The first year of California State University's program to improve university students' critical reading of introductory texts had two objectives: to develop professors' available repertoire of strategies for guiding students' independent learning from texts and to develop students' facility in learning from texts with adjunct guide materials…

Describes one teacher's reading aloud a Paula Danziger novel to motivate a group of adolescents to think and respond critically to read-aloud fiction. Includes examples of discussion strategies used to help students judge word play, recognize different points of view, and evaluate the author's ability to relate to her audience. (ARH)