Argues that reading specialists' lack of success in persuading content area teachers to help their students read and study texts in social studies, science, and mathematics is a result of reading specialists' lack of careful thought about text structures. Discusses the text structures of textbooks in these content areas. (RS)

This paper examines the problem of content reading by elementary school age children and gives teachers advice to facilitate learning of expository text. Armbruster, Anderson, and Ostertag (1987) identified some of the difficulties students have with content reading to be lack of interest, lack of motivation, and insufficient prior knowledge.…

This article summarizes the literature on effective textbook instruction and offers suggestions for special educators and content instructors to work together to maximize effective instruction with students who have reading difficulties. Specific techniques for activating prior knowledge, helping students become more active thinkers, and…