1. ¬Introduction of the text book evaluation This work has been prepared to submit to the department of English Education, Kathmandu Shiksha Campus Putalisadak in partial fulfillment for the master’s degree in English education as a part of practicum in M.Ed. programme. The subject ‘English for Mass Communication’ is like a vast ocean which has still many questions to be solved. To include everything in a single course is almost impossible. The analysis and evaluation of the book is, in fact, a difficult task, though my knowledge and experience is not substantial to analyze the course. I have tried my best to evaluate and identify its strong and weak points. The book entitled “English for Mass Communication” written by Pramod Kumar Sah based on Tribhuvan University education curriculum for B.Ed. third year majoring in English education. This book is prepared for English education students those who specializing English education in Bachelor level. The author of this book is Pramod Kumar Sah. It has published its first edition in 2012 A.D. 2. Objectives of the text book evaluation Every work has it’s objectives, no work is done without any aim and objectives. The present study also has some objectives. The objectives of the present study can be broadly classified in to two categories i.e. general and specific. The general objectives of this study is to evaluate the book “English for Mass Communication” on the basis of certain parameters the specific objectives of study of study are formulated as following. To evaluate academic and physical aspects of the book. To compare the contents with the curriculum. To evaluate the appropriateness of the course for the target groups. To provide some recommendations for pedagogical reforms. 3. Significance of text book evaluation The study is expected to be Significant to all those who are interested in English (Mass communication and mass media) education teaching and learning in general and more particular to the teachers, syllabus designers textbook writers and to those who are directly and indirectly involved in the field of Journalism. This study will be useful to the student who are studying B.Ed. third year taking English as a major subject in the various campuses affiliated to Tribhuvan University. The study will equally useful to the trainee journalists, journalists who want to pursue their career in the field of journalism. This study will reveal the information, coverage, content, materials for the students. Similarly, this study will be beneficial for the teachers, teaching institution and educators as well. The findings of this work will suggest some further improvements to the writer and others who are writing the book English for mass communication. 4. Critical Analysis 4.1. Academic aspects of the book. This book is prepared for the sheens teacher to develop & understanding of the concepts of mass communication and mass media. Its characteristics, varieties, branches, key concepts of mass communication & mass media, study and analysis of media language, language and media reading, and Translation. Internal aspects of analyzing a text book consist of contents, language and language skills, vocabulary, exercises and selection and gradation of content. Let’s consider these aspects in case of B.Ed. third year’s English for Mass communication. 4.1.1. Content Content of the book refers to the internal aspect as topic, language, given exercise, (model question) uses illustration selection. The book entitled ‘English for Mass Communication’ has been prepared in accordance with the elective course for B.Ed. third year students who have taken English as a major subject. This book merely a syllabus wise collection of materials which will be a great help for the students who have chosen this subject as one of their electives among the three; being other two subjects are ‘Teaching English Literature’ and ‘English for Business’. This book contains altogether six units prescribed in the syllabus. The first unit deals with communication, mass communication and mass media and the basic features of mass communication. It also deals with the print media and electronic media and others media respectively. Despite the writer full effort to present the appropriate information, there is lacking the match between the reader’s expectation and the content. The second, third and forth unit deals with the concept of media language and the analysis of the language that is used in the different media. In fifth unit the writer presents the information about language and media readings. The last unit deals with translation, types of translation and how to translate the different types of text. All these topics are included in six units they are. Unit I. Introduction to Communication and its types - Introduction and Definitions of Communication. - Personal conversation. - Group Discussion - Mass Communication - International communication - Role of Mass Communication in the Present Day World Unit II. Key Concepts in Language and Media - Media and Language use - Register and Style - Mediated Communication - Media Discourse Genres - Media Rhetorics - Media storytelling - Words and Images - Boundaries of Media Discourse - The future of Media Language Unit III. Studies in Media Language - Speech, Writing and Media - Different Styles of Media Language - Mediated Participation - Schema and Genre Theory - Persuasion and Power - Telling stories - Anchoring Visual Meaning - Coarseness and Incivility in Broadcast Talk - The Language of Radio Unit IV Analyzing the Media Language - Message and Media - The Case of the Blog - Listening to Pup Lyrics - Comparing Kinds of Studio Talk - Purposes of Persuasion - Media Fiction and Fact - Soundtrack and Multimodal Discourse - Media language and Acceptability - Media Change in the Future - The Language of Newspaper Unit 5 Language and Media Reading - The Meaning of Media - Varieties of Media language - Media and Modernity - Broadcast Talk - News and Advertising Angles - Narrative Strategies - Windows on the World - Media Trouble - Media Language and Social Change - The Language of Television Unit-6 Translation - Introduction to Translation - Translation and Interpretation - Literal and Free (interpretive) Translation - Semantic Overlapping and Translation Equivalence - Role of Translation in Media - Some Examples of Translation - Some Examples of Translation - Some Examples of Translation of Idioms and Problems Analysis the objectives of this book has much emphasis on knowledge domain but affective domain & Psychomotor domain objectives are negligible. 4.1.2. Language skills Each unit of the textbooks deals with four language skills. There is well selection of materials for listening, speaking, readings and writing. 4.1.2.1. Materials for listening and speaking skills For listening and speaking purpose the personal communication for example face to face conversation, telephonic conversation( receiving calls, making calls), online conversation, chat, group discussion topic are there in first unit but it is not practically focused in the lesson by the writer. Similarly, listening to the radio news, T.V news and analyzing their language and their feature are the important practical activity are presented in this book which focuses the listening and speaking skills. Similarly, task like preparing a brief radio news (700-1000 words) about the latest programme that you attended in your community are the most useful activity to develop listening and speaking skills. 