Recent studies describe Jordan as a context where the encounter between modernity and tradition in the framework of neo-liberal transformations in the labour market have brought about paradoxes affecting women's lives. Despite several policies to implement gender equality introduced by the government, the rapid reduction of the gender gap in…

A study of two elementary basal reading series found that, although the proportion of female main characters has increased, it was still less than that of males. Also, fewer men than women were depicted in nontraditional roles. (FG)

Notes that boys continue to be portrayed in reading materials in activities stereotypically associated with males, such as sports, adventure, and leadership; suggests that reading materials are needed that show boys in nurturing and expressive roles as well. (MKM)

To determine whether the distribution of male and female main character roles (sex dominance) differed significantly in the 1976-1978 editions of basal readers and supplementary textbooks from that found in the 1974-1976 editions examined by Gwyneth E. Britton and Margaret C. Lumpkin, an analysis of more than 3,700 stories was undertaken. The sex…

This guide in English and Spanish examines the roles assigned to women in social studies textbooks and the omission of women from history books. It analyzes the topics, textbooks, pictures, and narrations in use, and offers alternatives to these biased materials. A pre-test and post-test are included to measure the user's awareness of textbook…

Discusses the fact that, although publishers have acknowledged the problem of sex bias in textbooks in the United States, guidelines lack specifics, timetables, and procedures for monitoring content and enforcing compliance with the guidelines. (MB)

Children's literature and school texts have reflected society's relegation of women to inferior, passive roles; while there is now an awareness that stereotypes and sexist terms should be eliminated, there is the danger that overreaction will diminish literary quality. (JD)

This book is the result of a study that investigated the influence of "machismo" (a set of attitudes, beliefs, and behavior that perpetuates the myth of male superiority) in elementary education. The study included (1) a content analysis of textbooks used in Spanish and social studies classes in public and private schools in Puerto Rico…

A content analysis of a 1976 series of primary reading textbooks was conducted to analyze salient factors affecting female role socialization. Examined in its entirety, the series was designed for grades one through six and contained 573 entries and 4,831 illustrations. In each of the textbooks, regardless of grade level, twice as many males as…

Thirty-six textbooks used by the Pittsburgh public schools at grade levels K-5 were reviewed to see how they treat girls vs. boys and men vs. women. Language, reading, science, social studies, and mathematics texts were evaluated. Blatant sexism is found in all areas. Different ideas of behavior and mores are propagated for boys than for girls;…

Seven representative elementary school textbooks used in the United States were examined, as part of an international study of sex-stereotyping in textbooks, to determine whether the depiction of males and females was qualitatively and quantitatively sex-equitable. The analysis used a gender models checklist developed by M. Gonzalez-Suarez (1986)…

To determine whether elementary reading textbooks from a socialist country contained less sex-role stereotyping than previously-studied United States readers, an analysis of 374 books from the German Democratic Republic (G.D.R.) was undertaken. A sex bias index was calculated for both the G.D.R. and the U.S. books by finding the average difference…

Analysis of sex and race representation in almost 3000 stories drawn from 77 basal readers in 7 series published between 1980 and 1982 shows that, although minority and female numerical representation has increased, there has been little progress in role models offered. In terms of representation in the labor force, males of all races were…

Evaluates the Greek governments' gender equality educational policy; new reading books that the Greek government presented in 1983 as solving previously reading books' sexism; and views of the educational establishment, women's organizations, and teachers concerning old and new books and new books' efficacy in light of textual analyses. (RLC)

This report on sex discrimination in the Kalamazoo Public Schools describes the findings from a study of materials used during the 1971-72 school year. Conducted by a task force on elementary school textbooks, the study evaluated 172 texts, 65 supplements, and 24 study-print sets for sex stereotyping and sexism. Sex roles depicted for both…