Chapter+14+Reading+to+Understand+Textbooks

Reading to Understand Textbooks
Pages 233-238 Photo: google images. http://www.google.com/imgres?q=textbooks&hl=en&biw=1144&bih=657&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=z7g7E5wT0Nq5YM:&imgrefurl=http

Textbooks are some of the most challenging texts students will encounter in school. They are full of difficult concepts, demanding vocabulary, and unfamiliar ideas that many students find complex and struggle to understand. Harvey and Goudvis (2007) contend that teachers need to take the strategies that are taught with other texts and apply them to textbook reading to help students overcome the obstacles they encounter with textbooks. It is no longer acceptable to assign a chapter and have the students answer the questions at the end to determine understanding, as the authors state, "we have a responsibility to provide kids with an arsenal of strategies to help them deal with and get the most out of the textbook" (p. 235). Page 236 has a figure about being an active reader with textbooks that can be a helpful tool for teachers when thinking about helping students read textbooks.

When thinking about using the textbook for instruction, Harvey and Goudvis (2007) consider some of the following obstacles you might encounter with the text and your students' abilities to tackle the information.The textbooks don't need to be the only text you draw from to engage in and teach from for content knowledge and skills. Drawing from other resources to supplement and enhance the content is critically important. Here is the list of items to think about when developing a lesson based off of a textbook:
 * "Quality and accuracy of information
 * Clarity of the writing and explanations
 * Amount and accessibility of the information
 * Logical organization on the page and within and across chapters
 * Reasonable use of features, fonts, and call-outs and how they explain information
 * Heading, subheadings, and other signposts that guide the reader through the text" (p. 234).

__Professional References to Extend Your Learning__
Moss, B. (2005). Making a case and a place for effective content area literacy instruction in the elementary grades. //The Reading Teacher, 59//(1), 46-55. @http://www.jstor.org/stable/20204318
 * This article highlights the importance of using content area literacy in the classroom early in the elementary years and throughout school to help students become better consumers of informational text (which includes textbooks). It outlines content literacy in the elementary years, gives the reasoning behind using informational content texts in the classroom, and how to implement that practice effectively.

Daniels, H., & Zemelman, S. (2004). //Subjects matter: Every teacher's guide to content-area reading.// Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
 * The authors of this book provide teachers with engaging and enthusiastic ways to teach content specific subjects to adolescents. The different activities presented help students read various topics and texts, especially textbooks. This is another supplement to Strategies That Work that can extend student's understanding.

===__**Technology Resources to Support Reading to Understand Textbooks**__ ===

Virtual Field Trips. When using your textbook that may not share enough information, take your students on a virtual field trip that can help develop a greater understanding of the topic. Useful sites to aid in building field trips:
 * @http://www.internet4classrooms.com/vft.htm
 * @http://www.theteachersguide.com/virtualtours.html
 * @http://www.techtrekers.com/virtualft.htm
 * @http://www.areavibes.com/library/online-field-trips-for-students/

Using the interactive whiteboard or document camera, model reading a science or social studies chapter to teach the students how to pay close attention to the text structure. This allows students to hear you think aloud through the process of reading a difficult text for better understanding.