The indexing landscape of South African School Textbooks Hannalie Knoetze ASAIB Annual Conference 2015

Outline What is a textbook? Advantages of textbooks Single textbook debate Publishers of textbooks E-textbooks Indexing practice Indexing guidelines

What is a textbook? A textbook is a book used as a standard work for the study of a particular subject.

Advantages of textbooks Organised units of work Detailed chronological or thematic presentation of information Excellent teaching aid But also remember: A textbook is only as good as the teacher who uses it A textbook is just one teaching tool Textbooks do have limitations Children are digital natives

Single textbook debate Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga published a policy proposal in the Government Gazette of 4 September 2014 The proposal entails the government deciding on “one book per subject, per grade, per language”. The draft stated that the government would be: able to better monitor the provision and management of textbooks able to redress injustices of the past Comments on the proposal: Publishers’ Association of South Africa South African Democratic Teachers Union In other countries

Publishers Pearson Southern Africa (Maskew Miller Longman; Heinemann) Macmillan Oxford University Press Shuter & Shooter MEDIA24 Awareness Publishing

Pearson Southern Africa (Maskew Miller Longman; Heinemann) Today largest educational publisher in the world Operate in 11 countries in sub-Saharan Africa Publish in over 58 African languages Provide indexes for all FET and Senior phase school books Use professional indexers Publish e-textbooks

Macmillan Education Global publishing company Strong presence in Africa Headquarters in Germany Harold Macmillan (“winds of change”) Publish learning and teaching material in all of South Africa’s official languages Provides indexes for all their FET phase textbooks

Oxford University Press Printed first book in 1478 Publish in many countries in more than 40 languages Established a branch in Cape Town in 1915 Publish specifically for the South African market

Shuter & Shooter South African based publisher Started in Pietermaritzburg in 1925 Mr LG Shuter was the stationer and Mr RA Shooter the bookseller and publisher Actively involved in development of educational materials Provide back of book indexes

Awareness Publishing Group Established in 2001 Specialises in educational material Focus on African children Do provide back of book indexes

MEDIA24 Books NB Publishers Via Afrika NASOU Van Schaik Jonathan Ball Publishers

NB Publishers Formed in 2001 Largest general book publisher in South Africa Market & publishes books under the imprints: Imprints under NB Publishers: Human & Rousseau Queillerie Pharos Kwela Best Books Lux Verbi

Via Afrika Established in 1949 Merged with Nasou Specialises in educational material Do provide back of book indexes

E-Textbooks Benefits: less cumbersome to carry – you only need to carry your e-reader It is portable / searchable and interactive books can be lost e-text usually can’t It is a lower average cost Save the trees Updates is faster No out-of stock problems On the negative side: e-textbooks only work if you have the device to use them. Limited battery life Eye strain Technological problems Tablets in SA schools

Indexing Practice Indexing for Southern Africa Feedback from publishers

Indexing guidelines There should not be too many page references for a single entry Subheadings simplify the research process and help learners to locate information easy Rather use multiple entries and not cross-references Arrange entries word-for-word and not letter-for-letter The index should be constructed by a professional indexer

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