Considers the failure of existing textbooks to depict realities of life experienced by the typical black child and provides a brief annotated listing of resources and textbooks to help develop positive self concept. (SF)

Discusses and compares surveys made in 1965 and again in 1971 of the fourth, fifth and sixth grade textbooks of six publishers: the publishers chosen were those most frequently mentioned when a random sample of Minnesota school districts was asked to name the basic social studies textbook(s) being used at the time. (Author/JM)

This document presents guidelines, published by the Maryland State Department of Education, for the evaluation and selection of instructional materials. The first section of the document focuses on the review and selection of textbooks and instructional materials. The second and third sections deal specifically with the selection of materials…

These guidelines are meant to assist parents and educators in identifying books for children that are free of sexism, racism, ageism, and classism. Methods for analyzing both storybooks and textbooks for bias are presented. Special emphasis is placed on evaluating basal readers and history texts. A number of evaluative checklists are presented…

A research study in which 24 leading preservice teacher education textbooks are examined for degree of sex equity reveals a predominant attitude of imbalance and omission towards the role and contribution of females in American society and education. The textbooks are content analyzed for space allocation and treatment of sexism, sex differences…

An examination of characters, narrative content, and context of two Canadian primary level reading series reveals a fictional world populated almost exclusively by white, nuclear families all living the same kind of life, with values of upwardly mobile, achievement-oriented individualists. (MJB)

Considers the problem of overt and implicit racial bias in textbooks and children's fiction. Argues for some censorship of book provision for younger children while suggesting that older students be involved in a critical appraisal of books. (Editor/RK)

Examines the representation of South Africa in geography and history textbooks currently being used in American schools. Asserts that these books are flawed with misleading, inaccurate, and racist texts and illustration. Offers recommendations for revising the view American students are given of South Africa. (KH)

A content analysis of secondary U.S. history textbooks revealed that texts do include discussions of women. However, the emphasis is usually on female contributions that are an extension of women's nurturing role within the family or that are supportive of male activities. Eleanor Roosevelt is the most featured woman. (RM)

Criticizes topical readers on the English language now being used in freshman composition classes both for implying that language constrains more than aids thinking and for providing poor writing samples for the student to analyze and emulate. Discusses the influence of general semantics on these readers and the reliance on the parodic perspective…

Fourteen Japanese and 28 American social studies textbooks, grades 7-12, were exchanged and reviewed by project participants. The purpose of the research was to seek improvements in the treatment each country gives the other in their respective textbooks. Selective findings of the project are discussed. (RM)

Introduces a cooperative project undertaken by the USSR Ministry of Education and by various educational institutions in the United States to assess what youth in each country learn about the other country from geography and history textbooks. The objective was to minimize misinformation. (DB)

The problem of deficient and inaccurate teaching materials is identified and documented--a total approach to the problem would see the removal of all elementary school textbooks with tacit or implicit sexism, racism, ethnic bias and stereotyping in their stories' plots, language, and illustrations. (MM)

Instructional materials are a powerful mechanism for providing students with a vision of what is important in the world around them. Examines the ways that women have been stereotyped in instructional materials and suggests evaluation criteria for preventing use of stereotyped textbooks. (Author/RK)