Expanding the Horizons of the Present through History: History Textbook for Grade 9 (Horizontai Series)

Review of: Jūratė Litvinaitė, Ramunė Šmigelskytė-Stukienė, Haroldas Maselis. Istorija: vadovėlis 9 klasei. 1 dalis (serija „Horizontai“). Vilnius: Šviesa, 2023. – 218 p. ISBN 9785430072537; Jūratė Litvinaitė, Rūta Šermukšnytė, Darius Dumčius. Istorija: vadovėlis 9 klasei, 2 dalis (serija „Horizontai“). Vilnius: Šviesa, 2024. – 224 p. ISBN 9785430072544.

Abstract

The review discusses the History Textbook for Grade 9 published by Šviesa Publishing House in the Horizontai series: volume 1 (written by Jūratė Litvinaitė, Ramunė Šmigelskytė-Stukienė and Haroldas Maselis) and volume 2 (written by Jūratė Litvinaitė, Rūta Šermukšnytė and Darius Dumčius). The textbook focuses on current issues and their links with the past. The extensive introduction of new methods (creating historical narrative, phenomenon-based education, etc.) contributes to the textbook’s innovative character, strongly oriented towards the development of students’ higher skills. The variety of project activities, research, and assignments in both volumes of the textbook enables to differentiate history teaching according to the different interests and abilities of the students.