A TAMIL language teacher's idea for an interactive 'touch and feel' big book will be in print and is available for ordering at the end of the month.

Mr Mohammed Yousoff Shaik Mohd, 45, said he came up with the book as a way to get his students enthusiastic about learning the language.

There are very few such Tamil books in the market, he said.

So, the Blangah Rise Primary School teacher came up with a storyline about two brothers and a toy bear, and made his own book.

He created illustrations and included elements like textured surfaces that students can touch and tabs that students can pull to make objects move.

Cheered on by his students' enthusiasm, he presented his idea at a seminar last year and was later approached by the Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee to get the book published.

The published version is almost a replica of his original idea, said Mr Yousoff.

'I am very encouraged because there's a shortage of such resources in Tamil. This provides a kind of material that can be used in the classrooms.'

Mr T. Venugobal, specialist at the Ministry of Education's Tamil Language Unit, said schools will be encouraged to use the book which is targeted at those in primary 1 and 2.

'Engae Vizhunthathu' (Where did It Fall?) is priced at $30 and will have a first print run of 1000.