Criteria for Writing Textbooks and Other Teaching Materials

INTRODUCTION/GENERAL PRINCIPLES Textbooks are to be written in adherence with the given subject-area content and objectives of the national curriculum, and in harmony with general educational goals. Textbooks are drafted for a specific grade level, subject/subjects or course/courses, and are normally the primary teaching material. Nonetheless, textbooks should integrate topics and vocabulary from various subject areas to help provide a multifaceted and integrated educational experience. Emphasis in grade one is on integrated textbooks. From grade two on, textbooks are more subject specific. A subject is to be developed systematically throughout one textbook and should address a specific group of students. Textbooks are to be geared towards the students, not the teacher, and should be based on the students experiences. Teaching materials are meant to support teachers, not restrict them. Each teacher determines how and to what extent a textbook will be used. All textbooks must progressively develop the students language skills so that they are able to comprehend, systematise, appreciate and contemplate facts and experiences, and are able to effectively communicate their own knowledge and opinions in speech and in writing. Textbooks should do more than just communicate information. They should promote critical and creative thought. At the same time, textbooks must help students recognise the limits of their own thinking and promote mutual understanding in social situations in order to contribute to problem-solving. Textbooks should incite a desire to learn so children will know/sense when to doubt, ask questions and when they need additional information. Ideally, a textbook will help students find and process information, and help them to generate and evaluate alternatives for solving everyday problems in the family and society. Textbooks should help students relate new information to existing knowledge. Textbooks must encourage the development of sympathetic, fair and honest people so that students can make a positive contribution to society, both as individuals and as a group. Teaching materials should encourage students to treat others with respect, and promote behaviour that reflects an educated, rational and active sense of responsibility. Textbooks should encourage students to use information to their benefit, to look for creative solutions, to experiment, and should provide the opportunity for students to evaluate their own performance. Follow-up exercises should support the educational process and encourage students to engage in independent study. Content and illustrations should avoid bias and stereotypes which incite gender, ethnic, cultural or racial prejudice. In order to avoid such stereotypes, references to different professions, social strata and economic circumstances must be chosen with care. It is important that a textbook help students to understand their role in the family and society. A textbook should progressively promote a students sense of belonging as a citizen of Estonia, Europe and the world.

I. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Teaching materials must conform to the technical requirements set by the Ministry of Education, including that they must be large enough for a child to hold comfortably. No emphasis is to be marked on syllables. Textbooks should not contain glossaries. Instead they should include a list of vocabulary, a list of synonyms, etc. Block letters (A,B,C) should be used for the first half of the year in grade one. Normal printed letters (a, b, c) should be used starting from the second half of the year in grade one. Art styles and colours on facing pages should not conflict. Coloured areas and font should be large enough to ensure that they will be registered in the printing process. Artists are to be advised not to use fluorescent inks, since they cannot be reproduced accurately.

II. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 1. 2. Transportation should be shown such that attention is drawn to sustainable use of the environment. Public transportation should be depicted instead of large cars, especially with only one occupant. People should also be shown walking or riding a bicycle to reach their destinations. This should be depicted as not only enjoyable but as an excellent way to conserve energy.

3.

4.

5.

6. 7. 8.

People and groups of people should be depicted in situations which reflect an average standard of living. Subject matter and illustrations should avoid focusing on things which suggest great wealth (luxury yachts, private jets, expensive jewellery). Not only should consideration be given to the general level of technological development, but every effort should be made to take into account projected trends such as the ever-increasing use of the Internet and other communications technologies. The environment and human activity shown should demonstrate respect for plants as living things, regardless of whether they are cultivated or growing in the wild, as well as protection of domestic and wild animals. Regulations regarding endangered species must be kept in mind. Urban, suburban or rural life should not be idealized or glamorized, and a balance of different settings should be used. When depicting urban areas, special attention should be paid to presenting them as healthy, people-friendly environments for both children and adults. Where appropriate, text and illustrations should reflect the growing emphasis on reducing consumption, reuse and recycling.

III. SOCIAL ISSUES A. THE ELDERLY 1. 2. 3. 4. Elderly women and men should be shown to reflect dignity and wellness. They should not be arbitrarily depicted in unfashionable clothing. Middle-aged and elderly persons should be depicted together with younger generations. Groups of people should be made up of people of different ages. Do not allow stereotypes such as grey hair, canes, wire-rimmed glasses and rocking chairs etc. to dominate. Elderly persons should be depicted as involved in many activities which are beneficial to society and their own positive self-image.

B. THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED 1. 2. 3. Physically challenged persons should be depicted as part of the group involved in the mainstream of events, and subject matter should include their lifestyles and achievements. They should also be seen in a leadership role. Physically challenged children and adults should be depicted in various environments and interacting with other people. The ability of the physically challenged to cope with everyday life and to adapt to the environment should be shown. This will draw attention to their special needs, such as those of people in wheelchairs.

