For many parents with soon-to-be students, the end of the current school year and the impending new school year bring about numerous concerns. Particularly, with significant changes in the upcoming academic year's basic education program, introducing new textbooks for teaching and learning.
This has raised many questions and concerns for parents, with the most prominent being the difference between the 2019 and 2020 1st-grade textbooks. Find the answers in this article. Let's explore, shall we?
Essentially, the 2019 1st-grade textbooks, similar to prior years, focus on helping children become familiar with the alphabet, learning to spell, and developing basic writing skills for subsequent years of learning. However, in 2020, the use of new textbooks has brought about considerable positive changes, positively assessed by the public, and more proactive for students in their learning.
The 2019 1st-grade textbooks tend to be more theoretical.
First and foremost when comparing 1st-grade textbooks from the 2019 academic year to those used in 2020, it's crucial to note that the latter is much more theoretical.

In the new textbooks, integrating educational methods with practicality and adopting a different approach is expected to make teaching and learning more convincing while reducing the theoretical aspect of the old textbooks.
According to the evaluations of many education industry experts, the theoretical nature of the 2019 1st-grade textbooks leads to the phenomenon of rote learning—a highly dangerous situation easily encountered by students in the age of learning to read. Therefore, the new teaching methods in the 2020 textbooks are sure to bring some differences.
The 2019 1st-grade textbooks lack diverse representation
Aside from being theoretical, impractical, and leading to rote learning, the 2019 1st-grade textbooks also receive low marks for their lack of diverse representation and somewhat rigid presentation, failing to stimulate students' enthusiasm for learning. This has been significantly improved in the new 2020 textbooks, with increased emphasis on diverse representation.

Compared to the 2019 1st-grade textbooks, the 2020 set features eye-catching visuals with relatively beautiful colors across the 5 available options. For 1st-grade students, the attractiveness of colors and shapes is substantial. Therefore, having diverse forms and vibrant colors will significantly boost students' learning spirit, making the learning process much more effective.
The 2019 academic year's 1st-grade textbooks approach knowledge in a somewhat familiar manner
Ultimately, according to the observations of many parents, the 1st-grade textbooks for the 2019 academic year also approach knowledge in a way that's not entirely fresh but still follows a mechanical pattern.

This is a significant limitation as it unintentionally poses more challenges for both students and teachers in the teaching and learning process. Therefore, there is an expectation that the 2020 textbooks will improve the approach to make learning more straightforward.
With the insights shared here, perhaps readers have found the answer to the question of what sets the 1st-grade textbooks for the 2019 academic year apart from the 2020 academic year? Don't forget to share with friends and family to keep everyone informed. Wishing you a lucky and successful new workweek!
