An 11 page chapter from a sixth grade social studies text was used in a study assessing the complexities of comprehending social studies materials and the sensitivity of prospective and experienced teachers to these complexities. A sentence-by-sentence analysis of the thinking operations required for mastery of the material showed that numerous…

A determination of the reading grade placement levels (GPLs) and final course grades of community college students in relationship to the GPLs of their assigned social science textbooks was the focus of a study at Citrus Community College (Florida). Dale-Chall readability placement levels were calculated for eight textbooks used in 19 classes of…

This resource manual supplement presents selected inservice teacher education materials developed in 1982 by two-year college staff for use in local faculty development programs in New York. Introductory material identifies the goal of the inservice project, i.e., to enhance student success in postsecondary occupational programs by increasing…

Papers in this report were presented at a conference on text characteristics, convened as part of the Learning from Text Project. The foreword describes the University of California and California State University Joint Projects Steering Committee project to determine the relationship between ability to learn from text and academic achievement,…

Intended as a resource of staff-tested activities for two-year college faculty, staff, and administrators, this manual is a compilation of representative materials from training workshops conducted, as a professional development project, to increase instructor skills and knowledge regarding intervention in reading deficiency of postsecondary…

This volume describes a study of 10 frequently used eighth grade U. S. history textbooks which were examined to determine the extent to which they reflected pluralism in the United States, promoted the concept of global interdependence, and were educationally sound. The ten texts examined were: "American History for Today" (Ginn), "America: Its…

Ten frequently used eighth grade U.S. history textbooks were examined to determine the extent to which they reflected the pluralistic nature of the United States, promoted the concept of global interdependence, and were educationally sound. This volume includes checklists completed by 16 individual reviewers. For each completed checklist, specific…

Designed for curriculum directors, teachers, and others as they conduct inservice education activities which focus on helping those who have primary responsibility for selecting and evaluating instructional materials, this volume presents selected sections from Volume I of the "1982-83 Michigan Social Studies Textbook Study." In this study, ten…

This article discusses Japanese students' difficulties in reading English, overviews some of the problems of college English textbooks, presents the results of research on the subject, and discusses characteristics of measures of readability. Teaching methods that have proven effective with Japanese students and activities for engaging students in…

A readability study for the Albuquerque Technical-Vocational Institute (T-VI) was undertaken to provide information regarding the reading ability required to complete training and to function in entry-level jobs. Readability formulas were applied to materials used in training and on the job. In addition, students were tested for level of reading,…

This guide, one in a series of works dealing with adult literacy education, is designed to help adult reading program staff to select adult literacy materials. Examined in the first section of the guide are the commercially prepared basal and supplemental reading materials that are available for use in the Jefferson County Adult Reading Program…

Intended to address the problems associated with functionally illiterate students, this manual provides vocational educators with strategies for incorporating reading skills into specific content area instruction. The exercises stress the skills necessary to assess vocational classroom reading materials, develop content specific vocabulary, and…

This report provides vocational teachers with readability information for selected vocational texts. Selected texts are categorized and appear in charts according to 21 vocational programs: accounting, air conditioning and refrigeration, automotive shop (automotive body and fender repair, automotive mechanics), aviation shop, business, carpentry,…

This "Writers' Handbook" was prepared in response to the many requests for "a book that tells how to write textbooks and other educational materials for schools." These requests have come from educators of other countries as well as from the United States. The authors believe that the handbook holds valuable information and suggestions for heads…