SRJIS/BIMO NTHLY/ SUMANA MUKERJEE . (27 6 0 - 27 7 9) AUG - SEPT, 2015, VOL. 2/11 www.srjis.com Page 2760 INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND ROLE OF MANUALS: FR ENCH TEACHING IN INDIAN SCHOOLS

Manuals or Textbooks are a key component in most langu age programs. In some cases , they serve as the basis for much of the language input learners receive and the language practice that occurs in the class room. They often provide the foundation for the content of the lessons, the balance of skills taught and the kinds of language practice the students take part in. In other situations, the textbook m ay serve primarily to aid the teacher in carrying out classroom instructio n . For learners, the manual may be provided by the teach er. In the case of teachers with little or no experience, textbooks may also serve as a form of teache r training - they provide guidance and suggestions on how to plan and teach lessons as well as str ategies that the teachers can use . As an educator, we are philosophically com mitted to student diversity. We need to appreciate the fact that learning differenc es are natural and positive. The focus can be on identifying individual students' interests and strengths. But making inclusive education work requires a solid support system and also effective strategies with special emphasis on the quality of manuals used. In the Indian context, middle school language classrooms make use of specific recommended man uals which serves the needs of all students irrespective of their interests, learning abilities, and preferences. In this paper, the study highlights the role of manuals and inclusive education in French Pedagogy. Are the manuals used in French language te aching differentiated well enough to meet the needs of diverse student levels and interests? Do the Abstract SRJIS/BIMO NTHLY/ SUMANA MUKERJEE . (27 6 - 27 7 9 ) AUG - SEPT, 2015, VOL. 2/11 www.srjis.com Page 2761 exercises or activities designed at the end of the lessons cater to different learner profiles particularly to suit the needs of students with special need s? Are the recommended manuals sufficient to match the learning needs of students or should more reference manuals be included? Also, talking about the formative and summative assessments, can more emphasis be laid on differentiated exercises on oral and w ritten comprehension rather than standard written tests based on grammar skills ? In this paper, we will consider the role of the textbook in terms of its normal day - to - day use in teaching and learning French , and then consider its role in the process of di fferentiation. We will also discuss the implications of a more detailed and positive view of the role of the textbook, stressing upon in particular, the textbook content creation and differentiation keeping in mind different learner needs and inclusive ed ucation