Divided into five sections, this review and synthesis paper provides vocational educators with an overview of issues involved in the relationship between basic reading skills and vocational education. The introduction discusses reading in vocational education as both a curricular or educational issue and as an occupational or employment-skill…

This document represents Volume I of a two volume study to determine the extent to which four elementary level social studies programs reflect the multi-racial, multi-cultural nature of American society. The document is presented in three parts. Part I covers the Michigan Social Studies Textbook Act, an historical overview of previous Michigan…

This document, Volume II of a two-volume report on the extent to which four elementary level social studies programs reflect the multi-racial, multi-cultural nature of American society, contains individual reports of each reviewer. Fifteen reviewers examined textbooks and accompanying instructional materials according to the degree to which they…

Evaluations of 46 items of secondary level instructional materials used in distributive education are presented in the document to assist teachers in their choice of instructional materials for students. The development of an assessment instrument is described. The evaluation was conducted by a task force of distributive education teachers trained…

The Conference on Reading and Readability Research in the Armed Services brought together reading, technical writing, and readability experts from civilian research and development (R & D) centers with R & D specialists from the armed services for discussion of reading and text-design problems in the military. This report of the proceedings…

Suggests that those who evaluate textbooks for adoption in schools use a framework such as the one included, which examines writing style, tone, analogies and illustrations, sentence and paragraph coherence, headings and subheadings, and location of charts, graphs, and figures. (JC)

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…

High school biology content was rewritten in an attempt to reduce reading difficulties for students (N=265). After four weeks of use of reduced readability materials, no significant differences in achievement were apparent. (PB)

This individualized inservice packet provides teachers with guidelines for the meaningful selection and assessment of print materials, so that they may locate and utilize the appropriate reading content for individual students. It is one of a nine-part series of booklets--Teaching Teen Reading--in self-instructional format, intended as a practical…

After reviewing criticisms of the exclusive use of readability formulas to evaluate text difficulty and describing successful efforts to broaden the traditional readability formula approach, this report presents a 20 item checklist for determining text comprehensibility based on four criteria: (1) specific objectives or outcomes expected from the…

The purpose of this paper is to make classroom teachers on all educational levels aware of the limitations of readability formulas and the factors affecting readability that are not accounted for by the readability formulas. delineated in discussions of readability formula assumptions, problems, and limitations. Some of the specific factors that…

This supplemental report concludes the analysis of data collected in response to a request by the Eugene (Oregon) school board for an assessment of reading instruction in the school district. The first section of the report examines materials and recordkeeping within the schools. Specifically it states what materials are used and how teachers rate…

A study examined geography texts to evaluate their adequacy for meeting the diverse needs of students and to recommend modifications that will address specific deficits. Four geography textbooks were selected based on consultations with publishers, teachers, and school administrators to be representative of geography textbooks adopted in the…

Presents research findings about textbook construction and how they should influence the development of chemistry texts. Discusses learning as a constructive process, the importance of interpreting symbolic representations, and the creation of structure by the learner. Advocates publisher responsibility for incorporating results of research when…

This basal reading series cross-reference guide can help educators (1) place students transfering from another basal program; (2) select appropriate enrichment basal programs to satisfy school district policies; (3) identify and select reinforcement skill exercises from other basal programs; (4) identify basal reading materials with similar skills…