Reviews research on the effects of world knowledge and text structure variables on reading comprehension. Concludes that text structure variables exert influence only when the subject matter is moderately unfamiliar and are redundant in reading familiar or very difficult material. Suggests knowledge and structure variables should be manipulated…

One way of helping learners to develop knowledge, skills, and predispositions essential for independent learning is by teaching reading in content areas to help learners acquire the necessary strategies to use reading and writing to gain new knowledge. Conent area texts pose differing demands because each body of knowledge has its own framework…

Describes challenges for teacher educators who want to help students move beyond talk about text that recalls facts to talk that supports interpretation and crafting of text. A case study describes how one teacher candidate struggled to reconcile what she thought teaching was with new ways of talking about text. (SM)