Prior chemistry education research has demonstrated a relationship between student reading skill and general chemistry course performance. In addition to student characteristics, however, the qualities of the learning materials with which students interact also impact student learning. For example, low-knowledge students benefit from texts that…

The importance of the course books in language teaching leads the way to the evaluation of them. Evaluating the teaching materials specially course books can help teachers to understand more about language learning. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate English Results course books which are widely used at Iranian institutes. The focus…

One of the key requirements of the Common Core State Standards for Reading is that all students must be able to comprehend texts of steadily increasing complexity as they progress through school. By the time they complete the core, students must be able to read and comprehend independently and proficiently the kinds of complex texts commonly found…

Condensed from "The Reading Teacher, Volume 22 (December 1968), 211-15.

In three series of state-adopted parallel English and Spanish basal readers, comprehension questions most frequently assessed literal comprehension, followed by inference, evaluation, and appreciation. Readability level was higher than stated for second and third grade English texts and higher for Spanish than English texts. Contains 24…

This booklet is comprised primarily of the summaries of computerized readability assessments of sample passages from each story or chapter in a reading textbook series for grades one through eight. Introductory chapters offer discussions of the computerized readability assessment program used, the various uses of readability information about a…

An analysis of the new readers being used in grades 4-7 concludes that they have greatly improved the educational process. (Author/ND)

Describes how teachers can use the Fry's Readability Graph to determine the reading level of textbooks in use and those being considered for adoption. Provides a listing of the reading levels of selected junior high school science texts. (JR)

For the second of two volumes dealing with the effective use of instructional materials to teach reading, this booklet describes the participants and outcomes of a regional seminar on the use of reading instruction materials and textbooks held in New Zealand. The first section of the booklet provides an overview of the seminar, including…

Determines the extent to which postsecondary reading textbooks provide an awareness of and strategies for the use of both considerate and inconsiderate text features in the reading of content area textbooks. Analyses 46 postsecondary developmental reading textbooks. Finds that substantially more strategies in these texts concern considerate text…

A series of nine booklets was developed to help members of textbook adoption committees, teacher educators, inservice leaders, and policymakers gather information, develop evaluation guidelines, and organize their findings as they select new reading programs and evaluate existing ones. Each booklet focuses on a specific aspect of instruction.…

Discusses categories for science textbook analysis under the headings of: Readability, Content, Presentation of Material, Mathematical Demands, Appearance, Quality of Illustrations, and Teacher Aids. An analysis form is appended as a guide for science teachers and administrators in their evaluation and selection of appropriate science textbooks.…

The problem of deficient and inaccurate teaching materials is identified and documented--a total approach to the problem would see the removal of all elementary school textbooks with tacit or implicit sexism, racism, ethnic bias and stereotyping in their stories' plots, language, and illustrations. (MM)

The present contribution analyses how Spanish textbooks deal with activities requiring primary-school pupils to work in groups. The sample comprised 24 social science, natural science and technology textbooks written for primary school children (6?12 years old). Having coded the information, the authors followed a two-fold methodology geared…

A survey was made of 112 readers earmarked for students ranging from the beginning level in the secondary school to the intermediate level in college. The readers intended to be read by beginning and intermediate students are described, following a brief discussion of what reading involves. (Author/RM)