4.1.2.2. Materials for reading Different types of reading materials such as conversation, newspaper, article, advertisement are given in the text book. Each unit contains sufficient reading materials. But whether those reading texts are writers own creations or adapted from others, the source are not mentioned in most of the text. However the author has presented a lot of information related to the topic so that that the students get amble opportunities to read the text. In order to introduce the native flavor of the English language in the book, the writer has taken the materials required from the authentic works prescribed in the syllabus. Each unit has summary section at the end. This section has been included in order to provide the students the opportunity to make quick revision of the respective unit. The summary sections provide clear knowledge of the respective unit. 4.1.2.3. Materials for writing skill Each unit of the text book consists of exercise for writing. The text book comprises a lot of practical tasks for writing. In the second unit, the task like preparing a report of historical development of mass and international communication focusing on the English language models which are used in Nepal, writing newspaper article preparing the script of a program to be broadcast on Television for five minutes and in sixth unit translations activities are some of the example focusing on the writing skill in the textbook. Thus this textbook is focusing sufficiently for developing writing skill in the students. 4.1.3. Vocabulary Proper selection of vocabulary items to be included in the textbook for foreign language learners is also one of the most desirable qualities of textbook. The writer has given due attention in selection the word while writing which are actually matched to the level of the students. So there is regular and systematic attention of vocabulary items in each unit. If the writer had given glossary at the end for giving the meaning of typical jargon words, that could have been better for students. 4.1.4. Exercises Each unit of the text book is divided into different exercise. They are related to different language skills and aspects. Apart from the exercises I have mentioned above for listening, speaking, reading, writing and vocabulary, other exercise included objective questions (tick the best answer), answer the following questions, writing reports, preparing news article etcetera. The exercises are adequately to make the students participate in different activities. 4.1.5. Selection and Gradation of Contents Selection, gradation and presentation of materials are in a proper way. Topics of the course book are matched with the curriculum of B.Ed. 3rd year (T.U) English for Mass Communication. Topics are clearly presented in the book. Language is another important factor of the internal aspect of a course book. It must swat the level of the student. Simple English language is used in this book. In this book subject matter are arranged in a simple to complex way. Each content has been defined with examples to make the student understand. The subject matter has been presented in each topic which is suitable for the level of learners. Contents are appropriable arranged by vertical and horizontal approaches. In this book sub- topics and topics are somehow suitable; sub topics are arranged on each topic in sub-divided in two categories to make the subject matter clear. Examples charts, graphs, Diagrams are used to explain the subject matter So it could be said that it is useful book for students and teachers who are involved teaching learning of English for Mass communication. Subject matters are presented in this book by inductive and deductive method. Contents, examples, figures are properly arranged in illustrate the subject matter of complex nature. 4.2. Physical aspects of the book Physical aspects of the book refer to external features of the book (paper quality, fonts of letter, binding also). The volume of a book depends on the content it covers. The size of this book is 21.5 cm length, 13 cm breath and 1.5cm thick. The printing of this book seem good. The size of the letters for topic and expertise, the top, bottom, left and right margins, space between words and sentences. A good book should have an attractive and slightly hard cover page with good quality paper. It does not only make attractive but also durable cover page of this book is well laminated and attractive color of the cover page and thickness of the paper maintain the moderate quality. The weak point of the book regarding the size of font letter regarding included table and figure and the book regarding front page would not be able to symbolic representation of mass communication and mass media that’s why The Cover should be more informative. This book is blended with gum bound. The book has a good strong binding according to the level and age of the students. The cost of this book is not much expensive, regarding the purchasing capacity of the student. It cost’s Rs 325. The book is published and distributed by Shubhakamana Prakashan PVT. LTD. Tahachal, Kathmandu. So that it is very difficult to purchase in rural area of Nepal. 5. Strengths of this book. Organizing content Example, figure is appropriate. Content and language are appropriate regarding the level and ability of the students. It helps students and teachers who are involved Teaching English Education. It helps to develop Knowledge of Mass communication and mass media. It may be useful for Journalism students. It helps to develop reporting skills. Terminology regarding Journalism has been used properly in this book. The price of this book is reasonable. 6. Weaknesses of this book. Sufficient pictures are not presented in this book. Lack of objectives exercises for developing knowledge. The cover page doesn’t reflect the nature of the course appropriately. There is not sufficient examples to be clarified the students. The given pictures in this aren’t visible and colorful. 7. Conclusion In conclusion besides much strength, some weaknesses are also noted during the evaluation. The book: entails well developed knowledge about mass communication and mass media education for the students. This book helps student to develop knowledge understanding and skills about Journalism. This book has been written in Simple Language that’s why it is easy to understand about subject matter. Finally it proper attention is paid by the concerned authority for the improvement of the book regarding the weaknesses. It will meet the goals intended to be met. Those above pointed weaknesses should be addressed in coming edition. 8. My suggestions In fact it is quite difficult task to make suggestions for the further revision and betterment of the book. I have tried to make suggestions on this book which are as follow. The given picture this book should be clear visible. Sufficient diagram need to be included in the coming editions. The cover page should be design attractive and it should reflect the nature of the book. The book should have clear instruction; however this is entirely lacking some expertise. The examples should be mentioned the standard according to time need and interest of the students. The letter size used in book should be consistent. The course book should be design on the maxims of simple to complex, known to unknown. References Hicks, W. (2008). English for journalists. New York: Routledge. Sah. P.K. (2012). English for Mass Communication. Kathmandu: Shubhakamana Prakasan. Subedi. H.L. (2011). English for Mass Communication. Kathmandu: Pradhan Book House.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Oct 2013 01:30:51 +0000
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