Discusses the results of a study in which 130 college composition textbooks were examined in order to determine the role that expressive discourse plays in the teaching of writing at the college level. (DF)

The editor of "Heinemann's Science and Technology Readers" responds to questions concerning the objectives and design of the series. The market for technical readers; reader format and difficulty level; illustrations, technical exercises, and the language teacher; and the intended classroom use are discussed. (MSE)

Concludes that both chunking and shorter line lengths have positive effects on reading efficiency but that high line length variability has a stronger negative effect. Suggests that, because chunking increases line length variability, it can interfere with reading. (FL)

Traces the decline in importance and scope of invention under the prevalent current-traditional approach to rhetoric. Suggests that as a result students are being taught a writing process and a set of assumptions about discourse that have nothing to do with either how writing gets done or with contemporary thinking about the relation of language…

This discussion of achievement tests examines the relationship between curriculum and nationally standardized test scores. The mathematics curriculum and achievement scores of second through eighth grade children in a suburban community are presented as an example of the discrepancy in emphasis that may exist between curriculum and achievement…

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)

The purpose of this report is: (1) To point out the features of a number of manipulative supplemental resources for history and social studies teachers; and (2) to show how similarly manipulative professional development workshops propagate the distorted content and recommended teaching practices of such materials to teachers and their…

This guide completes a 6-year American Textbook Council project on religion in the schools. An inquiry into textbook content expanded into this exposition on religion, curriculum, and character education. The guide explores the sources of moral instruction in an era when spirituality comes in many forms, and cracks in public culture are apparent.…

A study examined public speaking textbooks from the early 1900s to the present time with regard to two major questions: (1) "Have the authors emphasized the link between public speaking skills and the ability of each student to become effective members of society?"; and (2) "To what extent have public speaking texts used the need…

Democratic dispositions and skills can be taught by giving students complex political questions to address thoughtfully. Social studies curriculum in North America is constructed around avoiding controversy and thus suffers from a narrow and sometimes stifling viewpoint. The core of the historical narrative presented in public schools has been…

A study investigated the role of the Saudi Arabian social studies curriculum in helping Saudi students to understand other cultures. Analysis of the content of social studies textbooks revealed that they cover a wide range of cultural information related to countries from around the world. Saudi students start their cultural education in grade 5…

A study considered the tasks for beginning readers posed by currently available beginning reading programs. A set of guidelines for evaluating beginning reading texts was identified. According to the model used, such texts should be "engaging, accessible, and generalizable." These guidelines were used to examine the literature components…

Author probes the development of black studies in our higher education curriculum, the need for black study programs, and black faculty, who are qualified to relate the American black experience. (RK)

This investigation was concerned with the collection and analysis of curricula currently in use in the senior high school dealing with the role of American Negroes in United States history to determine whether the curricula reflected recent historical scholarship. (Author/JM)