Using Textbooks with Students Who Cannot Read Them

Abstract

Too many students have difficulty comprehending information presented in the textbooks intended for their use. One reason for this is that textbooks are often organized so that the task of reading and thinking about them is made unduly difficult. Further, teacher editions offer little in the way of helping teachers improve the textbook's usability for students who struggle with reading. This article summarizes the existing literature on effective textbook instruction. The author then proposes how special educators and content instructors can combine their talents to compensate for poorly written books and maximize good books when teaching all their students, but particularly those students who do not learn in the expected ways.

Study Guides: Teacher Tips: A Review of Literature with Practical Implications

“…Study guides are the instructional aids that act as critical thinking stimulators engaging students in learning processes; they accompany reading, before, during, and after (Bean & Ericson, 1989;Bean, Singer, & Cowan, 1985;Ciborowski, 1992;Ciborowski, 1995;Palardy, 1997;Wood, 1988;Wood, Lapp, & Flood, 1992).…”

“…Benefits of mutual cooperation can be increased through the generation of ideas, ownership in process and product, and a clear focus on reading purpose (Ciborowski, 1995;Dettmer, Dyck, & Thurston, 1996). Teachers should never attempt, in one year's time, to construct study guides as a support curriculum for an entire textbook.…”

“…The "how" of reading a textbook, what to do in order to comprehend and remember what is being read, is not part of these teachers' instructional emphases. Imparting knowledge via textbooks can be formidable and overwhelmingly difficult (Ciborowski, 1995;Gunning, 2003;Lovitt & Hoi-ton, 1989;Snider & Tarver, 1987). However, just reading a textbook has little bearing on the development of higher order thinking, comprehension skills, concept building, and overall principle development (Ciborowski, 1995(Ciborowski, , litendra, et.…”

“…Study guides, which enable students to draw upon their existing knowledge to assist them in formulating meaning from the text, are constructive, dynamic (affective and cognitive), and interactive tools. Study guides are designed to increase student involvement, highlight key information, and provide students with a preview of expectations (Anderson & Pearson, 1984;Blake & Young, 1995;Ciborowski, 1995;Davey, 1986;Peters & Wixson, 1984). Study guides, as the name implies, help students maneuver their way through text, and, in the meantime, allow students an easier time comprehending content and performing activities that are related to the information being taught.…”

Stratégies d’apprentissage par la lecture rapportées par des élèves en difficulté d’apprentissage de première secondaire en classe de cheminement particulier de formation

“…Plusieurs situations d'apprentissage sont utilisées à l'école, mais l'une d'entre elles est particulièrement importante pour tous les élèves qui désirent réussir leurs cours et obtenir leur diplôme : apprendre par la lecture (Barton, 1997 ;Ciborowski, 1995 ;Ellis et Lenz, 1990 ;Laparra, 1991 ;Vacca, 1998). Nous concevons l'apprentissage par la lecture comme une situation et un processus par lesquels le lecteur/apprenant acquiert des connaissances par la lecture de textes informatifs et ce, en gérant cette situation et son environnement de travail, tout en étant motivé à le faire (Cartier, 2000).…”