How many years should Textbook 8 be taught over?

We recommend teaching Textbook 8 over two academic years. The book covers substantial, often complex content written for ages 13 and above and rushing through it in a single year does not do justice to the depth of the material or the age group you are teaching.

How to split the content across two years

Rather than simply dividing the book in half (for example, Units 1–3 in Year 1 and Units 4–7 in Year 2), we recommend a mix-and-match approach. This ensures students encounter a range of subjects — ʿAqīdah, Fiqh, Sīrah, History, Personal Development — in both years rather than covering whole subject areas and moving on. The book has been designed so that themes interlink across chapters, and students benefit most when they can make connections across the whole textbook over time.

Teaching teenagers: what works?

At secondary level, students are capable of working more independently and in groups. The Implementation Guide recommends the following approaches, which are particularly effective for this age group:

• Discussion-led lessons — generate conversation around a topic before opening the textbook, especially for chapters on belief, contemporary issues or personal development. Let students raise their own questions first.
• Project work — chapters on Muslim History, Muslim Contributions to Civilisation, Islam and Science, and the Lives of the Ṣaḥābah lend themselves well to research projects and presentations.
• Flipped learning — assign sections for students to read in advance, then use class time for discussion and problem-solving rather than reading through text together.
• Practical activities — some chapters are best taught practically. The Imāmah chapter, for example, works well as a paired practical activity. The Ḥajj chapters work well alongside a project. The Masjid chapter lends itself to a planned Masjid visit.
• Reflection journals — students can use journals to record their thoughts on each chapter and track their own spiritual and personal development throughout the year.
• Varied assessment — testing does not have to mean written exams. Essays, research projects, art projects and practical exercises are all valid ways to assess students and are better suited to the nature of the content.

Planning resources

• Textbook and Workbook 8 Implementation Guide — a free download covering how to plan across two academic years, with a suggested teaching plan showing lesson allocations for each chapter. Highly recommended before you start.
• Textbook 8 Revision Guide — a free resource to support students reviewing the content.