The UCL Centre for Holocaust Education has produced "Understanding the Holocaust: How and why did it happen?", a research-informed Key Stage 3 textbook. It is the only one of its kind in the world. To date, 37,000 copies have been distributed free of charge to over 1,000 schools.
Class sets of the textbook are available, free of charge, to any teacher in a state maintained school in England on completion of a short CPD course. The textbook is aimed at history teachers, but other teachers are eligible for a class set if they intend to use the book extensively.
The textbook has been written in direct response to the findings of our 2016 research into students’ knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust. It aims to improve understanding of the Holocaust by:
- Providing an appropriate historical overview of key aspects of the Holocaust
- Helping to develop understanding of the roots of antisemitism
- Deepening knowledge of key individuals, places and events
- Encouraging students to challenge common myths and misconceptions
- Exercising and refining understanding of key historical concepts (e.g. change and continuity, significance, evidence, etc.)
- Enabling students to establish a sound knowledge base so as to answer the questions of how and why did the Holocaust happen
- Supporting students to appreciate the impact of the Holocaust on ordinary people
- Inviting students to consider the historical importance of the Holocaust and its significance today
