(2003). Strengthening Education in the Muslim World. Summary of the Desk Study. Issue Paper.
This issue paper, one in a series that United States Agency for International Development (USAID) produces, provides analytical input to policy makers and practitioners on ways to address the pressing educational challenges in the Muslim world. The paper summarizes the findings and guidance contained in a full report of a three month desk study that analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of secular and Islamic educational systems in 12 Muslim countries (Egypt, Morocco, Yemen, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Uzbekistan). It focuses particularly on access to and quality of secular and Islamic education. Key findings of the report are: (1) most countries studied have made significant strides in primary school enrollment in secular/public education systems, although secondary enrollment rates remain low; and (2) one of the strengths of Islamic schools in most of the countries studied is that they are highly accessible, and most do not appear to… [PDF]
(1985). Curriculum and Syllabus Design in ELT. Report on the Dunford House Seminar (England, United Kingdom, July 16-26, 1984).
Proceedings of a seminar on curriculum and syllabus design for training English-as-a-Second-Language teachers are presented in the form of papers, presentations, and summary narrative. They include: "Curriculum and Syllabus Design in ELT"; "Key Issues in Curriculum and Syllabus Design for ELT" (Christopher Brumfit); "Approaches to Curriculum Design" (Janet Maw); "Graded Objectives in Modern Languages" (Sheila Rowell); "Performance Objectives in the Hong Kong DTEO" (Richard Cauldwell); "The Relationship between Teaching and Learning" (Dick Allwright); "Three Basic Requirements of Teaching and Teaching Methods" (Robert O'Neill); "The Implementation of Communicative Syllabuses" (Keith Johnson); "Evaluating Curricula and Syllabus" (Charles Alderson); "Examinations" (Charles Alderson); "Educational Technology and Curriculum Renewal" (Martin Phillips); "The Organisation and… [PDF]
(1993). Arab World Almanac 1993.
This document is a collection of three lessons to assist high school teachers in introducing the Arab world to their classrooms. The intended purpose of the lessons is to promote greater cross cultural awareness, understanding of the interdependence of peoples and nations, and appreciation for the different approaches other cultures may choose in trying to solve the social, economic, political, and environmental problems that everyone share. The three lessons contained in this document are: (1) Women and the Family in the Arab World; (2) Central Asia, Past and Present; and (3) Government and Democracy in the Arab World. Each lesson includes lesson objectives, classroom exercises and activities, and suggested background references. The first lesson includes a background essay on women and the family, an essay on the veil and one comparing marriage and family law in the United States and the Arab world, and a short story. Statistical charts on urbanization, labor, education, and… [PDF]
(1995). Children in the Muslim Middle East.
The Middle East has been undergoing vast social and economic change, but in all reports available today, little attention has been paid to the situation of children. The purpose of this book is to help readers better understand the children of the Middle East to give a sense of their lives today and a sense of attitudes toward children and their problems held by leaders, writers, parents, teachers, and social scientists. This book contains 41 works about children, translated from several languages and presented in many genres, scholarly articles (in social science, history, and literature), poetry, speeches, proverbs, interviews, short stories, folk tales, and lullabies. Fifteen countries are represented in the collection: Kuwait, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Sudan, Iraq, and Occupied Territories. The book has eight parts: (1) "Introduction," discussing the Muslim religion, urgent children's issues, and a…
(2004). TIMSS 2003 International Mathematics Report: Findings from IEA's Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study at the Fourth and Eighth Grades. International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement
The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 is the most recent in a very ambitious series of international assessments conducted in nearly 50 countries to measure trends in mathematics and science learning. The aim of TIMSS, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, is to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics and science by providing data about students' achievement in relation to different types of curricula, instructional practices, and school environments. The variation across the nearly 50 participating countries provides a unique opportunity to study different approaches to educational practices and how these can improve achievement. TIMSS is a project of the International Association for the Evaluation of International Achievement (IEA), an independent international cooperative of national research institutions and government agencies that has been conducting studies of cross-national achievement since 1959. Conducted first… [PDF]
(2000). CNN Newsroom Classroom Guides, October 2000.
These classroom guides, designed to accompany the daily CNN (Cable News Network) Newsroom broadcasts for the month of October 2000, provide program rundowns, suggestions for class activities and discussion, student handouts, and a list of related news terms. Top stories include: Chinese authorities detain Falun Gong protesters on Tiananmen Square and Pope John Paul II angers China by canonizing Chinese martyrs, U.S. presidential candidates prepare for the first presidential debate, U.S. presidential candidates debate education issues, Danville, Kentucky prepares for the first U.S. vice presidential debate, and Yugoslav protesters seize parliament (October 2-6); Yugoslavian president Vojislav Kostunica takes office, recent clashes between Arabs and Israelis concern neighboring Arab states, North Korea observes 55 years of communism with celebrations, Al Gore and George W. Bush meet in the second presidential debate, and Violence in the Mideast and an attack on a U.S. ship in Yemen…
(1995). Directory of Early Childhood Care and Education Organizations in the Arab States.
The care and education of children is a primary task of all societies, and the role of parents, families, and communities is essential in this process. This directory describes the major activities of 64 non-governmental and governmental organizations, based on 12 Arab countries (Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen), involved in early childhood care and education. Pertinent data on these organizations' young child, family, and community programs and their information activities is included. The directory is intended for professionals working with and for children, to facilitate communication and information sharing in order to improve the situation of children. Directory information was compiled through a questionnaire sent to 240 organizations in Arab states. A sample questionnaire is included with the directory to encourage users to update the information provided. Two articles offer an overview of the situation… [PDF]
(1997). CNN Newsroom Classroom Guides. April 1-30, 1997.
These classroom guides, designed to accompany the daily CNN (Cable News Network) Newsroom broadcasts for the month of April, provide program rundowns, suggestions for class activities and discussion, student handouts, and a list of related news terms. Headlines include: Arab League boycott, Zaire peace talks, Russia and Belarus sign agreement, April Fool's Day blizzard in northeastern United States, Israelis and Arabs blame each other for renewed violence, and some strawberries served in school lunches in six states may be tainted with Hepatitis A (April 1-4); Israeli bus firebombed, aborted space shuttle Columbia mission, U.S. attempts without success to revive the Mideast peace process, no peace in Zaire as civil war continues, riots in Hebron, space shuttle Columbia returns, Zaire president Mobutu fires his new prime minister and the rebels give Mobutu a 3-day ultimatum, Hong Kong leaders request U.S. pressure on China as the date for the hand-over nears, and Russian space…