Ageism is highly prevalent, especially among college students. However, efforts to reduce ageism largely take place in helping professions. This activity seeks to promote positive perceptions toward older adults and aging among communication undergraduate students through gerontological education, a positive intergeneration contact experience, a…

Contends that strong images of older people in today's books can help students better understand the process of aging. Discusses the novels "The Lilith Summer,""Queen of Hearts,""The Pigman," and "All Together Now." (FL)

Describes a learning activity for secondary school students in which they experience and analyze the potential effect of culture, sex, and age on job selection and discrimination. From several biographical cards, students select the person most qualified for a predescribed job. (KC)

Briefly reviews the gerontological literature on attitudes toward the elderly. Criticizing word association measurement techniques, this article identifies alternative methods for assessing attitudes toward the elderly and considers the pedagogical effects of these methods. (JDH)

Argues that one goal of teaching is to help students critically evaluate their own knowledge to see where biases and stereotypes exist. Presents an activity in which students generate stereotypes about older adults. Warns that instructors must prepare extensively to anticipate student responses and find research that addresses anticipated…

Ageism is a relevant topic of study because of its inevitability for all humankind. Student attitudes toward the elderly are generally negative and often follow stereotyped views found in books. An outline for use in developing a curriculum on aging is provided. (DF)

Provides an inquiry lesson on aging for the intermediate grades. The goals of the lesson are to provide accurate information about the elderly, to enable children to assess their perceptions of the aging process, and to expose children to an unbiased look at the attributes, behaviors, and characteristics of the elderly. (JDH)

Describes a five-week unit dealing with ageism, especially in children's books. (DD)

Intended to accompany a series of six 15-minute color videocassette programs, this teacher's guide contains suggestions for teaching high school students to achieve the series goals, which are to: (1) acquire accurate information about the elderly and the aging process by debunking myths that currently surround this biological, psychological, and…

Based on the view that intergenerational friendships between older adults and high school students enrich the lives of both groups, the Grandfriends Project is a program for bringing students and elderly members of the community together. High school students receive "basic training" for visiting a nursing home, are taught listening and…

Describes two exercises that convey the ways in which social biases influence adult development and aging: (1) involves sorting pictures of people by age illustrating the diversity of opinions about how to divide the life span; and (2) demonstrates how physical and social factors shape individual well-being in old age. (DSK)

A college level unit which investigates stereotypes of aging in the United States is described. The three-class unit serves as an introduction to the study of social gerontology. Its purpose is to address issues of negative stereotypes of old age reinforced by the media and by our cultural roots; the lack of knowledge about the normal changes that…

This teaching guide on aging contains 18 activities for students. A major cognitive objective is for students to examine and evaluate personal and societal attitudes and behavior toward aging in the United States and in other societies. When students make cross-cultural comparisons of these attitudes and behaviors they become aware that their own…

Suggests that English teachers are in an excellent position to help students learn about the aged and aging because they know literature that treats the joys and pains of later life and they understand how language shapes and reflects cultural attitudes. Proposes objectives and presents samples of activities to be used in an aging unit. (MM)

This manual examines peace and justice themes with a specific domestic focus on issues rooted in the cultural, political, social, and economic fiber of the U.S. culture and economy. Each unit begins with overall goals for the unit with lessons developed around each goal. The lessons include brief background information for the teacher and…