Course-5 Understanding Disciplines and School Subjects pmd

Concentric Approach
In this approach the whole curriculum is spread over a number of years. Quite often
a general treatment of almost all the topics are attempted at the beginning and it is developed
in successive year according to the mental development of the pupil in the beginning in the
simplified way. In the next years more and more details of its parts are gradually added. It
follows the maxims of teaching such as form whole to part simple to complex easy to
difficult etc. Among educationalists of modern times Bruner is the main exponent of this
approach as he thinks that discovery learning is only possible only if this approach is
maintained and this approach is referred to as concentric approach.
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Topical Approach
In this approach, selected topics of study suitable for the age ability and interest of
children are included in the curriculum and each topic is dealt with completely in the class
where it is first introduction of each topics are linked together by the teacher with the help
of link lessons for the children of the age group 13+ (above 13) this approach is quite
possible.
The curriculum makers take particular topics as the central theme of social science
learning at different levels of instruction. At each stage the topics vary in accordance with
the ability and interests of the children. In the primary classes, the child may start the study
of the development of concrete and familiar thing such as food, clothing, shelter and means
of transportation. In the middle classes, he may be introduced to more important and more
difficult topics like history of instructions and of government. In the secondary classes the
student may be provided with ideas about ideologies like communism, socialism capitalism
etc. In this approach, we can deal with all the aspects of a problem and give an overall view
of that particular problem.
‘This approach provides an action plan for dealing with vast material in a logical and
rational way. It helps the pupils to understand the facts of their developmental setting. This
approach can be adapted according to the age ability and aptitude of the children.It imparts
a sense of purpose to the pupils because of the total perception attempted.This approach
enables the teacher to control the subject matter and adapt it to the varying needs of the
children. It destroys the continuity of subject matter. Since aspects involved in a topic may
be beyond the cognitive competencies of pupils in lower classes a complete study of the
topic will not be possible.
Generally speaking, when a topic is complex and very large and involve units posing
varied levels of difficulty it will be advisable to have the unit approach. The only thing is
that care should be taken to effectively link all the units of the same topics as and when
opportunities arise.