Presents ERIC documents that examine what goes into the textbook selection process, the outside influences on book selection, and some criteria that are used in the selection of books. (MKM)

Although there are many college freshman writing textbooks on the market, the selection of a textbook can be made simpler by following a number of guidelines. Teachers should examine textbooks they consider using to make certain the books contain the following elements: (1) appropriate readability for users; (2) textual features, such as self-help…

Organization and financing have enabled the religious right to bring their textbook censorship campaign into the U.S. federal court system. Denouncing secular humanism, these groups have initiated steps to obtain federal funding for private religious schools. Over the last 100 years public school textbooks have been revised to reflect various…

Frances FitzGerald's critique of American social studies and history curricula in "America Revised" is reviewed. The conclusion drawn is that censorship, special interests, and marketability exercise too great an influence on the textbook industry. (JMF)

In this paper on the school textbook system in Japan, information is provided on the school textbook system during the post-war period. Topics discussed in this area include: (1) the establishment of the school textbook authorization system; (2) improvements to the school textbook system; (3) putting the free school (public school) textbook system…

Discusses the applicability of research into cognitive schemas, metacognition, instructional design, and learning strategies to textbook creation; the value of well-structured, coherent, and focused texts; readability formulas, narrative characteristics, science and social studies texts, glossaries, dictionaries, teachers' manuals, and practice…

Discusses a study which investigated effects of the New Social Studies movement on social studies textbooks published in the 1970s. Topics discussed include characteristics of the New Social Studies, textbook analysis, and changes reflected in textbooks from 1950 to 1970. (Author/DB)

This article examines the history textbooks available in 1998 for adoption in the United States at both the high school and elementary levels. New books have appeared on the scene since the last textbook adoption series. California begins its textbook considerations in August. The California adoption will rekindle national interest in the content…

Textbooks designed to serve the needs of non-native speakers of English are needed in the field of English for science and technology public communication. Suitably modified language textbooks using the Aristotelian approach to oral presentations are readily available. However, for professional speaking practice, discipline-specific texts are…

Pressure from scholars, educators, fundamentalists, and others has convinced publishers that textbooks are weak in religion, classics, social studies, and science. Publishers, pushed by new content standards set by California and other states, seem ready to change their content and approach. (Author/MSE)

Summaries of six language-related research projects are presented from Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Topics include English as the instructional medium, teacher's use of language, Tamil language management, standardizing texts, cross-cultural business negotiations, and assessment of English language needs in computer science. (LB)

Examines the disciplinary and cultural functions of introductory psychology textbooks from around the turn of the century to the present. Preliminary analysis indicates that textbooks have been more than a compendium of knowledge. They have provided a medium for defining social relations and ideals. (SLD)

Focusing on current knowledge of the textbook in American education and society, the 18 papers in this collection represent the views of educators, publishers, state and federal education officers, librarians, authors, and industry critics. Papers in the first section, "Textbooks and Literacy," deal with the role of the textbook in the curriculum;…

Describes one statewide process of basal series selection and outlines the concerns of eight groups involved in the process. (FL)

Summarizing the results of informal discussions among the commissions and standing committees of the National Council of Teachers of English, this paper outlines key educational trends and issues in areas of the English language arts. Various sections of the paper contain information from the commissions on English language, literature,…