The concern of this paper is with techniques for improving the understandability of statistics textbooks for novices. Understandability is measured by tests of the reader's performance on creative transfer problems that require using text material in novel situations. The focus is primarily on the instructional objective of conceptual understanding. Techniques used for its achievement include: presentation of prerequisite information; use of familiar models and manipulatives; sequencing from familiar-to-formal; incorporating adjunct questions that encourage active processing; using worked out examples to teach strategies; and providing explicit training in representation and categorization of problems. (Author/GK)