Values Embedded in Social Studies Textbooks for the Basic Stage in Jordan

The study aimed to identify the extent to which values are embedded in social studies textbooks for the basic stage in Jordan. To achieve the aim of the study, a content analysis tool (values checklist) was developed, consisting of 77 values distributed across three domains: ethical values (17 values), social values (26 values), and national values (34 values). The study sample comprised the social studies textbooks adopted in the 2024–2025 academic year for the fourth and fifth grades in both the first and second semesters, totaling four textbooks. The descriptive analytical methodology was employed. The results revealed that the total frequency of values included in the textbooks for both grades was 872 occurrences. Social values ranked first with 413 occurrences, followed by national values with 387 occurrences, while ethical values ranked third with 72 occurrences. The findings also indicated that some values were highly represented, whereas others were included to a limited extent. The study recommended enriching the presence of ethical values in social studies textbooks for the basic stage, adding values with limited frequencies, and presenting values in an activity-based, practical manner.