The two readers used in this study were both editions of the Ginn Basal Reading Series. Illustrations in the older Revised Editions depicted no black characters. The newer 100 Editions introduce black characters in the illustrations. The research tested children's preferences for these basal readers by sex, grade level, achievement levels within…

To assist educators in defining outstanding resources in children's literature, this study compiled criteria for good books from the writings of twelve selected academicians in the field of children's literature. A further investigation was made to determine if educators considered the same criteria when they selected books for children. In an…

Suggests resources useful in selecting, recommending, and ordering books that are regularly used and relied upon by English teachers. (RB)

Increasing censorship activities and their sources are discussed. Strategies to respond to book banning include: (1) establishment in schools of a written selection policy; (2) development of a role for educational organizations in counteracting unnecessary censorship; (3) provision for parents to examine textbooks before purchase; and (4)…

Contends that, because of rising textbook costs and related factors, many college psychology teachers are interested in paperback textbooks. Reports on a review of 11 psychology textbooks. Includes 4 tables of comparison data and a list of the 11 texts used in the study. (CFR)

Finds that state-level textbook adoption committee members reported four major unresolved reading issues: (1) assessment of students' reading progress; (2) whole language versus basal approaches; (3) ability grouping; and (4) use of tradebooks in place of basals. Suggests that the members may lack sufficient specific knowledge of the issues to…

The process of evaluating and selecting basal readers has long been a primary concern for educators. Educators directly involved with textbook adoptions have expressed several concerns, including: time pressures on evaluators; lack of training for evaluators; concerns related to publishers; and correlations with state or district curriculum.…

To determine the relationship between particular reading materials used most frequently with students in grades one through six and the amount of progress students made during the 1982-83 school year, a study was conducted by the District of Columbia Public Schools. Nine of the ten reading materials on the approved textbook list were assessed, and…

In an effort to better understand the intents of those policies that prescribe state-level textbook adoption, a study collected and analyzed data from (1) the textbook adoption statutes of each of the 22 "state adoption" states, (2) documents and policy manuals produced by the state departments of education of each of these 22 states,…

The instructional materials listed in this document were reviewed by a California Legal Compliance Committee using the social content requirements of the Educational Code concerning the depiction of males and females, ethnic groups, older persons, disabled persons, and others to ensure that the materials were responsive to social concerns.…

Readability formulas can be useful tools in accomplishing their primary purpose--to give very general estimates of difficulty. Unfortunately, there has been a great deal of misunderstanding regarding their use, which has resulted in misuse and abuse. The formulas were designed to be applied post hoc to existing materials. They were not intended to…

This statement, prepared by the National Council of Teachers of English, addresses the increasing problem of censorship in the public schools in the form of pressure to restrict or deny students access to certain books or periodicals deemed objectionable by individuals or groups on moral, political, religious, ethnic, racial, or philosophical…

Serving as the basis for the first administrative complaint alleging sex discrimination in textbooks to be filed under federal law, the findings presented in this report are based on an analysis, made by parents and citizens in a midwestern city, of 12 texts in the elementary reading program of a major publisher. Generally, the findings are stated…

A variety of resource documents and articles are included in this professional improvement packet that is designed to assist teachers and administrators in reducing the conditions under which censorship might occur. The documents presented are: the Indiana code laws concerning textbook adoption; the American Library Association's library bill of…