| Abstrakt: |
This article discusses issues related to printed materials as the core of instructional materials in schools in the U.S. This review examines the problems involved in the printed materials such as textbook content, format, size and style of type. The article also reviews the problems pertaining to the role of free textbooks and their administration in city school systems. In the review, the author found that the application of readability formulas in order to determine grade placement seems to have been dealt with more widely than other problems. As a result textbooks, supplementary materials, and encyclopedias are now more correctly placed as to grade than was the case in years ago. However, some findings indicate that such materials still tend to be overgraded. The vocabulary load in basic reading materials has been given extensive attention. Further research regarding the vocabulary and concept load in the content areas is needed. Research findings indicate that textbooks are free of intentional bias toward other culture groups. However, much that is unintentional is found in printed materials because of careless wording, omissions, and stereotyping. |