C. MINORITIES Photographs and illustrations should convey the ethnic diversity of the country. Minorities should be depicted as having social status equal to that of the majority. The names and personalities of characters should reflect a diversity of cultures and social tolerance. Illustrators should bear in mind that not all members of an ethnic group look alike, but rather that physical characteristic vary widely. Portraits of any ethnic group, be it Koreans, Georgians, Azerbaijanis, Uzbeks or Tartars, should be realistic and recognisable. 5. Exaggerations, which often lead to distortion of physical characteristics, should be avoided. Distinctive physical features such as the eyes of Asians should be depicted realistically. 6. Illustrations should promote a positive self-image for people of all ages and ethnic groups. Leadership roles in various activities and professions should be divided equally among members of different ethnic groups. 7. When depicting skin colour, artists should make sure that the skin colour is the same once printed, and that it is the same each time for characters that are used repeatedly. Skin tone may vary among members of the same family. 8. Skin tone may be omitted from black and white illustrations if the distinctive features of the ethnic group can be depicted in some other way. 9. Hairstyles should be realistic and not too trendy or offensive. 10. Reference to stereotypes regarding social and economic circumstances in the past should be avoided, unless they are portrayed in an historical context. 11. The cultural contribution and distinctive lifestyles of ethnic groups (such as nomadic gypsies) should be depicted in a positive, culturally tolerant way. D. GENDER EQUALITY 1. 2. Teaching materials should portray a balance of men/boys and women/girls in active roles and different age groups. A ratio of 50:50 should be adhered to in both content and illustrations. Both sexes should be depicted as being engaged in independent activities as, well as in leadership roles. 1. 2. 3. 4.

3.

Both sexes should be depicted equally in domestic situations, doing household chores and caring for children. The opportunity to portray single parents in a positive light should not be overlooked. 4. In portraying groups, illustrators should bear in mind that some women are taller than some men. 5. Women should be shown to be as capable of making decisions and as mentally strong as men so that they can serve as role-models for children. At the same time, men should sometimes be shown as caregivers and protectors. The text and illustrations should recognise the contribution of working women and stay-at-home fathers. 6. Avoid words that specify the gender of a person. Use chairperson not chairman, flight attendant not stewardess, actor not actress, mail carrier not mailman. 7. When depicting children at play, do not show boys playing only with traditionally boys' toys and girls playing only with traditionally girls' toys. 8. Childhood stereotypes should be avoided: tomboys, sissies, wall flowers, etc. 9. Authors and illustrators should bear in mind that people of both sexes experience a wide range of emotions: fear, terror, anxiety, anger, sorrow, affection, boldness, gentleness, tenderness. 10. True friendship between people of different sexes should be depicted. 11. Women, regardless of race, should be shown to be involved in the mainstream of events and endeavours, regardless of whether the action is placed in the past or the present. They should not be shown as mere observers or only from a male perspective. E. GENERAL SOCIAL CONCERNS 1. 2. 3. Clothing should be appropriate for the situation and activity depicted. Illustrations are relevant for a longer time if they avoid depicting trends, even if the trends are widespread. All women who are cooking or cleaning should not necessarily be shown wearing an apron, although an apron may sometimes be appropriate. 4. Clothing and jewellery made of leopard skin, ivory and other endangered species should not be shown. 5. Violence and weapons must not be depicted in any manner. If a text contains violent episodes, an illustration of the text should not focus on them. 6. Avoid excessive depictions of flags. 7. Photos depicting famous persons must be complimentary and should not display the authors personal opinion. Avoid the use of out-dated photos of contemporary persons and the depiction of flash in the pan celebrities. 8. The dignity and importance of an honest career in the service industry, trade, business or any other area should be reflected in both the text and illustrations. 9. Discussions and illustrations dealing with religion or churches should include all major religious groups. Opinions about religion, especially negatives ones, should be avoided. 10. References in the text or illustrations to satanic rituals or black magic should not be made.

IV. ILLUSTRATION CRITERIA A. PEOPLE 1. Foreshortening: distorting perspectives can be used as a theatrical device to better convey the events and mood in an illustration. The illustrator must take care to ensure that the illustration is comprehensible and unambiguous. Grotesqueries: characterisations of distinctive facial features to emphasise individuality (big nose, big ears, buckteeth, big lips) should be avoided. Facial features must be depicted clearly and accurately. Exaggerated perspectives that show people grotesquely should be avoided.

2. 3.

B. ENVIRONMENTS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Living environments and backgrounds should reflect the diversity of architecture in the countrys different regions. Illustrations should depict different types of well-maintained housing and avoid depicting extreme wealth or extreme poverty. Illustrations should depict a variety of building types: apartment buildings, townhouses, single family houses and skyscrapers. Where feasible, both urban and rural settings should be used as a background. Where appropriate, a variety of public buildings should be shown. Telephone numbers shown in illustrations should begin with the numbers 555 or some other combination of numbers which is not in use.

C. TABOOS IN ART 1. Anatomical inaccuracies should be avoided. The eyes of Asians must not be drawn as slits with one diagonal line. Eyes and eyelids must be accurately drawn.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Trademarks and other details which may serve as advertising for a particular product should be avoided. Artists should not depict smoking or the consumption of alcohol or narcotics, or any object that suggests their use. Illustrations should not depict so-called junk food such as popcorn, candy, French fries and other non-nutritious foods. Violence against people or animals should not be shown. Accidental injury may be shown if this cannot be avoided due to the subject matter; however, the depiction should not be graphic. Comical situations and farces should avoid cruelty or violence towards any of the characters. Graffiti should not be depicted unless it is clearly tied to a lesson to be learned.