if you see
an icon with a question mark in it, what
does that mean? Are you supposed to
do something, like ask a question? Does
it mean this is a potential test question?
Or is it a link to a theme running
throughout the book?)
11
Features: Images and
Graphics
What kind of information accompanies
illustrations or images? Find examples
of a map, chart, and a photograph and
then look for captions or sidebars that
explain or discuss the image. How is the
image identified (e.g., Figure 2.6)?
12
 Organization

How are chapters organized?

Make a brief but accurate
outline.

13
Navigation: Headers and Footers
Look at the top and bottom of the pages
of the book.
These are called the header and footer.
What kind of information is contained in
this space?
What do you notice as you flip through
50 consecutive pages (e.g., does the
content of the header or footer change?
If so, in what way, for what purpose?)14
 Testing! Testing!
Imagine you must now prepare
for a big test. What features of
this book would help you to
prepare for that test? (Hint: Do
not limit your answer to the
practice or study questions).
15
 Note-making Strategies
Q Notes or Outline Notes would
probably help you the most while
reading this book. Read a page and
create an example for yourself of
what good notes for this book will
look like. You could also use Post-It
notes to annotate your textbook
since you cannot write in it. 16
 Reading Speed
While your teacher times you, read one
page of the book, taking notes as you
normally would while reading it for
homework. How long did that take you?
Now do the math: If your teacher tells
you to read the opening section for
tomorrow and this section is 10 pages
long, how much time do you need to
allot for your homework in this class?
17
 Concerns
After familiarizing yourself with this
textbook, you may have concerns or
questions. Getting these answered
up front might help you read the
textbook with greater success and
confidence. Take this time to list any
concerns you might have (e.g.,
reading speed, vocabulary). 18
 How can you implement Textbook
Analysis in order to effectively meet the
diverse learning needs of students?
When a new textbook is adopted, it can be helpful
if you can hear what the sales staff has to say
about the book. You will discover what their intent
was with organization as well as with particular
features of the book.
If sales staff is unavailable, take a look at the
promotional materials. See what they are proud of.
It may be useful in your planning.
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 How can you implement Textbook
Analysis in order to effectively meet the
diverse learning needs of students?
Study the Table of Contents to see the content scope
and sequence. Have students look at this organization
with the idea of figuring out patterns. Cooperative
Learning groups can be effective in comparing
observations. Organization may be simply chronology for
a history text, but is the same period of time covered in
the same number of pages? If not, why not? In
Geography, are the headings all continents? Or are there
some chapters on entire countries? What does this say
about the focus of the text writers? 20
 How can you implement Textbook
Analysis in order to effectively meet the
diverse learning needs of students?
By looking at Unit and Chapter headings, can
you tell anything about the focus of the
textbook author? Is there an area that is
emphasized while another is
underemphasized? E.g. in a Psychology text,
does the author give equal treatment to
different Personality theories?
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 How can you implement Textbook
Analysis in order to effectively meet the
diverse learning needs of students?
What are the special assists associated with the text.
Often a Social Studies text at the senior high level is a
major tome. It may be intimidating for the teacher as
well as the student. The teachers edition, with all the
ancillary extras is even more imposing. It is helpful if a
teacher takes the text home and just looks at the
component parts. E.g. If you thing timelines are
helpful in a history class, are there chapter timelines?
Unit timelines? Which are going to be useful? If they
are not useful, how am I going to compensate for that
22
deficiency?