Oxford University Press India (OUP), a department of the University of Oxford, has released its early-year range of blended solutions which includes schoolbooks, workbooks and other blended products aligned with the National Curriculum Framework 2022 for Foundational Stages (NCF-FS) as recommended in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
According to an official release, the newly designed series of blended products are based on the recommendations of NCF-FS for a seamless developmental continuum for children between the age groups of three to eight covering Early Childhood Care and Education of the first three years and grades one and two. The products are available in print and digital (blended) formats to be deployed by the partner schools in the upcoming academic session 2023-24, the release added.
“Our products would empower teachers and educators to implement the objectives of NEP 2020 while incorporating 21st century skills of communication, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration through many of its features,” Sumanta Datta, managing director, Oxford University Press India, said.
Following are the blended learning products launched by Oxford University Press India
As per the release, the Oxford Advantage Little Champ is a blended product, available both in print and digital formats. It follows theme-based approach to help children achieve foundational literacy and numeracy and build general awareness about their surroundings. For beginners, and levels one and two, Little Champ uses age-appropriate text and illustrations for visual appeal, audio-visuals and storytelling to introduce letters in a fun way, number rhymes for numeral recognition, augment-reality enabled colouring sheets, visual arts and more. Following NCF’s five steps learning process Panchaadi, OUP’s Little Champ is mapped to the five domains of physical development, socio-emotional and ethical development, cognitive development, language and literacy development.
Similarly, the interactive training series My Learning Train introduces teachers to Kinolearn and Kinophonics activity-based methodologies developed in India by the author Sonia Relia. Using easily accessible resources across different regions, this series brings treasure bogies of activities, resource books, workbooks, stories, rhymes, folk tools, rhythms and music, art, games, templates, extended story banks with bilingual stories, flashcards, boardgames, worksheets, finger puppets, posters and much more that help children to comprehend and develop skills across all learning domains and learning styles. It focuses on inherent skill development and learning-by-doing and uses activities to introduce concepts and reinforce learning.
OUP also recently revised its Mathematics series – New Enjoying Mathematics to cover all five levels of the Foundational Stage (three years of pre-primary, along with grades one and two). The series covers all maths-specific competencies listed in the NCF for the foundational stage. The series author Aashalata Badami deploys ELPS method (E-experience with concrete objects, L-language, P-picture, S-symbol) for concept-building and incorporates an activity-oriented approach, which aims to remove maths phobia from the minds of young learners. The series emphasises on the cognitive, creative, and physical development of children, using a variety of tools to connect ideas with their immediate world and interests.