Strong instructional materials are crucial to realizing the promise of the Common Core State Standards. Research suggests that the choice of instructional materials can have an impact as large as or larger than the impact of teacher quality. Unfortunately, many popular textbooks are not aligned to the new standards, leaving educators scrambling.…

Textbook evaluation means development of textbook that is based on rigorous research. In Pakistan text books are designed on communicative language teaching which focuses on communication. Morley (1991) has asserted that listening has a critical role in communication and in language acquisition because the better the students understand, the…

The DeFrancis Chinese texts and texts from the People's Republic of China are compared, regarding instructional value, character use and cost. (CHK)

The lack of adequate pedagogical material for the teaching of Italian in North America is criticized. Presently available grammars and textbooks are listed with brief descriptions. Criteria, guidelines and requirements for satisfactory elementary and intermediate Italian textbooks are presented. (MS)

Many corporations and vested interest groups prepare free or inexpensive educational materials for the schools. The authors present guidelines teachers can use to screen such material for objectivity, accuracy, appropriateness, and feasibility. (SJL)

The author suggests that quality selection of textbooks at the local level is more likely to occur when: (1) administrators involve teachers, subject-matter specialists, and others in the selection process; (2) these individuals comprise a committee which makes a regular, continuing study of textbooks; (3) they consider using materials recently…

Notes the different approaches to teaching theory found in a survey of 84 journalism and mass communication instructors. Provides a list of reviews of the 55 texts and four articles most often cited in the survey. (RL)

Argues that the original Degrees of Reading Power (DRP) test scores indicated large mismatches between the average difficulty of the textbooks used in each grade and the average ability of students in that grade. Presents a rescaling procedure to provide new, valid DRP test scores and grade equivalent scores for selecting instructional materials.…

Reviews four approaches to selecting language textbooks and outlines points to be considered before selecting. (CK)

Provides information concerning the development and use of the Textbook Questioning Strategies Assessment Instrument (TQSAI). (CP)

Presents an analysis of a recently published science textbook for grades 1 to 6. An evaluation of the process and content of the student text and teachers guide are given. (SA)

The instructional textbooks for history-social science, K-8 grades, recommended for adoption in the state of California are described in this report. The rationales for recommendation of particular texts are provided, as well as those behind the decision not to recommend other materials. A number of special issues dealt with by the adoption…

The 1974 textbook dispute led by Alice Moore, member of the Kanawha County (West Virginia) Board of Education, is discussed. (NQ)

Produced as a part of an evaluatic research study, this volume includes descriptions and critiques of 14 sets of economic education reviews print materials for teaching economics to grades 7-10 that were prepared by economists and middle school teachers. The materials for evaluation were selected by searching the Education Resources Information…