Evaluating a foreign social studies book used in a Lebanese school. (c2005)

Abstract

This project aims at designing a manual that limits the discrepancies between the American books and the Lebanese culture. An evaluation of the American social studies textbook is conducted. It reveals the gap between the book and the Lebanese students. Based on this evaluation, negat ive and positive points are pointed out. As for the positive points, the content and activities, ski ll s, different strategies, logical sequence and development, speci fic objectives, and a number of evaluation activities are high ly recommendable. On the other hand, one negative point is that the textbook is designed to meet the needs of American grade one students and not Lebanese students. The history and geography that revolves around the Un ited States is not relevant to the Lebanese culture. Target vocabulary words are beyond the Lebanese students' level. Thus, based on these observations, a modified Lebanese unit is designed as a suppl ement to the American textbook. A review of literature is conducted to support the unit on citizenship education and the strategies for teaching it in primary grades. Citi zenship plays an important role in the social studies curriculum where children learn facts about their country and develop a positive attitude towards it. The methodologies reveal that citizenship education should be taught through a variety of activities rather than depending on the textbook alone. This designed manual includes a unit about Lebanon, compri sing two chapters. Many skills and activities are highli ghted, meeting the standards and levels of grade one Lebanese students. Several worksheets, handouts, and lesson plans are avai lable to guide the process of teaching the designed unit.