An Evaluation of the Writing Tasks within “English for Me” Omani Textbook: A Book Review (Published)
Acknowledging the crucial role that writing tasks play in developing curriculum and fostering language skills, this study sets out to evaluate an English skills book utilized in the public schools of the Sultanate of Oman, particularly targeting eighth-grade students. The study used an in-depth analysis of the writing exercises within the book, employing eight evaluation criteria derived from existing literature. The primary discovery from this research is the book’s adept incorporation of impactful writing exercises, employing modals, genre and process approaches. Nevertheless, the findings suggest certain limitations of the book, such as its failure to integrate writing activities with other skills like speaking, listening, and reading, its neglect of the specific types and themes of writing questions in exams, and its minimal emphasis on the appropriate level of formality in the activities.
Keywords: Evaluation, Textbook, writing tasks
The Development of Initial Textbook Product of Local Historical Heritage for Class IV Students of Primary School in Raya District of Simalungun, Indonesia (Published)
Material presented contains historical heritage outside the local area (Simalungun District) is that the students in following the effective learning process and students’ knowledge of the existing historical heritage in the local area (Simalungun District) are very low due to the lack of learning resources that can provide explanations. Textbook used as a learning resource in the fourth grade of SD Negeri No. 091317 Pamatang Raya, SD Negeri No. 091341 Bintang Mariah, SD Negeri No. 091332 Raya Bayu, and SD Negeri no. 095160 Sihubu cannot meet the students’ needs in learning the subject matter on the basic competence of “appreciating the historical heritage in the local environment (district/city, province) and preserve it”.
Keywords: Local Heritage, Primary School, Simalungun, Textbook
The Issue of Gender in Elementary Schools’ Hebrew textbooks for the Arab Sector in Israel (Published)
The educational system in the 21st century is still a sociological representative preserving the social and gender structure in society. The school is a ‘greenhouse’ for strengthening and refinement gender stereotyped identity already in young age, by teaching and imitating the behavior described in the textbooks This article examines the status of women and female students in the Hebrew textbooks in the elementary school studied in the Arab sector in relation to two aspects: the method of teaching of the Hebrew language in the past and in present time, in relation to women’s status. The examination was made by texts and illustrations of textbooks.This study examined the third grade book of ‘Mifgash’ (meetings), it also tested 11 texts in four textbooks from the series of “Ivrit Laderech” (Learning Hebrew) from the third to the sixth grade, in which women have a central leading role.
Keywords: Arab sector, Elementary School, Gender, Hebrew, Textbook, stereotypes