Search

For thousands of years the craft of reading and writing was the closely guarded monopoly of small elites. Only relatively recently has literacy become available to most people in developed nations. Historical surveys of literacy have used a wide range of definitions of the skills involved, one of the more important of which views reading as a system of decoding written symbols into spoken language. As for the levels of literacy, the media makes new claims all too frequently suggesting that reading and writing abilities are dropping. Consider, however, society's increasing demands on the reading ability of its public. Further, the accelerating advance of technology that has occurred in the latter part of the 20th century can be seen to be partly the result of advanced levels of education and literacy. The organization of society can thus be seen as completely literacy-dependent, and it is up to the schools to "bestow" literacy upon the populace. Unfortunately, for many the process of being educated is not a happy one, and many children do emerge at 16 inadequately literate, and ill-prepared for life. There are some children who arrive at school with more factors that will facilitate the relatively easy transition to literacy than others. There are no doubt some failings in the system. One such failing is that the educational system of England makes little allowance for the varied pace of development of children. (Contains 17 references.) (TB)

The purpose of this paper is to establish the position of the Michigan State Board of Education regarding the humanities through a definition and an explanation of the purposes of the humanities within the schools. The humanities are most clearly identified with philosophy, ethics, comparative religion, history and criticism of the arts. In the K-12 curriculum, the humanities are most frequently taught in the social studies, literature, foreign languages, music, and art courses. The humanities serve the most basic goals of public education by preparing students for citizenship and work environments, as well as enriching and rewarding their personal lives. The humanities can free each individual to pursue in a reflective and responsible way his or her individual vision. (SM)

This essay looks at three kinds of changes in American society over the period from the late 1960s to the mid-1990s. First, data from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) are used to measure trends in college freshmen's political identification, materialism, concern for law and order, and concern for helping others. In all these measures the paper finds that college freshmen have become more conservative. The paper also examines the fate of various reforms and changes, such as making the liberal arts curriculum more "relevant," making academic rules and regulations more flexible, and allowing students a bigger voice in campus affairs. Again, the paper concludes that these reforms were generally failures. Moving off campus, the paper examines other social and political trends over the same period, noting particularly abortion, recreational drugs, and capital punishment. Here again the trend toward conservatism is clear. Finally, the paper finds the most vivid evidence of conservatism in the mellowing of the prominent rebels and protestors of the late 1960s. It concludes that the times have indeed changed, but not quite in the direction that Bob Dylan predicted! (Contains 30 references.) (CH)

Writing needs to be given adequate emphasis in the area of social studies. Teachers should attempt to be creative and to assign different kinds of writing in their classes. This paper discusses possible activities for students in a unit on the Middle East to illustrate diverse purposes in writing. An initial assignment could be to ask students to outline material in a text. Pupils also might be asked to write summaries of content reading. Students might be assigned to write scripts for historical events or even to create illustrations of certain events. It can also be educational to have students build scale models of historical sites, such as the walled city of Jericho. Asking students to write creatively, including poems and fictitious diary entries, concerning an historical event should be considered. For historical controversies, students might summarize pros and cons, as in the case of the 1947 Security Council resolution to divide Palestine into an Arab and a Jewish state. Involving students with creating maps or working in committees to write logs for various factions represented in historical disputes also are methods that prove effective. In short, social studies teachers should guide each student to achieve optionally in writing. (HB)

The author explores the evolution/creation conflict and suggests what educators might do to fulfill their responsibilities with the least offense to the religious beliefs of creationists and with respect for students' right to understand their Western scientific heritage. The paper begins with a history of the confict between creationists and those who believe in evolution. The author explores the movement of evangelical fundamentalists who in the 1920s sought to dislodge evolution and in the 1980s seek equal time for creation science alongside evolution theory. Going back before Darwin to the early church, this dispute is long range over the origin, nature, and future of man, and the universe. It has often been expressed in clashes between religion and science, fundamentalism and modernism, and now born again evangelism and secular humanism. Court cases are described. Creationist organizations and strategies are discussed. Resolutions and policy statements of various groups are included and arguments for and against evolution, scientific creation, and equal time are presented. The last part of the paper talks about what educators can do. School districts should anticipate and prepare early for problems likely to arise. A "Procedures Committee" charged with dealing with conflict situations should be organized. This committee should assemble, maintain, and make available a library of information on evolution/creation and gauge community feelings. Clear procedures to reduce conflict, such as having complaints written and signed, should be articulated. (Author/RM)

