Elementary social studies textbooks

Recent criticisms of textbooks have included accusations of favoring breadth over depth, dry writing, lack of context, failure to integrate minority groups, and overillustration. Social studies texts have, in addition, been criticized for meaning-less content, unclear goals, inadequate explanation, separation of knowledge from skills, and other failings. The authors of this article have specified other common faults. As a corrective, they suggests a return to the notion of developing curricula as means to accomplish major goals phrased in terms of intended student outcomes, and aligning social studies instruction with major social education goals.