NCERT Class 3 Santoor (English) Book 2025-26

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has introduced a melodious new textbook for Class 3 English—'Santoor'—replacing the older 'Marigold'. Named after the beautiful Indian string instrument, 'Santoor' embodies the philosophy of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023: learning should be a joyful, rhythmic, and culturally rich experience.

This textbook is much more than a collection of stories; it’s a meticulously designed learning companion that acts as a bridge, transitioning students from foundational literacy to independent, critical reading. For parents and teachers, understanding its core features is the key to unlocking its full potential.

Chapter No.	Download Chwapterwise Santoor PDF
Chapter 1	Colours
Chapter 2	Badal and Moti
Chapter 3	Best Friends
Chapter 4	Out in the Garden (Poem)
Chapter 5	Talking Toys
Chapter 6	Paper Boats
Chapter 7	The Big Laddoo (Poem)
Chapter 8	Thank God
Chapter 9	Madhu's Wish
Chapter 10	Night (Poem)
Chapter 11	Chanda Mama Counts The Stars
Chapter 12	Chandrayaan

The Pedagogical Pillars of 'Santoor'

The entire structure of 'Santoor' is rooted in a skills-based approach, ensuring that a young learner's journey is comprehensive and holistic.

1. Focus on the 4-Skills Integration (LSRW)
   Unlike traditional books that might prioritize only reading and writing, 'Santoor' meticulously weaves in all four foundational language skills:
• Listening: Activities like 'Let us Listen' use audio-based tasks (often accessed via QR codes) to enhance comprehension.
• Speaking: Sections like 'Let us Speak' and 'Think and Say' encourage in-class conversation, role-play, and recitation, promoting fluency and confidence in oral expression.
• Reading: The content features diverse text types—poems, narratives, stories, and even comic strips—to develop reading fluency and comprehension.
• Writing: The book guides students from simple sentence formation and guided writing to more creative and independent writing tasks like letter writing and story completion.
2. Contextual and Cultural Rootedness
   The textbook excels at drawing content from the child's real-life experiences and local cultural milieu. Lessons are relatable, making the process of language acquisition feel natural rather than forced.
• For instance, introducing concepts like friendship, sharing, and gratitude through stories involving Indian characters and local settings helps children connect emotionally with the text.
• The inclusion of a chapter on 'Chandrayaan' ensures students are engaging with contemporary, national achievements, sparking curiosity and pride.

Key Sections and Their Purpose

To ensure an active learning environment, the textbook is dotted with specific instruction boxes:

• 'Let us Think': Promotes critical thinking by asking reflective, open-ended questions that have no single right answer, encouraging discussion among peers.
• 'Let us Learn': This is where grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation concepts are introduced. Crucially, these concepts are taught in context of the main story or poem, not as dry, isolated rules.
• 'Let us Do': These are hands-on activities, sometimes art-based or small experiments, designed to foster creativity and application of knowledge.
• 'Activity Time': Includes fun elements like crosswords, word grids, and puzzles that reinforce newly learned vocabulary in an enjoyable way.

Maximizing Learning with 'Santoor': Advice for Parents

The best way to help your child excel with 'Santoor' is to embrace its spirit of joyful learning.

• Read Aloud and Recite: Encourage your child to read the poems and stories aloud. The musicality of the English language is best absorbed through recitation and role-play activities.
• Go Beyond the Book: If a chapter is about 'Out in the Garden', take them to a garden and discuss what they see, smell, and hear. If it’s 'Paper Boats', make some together. Connect the text to the tangible world.
• Encourage Expression: After a story, don't just ask for the answers. Ask questions like: "What would you have done if you were the character?" or "How did the story make you feel?" This builds emotional intelligence and deepens comprehension.
• Vocabulary in Context: When a new word is encountered, encourage them to use it in a sentence right away. The repetition of new words in a meaningful context is the quickest path to vocabulary enrichment.