Bansal Sneh
NCERT, New Delhi
Sharma Savita
Manav Rachna University, India
Pages: 435-444
This study examined how newly developed English textbooks, ‘Mridang’ for class 1
and 2 reflect the principles of inclusion as envisaged by NEP 2020) and National
Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage (NCF-FS, 2022) to ensure equity in
learning opportunities. The existing literature has highlighted a series of challenges in
ensuring inclusion in school textbooks specifically with regard to the inappropriate and
inadequate representation of children from socio-economically disadvantaged groups
including children with different gender identities and children with disabilities. Further,
the literature also brings on to the surface, the considerable gap in the mechanism of
analyzing the inclusionary practices in textbooks. Therefore, the authors of the paper,
employed content analysis technique to examine the visual materials in ‘Mridang’ to
identify the practices that promote inclusion and ensure a holistic educational experience
for all learners. The results of this study show that, both textbook of English for class
1 and 2 ‘Mridang’ incorporate a variety of inclusive practices through visual material in
the form of images , such as multilingualism, representation of regional and cultural
diversity through the depiction in the form of dance, festivals, musical instruments,
monuments, language, alongside interwoven elements of multidisciplinary and
experiential based learning by integrating areas concerning sports, arts, health and
nutrition, national unity, balanced, Indian values and traditions in the form of inclusion
of indigenous toys, games, respecting elders and their role in children development,
teamwork, cooperation and sensitivity towards the needs of others. ‘Mridang’ the
textbook of English for class 1 and 2 align with the principles and practices of inclusion
can significantly create and strengthen the equitable environments in the classroom.