This essay is excerpted from the author's book "Divisions within Islam," part of a 10-volume series for middle and high school students on the World of Islam. It provides information on the religious practices and beliefs of Shiism, and its differences with Sunni Islam. It mentions that Shiism is the second-largest denomination of Islam, after Sunni Islam. The most important group within the Shia is the "Twelvers," so called for the 12 Imams, or leaders, they venerate. It notes that the largest concentrations of Shia Muslims are found in the Islamic Republic of Iran, where they make up 89 percent of the country's total population; Iraq, where they comprise 63 percent of the country's total; and Lebanon, where they are 41 percent of the total population. In addition, both communities believe in God (Allah) and his prophet Muhammad; each regards the Qur'an as the exact word of God; and each upholds the obligations to pray, fast, dispense charity, and perform the hajj at Mecca. In contrast to the Sunnis, the Shia believe that Muhammad did in fact name a successor: Ali ibn Abi Talib.

The American Textbook Council identified the nation's leading social studies textbooks based on estimated volume of sales and on adoptions in California, Indiana, North Carolina, Florida, and New York. Three multi-volume elementary-level programs and about a dozen secondary-level history textbooks command the market. The history textbooks at the new century exhibit supercharged graphics and reduced text, and the diversity movement realized in these textbooks is often big, pervasive, and serious in its intention "to alter school history." Special evaluations were conducted in December 1998 and July 1999 at the University of California at Santa Barbara Learning Resources Display Center. The Council commissioned reviews by teachers, textbook experts, and historians. The three main conclusions of this study of leading elementary- and secondary-level history textbooks are that currently: (1) gutted textbooks and the passing of close reading as a central learning activity pose profound challenges to literacy and habits of thought; (2) editorial confusion reigns in the subject of history; (3) content is thinner and thinner and is increasingly deformed by identity politics and group pieties; and (4) publishers should be producing cheaper books that are more text-centered, simpler in design, and more honest in content. (Includes 18 footnotes and a checklist for reviewing textbooks.) (BT)

The best way to develop a unique identity for the National Education Debate Association (NEDA) is to debate propositions distinct from National Debate Tournament (NDT) and the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA). A neglected area of debate includes propositions temporally framed in the past. Yet, the present propositional categories of fact, value, and policy can explicitly incorporate a temporal frame of reference. Specifically, a taxonomy can be created that includes a temporal frame. Thus, there can be propositions of past, present, and future fact, value, and policy. Debating such propositions would entail extensive use of counterfactual knowledge. Murphy (1969) argues that "counterfactuals were an essential method of historians; these were by their nature (are) unverifiable propositions." The fact that they are unverifiable has led to criticism of counter factuals as a form of logic. Thus, standards need to be applied in the assessment of counterfactual scenarios. It should be noted, however, that counterfactuals are a common model of logic in a number of areas, such as legal argumentation and the study of economics. The advantages of an historical approach at the NEDA debate are numerous: (1) the educational focus of competitive debate would be expanded; (2) most students have dead spots in their understanding of American history and such a debate format would offer an opportunity to students to become stronger in these areas; and (3) debating historical perspectives may improve the quality of argumentation. (TB)

As early childhood programs face the challenges of becoming more comprehensive, better coordinated with other service providers in the community, and better attuned to the importance of consistency of care between home and child care, the demand to integrate early childhood education and child care with family support is growing. This report discusses the background, conceptual framework, and practices of family support programs that are successful in integrating practice into early childhood education and child care settings. Section 1 describes the separate histories of the child care and family support movements. Section 2 provides a conceptual framework for integrating family support principles and practices into early childhood education and child care settings. Section 3 discusses a set of principles derived from practices of successful family support programs, including: (1) an ecological approach to promoting child and adult development; (2) a preventive rather than remedial orientation; (3) a focus on families' strengths rather than their weaknesses; (4) a sensitivity to local needs and resources; (5) a recognition that all families need information and social supports; and (6) a commitment to empower individuals and families with the goal of self-sufficiency. Sections on integrating practices with principles and a typology for integrating family support principles and practices are followed by four examples of family support in early education and child care settings. Contains 23 references. (DR)