A survey of 12 leading high school U.S. History textbooks has resulted in the opinion put forth in this book that the textbooks currently used in high schools are an embarrassing amalgam of bland optimism, blind patriotism, and misinformation. In addition to critiquing existing textbooks, the book also suggests how U.S. History should be taught.…

The altering of the presentation of Japan's imperialist adventures in Japanese high school history textbooks reflects a continuing dispute between Japan and her Asian neighbors, as well as between a politically conservative bureaucracy in the Ministry of Education and a historical profession heavily influenced by "progressives" who write…

This manual, part of the "Competence Is for Everyone" curriculum, helps students examine the process of making appraisals of people and how appraisals can limit learning and career opportunities when based on sex or race. The curriculum can be used by intermediate, secondary, and junior college teachers and students. This anthology, a…

The paper discusses a study undertaken to evaluate how Jews and Jewish history are treated in three textbooks used in public high schools in Dallas. It also presents findings from the study, and recommends activities and supplementary materials which give a more realistic and comprehensive picture of Jewish history. Major objectives were to…

The "Garcia-Armstrong Matrix System" provides specific instructions for evaluating the way textbooks depict ethnic/minority groups. The matrix is formed by evaluating individual sentences for their references to the activity or passivity of the target group and to the status of the target group in relation to other groups named in the same…

This book describes courses on women's studies for the high school curriculum in literature and language and in history and social studies. Based on the women's social movement, women's studies is an alternative curriculum with goals to raise student consciousness about sexist curricula and society, compensate for the omission of women from…

Discusses U.S./USSR Textbook Study Project and the concerns of its director, Howard Mehlinger. Among the criticisms of Soviet treatment of U.S. history are the overriding ideological biases and the inadequate coverage of such topics as political parties and reform movements. Among Soviet complaints are stereotypes of economic underdevelopment and…

Using content analysis, presents a study of 14 U.S. history textbooks. Analyzes textbook treatment of the Declaration of Independence, the atomic bomb, and the Holocaust. Examines nontextual materials. Finds errors of omission, boring writing styles, and a basic similarity between the textbooks. (RW)

Many feel that textbooks dominate what students learn. They set the curriculum and often the facts learned in most subjects. For many students, textbooks are their first and sometimes only early exposure to books and to reading. The public regards textbooks as authoritative, accurate and necessary and many teachers rely on them to organize lessons…

These critiques of a high school American government textbook, "American Government in Action," (Resnik and Nerenberg, 1973) represent the first in a series of studies designed to assess the effectiveness of social science textbooks in communicating and reinforcing Western values. The critiques are followed by a response by the authors of the…

Describes newly developed and tested materials which provide models of women who work in significant roles in society. (Editor)

Considers the ubiquitous use of textbooks in social studies classrooms and recommends constructing critical-thinking exercises revealing textual bias. Suggested exercises concern issues of emotional or ambiguous language, geographic and cultural inclusion/exclusion, and accuracy of data. Includes several examples of critical-thinking activities.…

The Arab world holds a storied place in western history and is a significant area today culturally, economically, and politically, with its more than 190 million people sharing a common heritage with the West. The Arab world merits serious study in U.S. schools; however, it is often misrepresented in U.S. textbooks. This notebook is written as an…

This study, using extensive data collected by the Educational Testing Service in 1974, examines four categories of interventions that may influence interracial behaviors and attitudes in schools. The categories examined are: (1) attempts to change teacher or principal attitudes by means of workshops; (2) attempts to change student attitudes by…

One of a series of instructional packets to aid schools in reducing sex stereotypes, this inservice guide for use with school personnel is designed to increase their awareness of ways textbooks and instructional materials contribute toward limiting student options. Included are avenues personnel can take to counter stereotypical messages relayed…