Reports that introductory textbooks about special education used at the college level differ in readability and that the cloze procedure can be used as an objective measure to use in selecting these textbooks. (FL)

A study involving students in two English classes and two algebra classes at the College of Alameda was conducted to assess the correlation between a student's grade achievement and his/her ability to read at the level at which the course text was written. The Fry Readability Scale was used to determine the reading level of the course texts and…

Vocational agriculture teachers can assist the poor reader by matching the reading ability of the student with the reading level of the textbook or reference. There are a variety of methods for rating the reading level of printed subject matter, and through their use teaching effectiveness can be increased. (LRA)

Provides step-by-step procedures for developing an index which uses the Gunning Fog technique to evaluate the level of reading difficulty of textbooks. Cites examples, illustrations, and several warnings in the discussion. (RT)

Suggests that those who evaluate textbooks for adoption in schools use a framework such as the one included, which examines writing style, tone, analogies and illustrations, sentence and paragraph coherence, headings and subheadings, and location of charts, graphs, and figures. (JC)

This paper discusses methods of teaching reading in the content areas at the middle school, junior high school, and secondary school levels. If a textbook is to be used, teachers should examine it by administering a readability formula and by checking the book's vocabulary, sentence patterns, and introduction of abstract concepts. To find how well…

Presents research findings about textbook construction and how they should influence the development of chemistry texts. Discusses learning as a constructive process, the importance of interpreting symbolic representations, and the creation of structure by the learner. Advocates publisher responsibility for incorporating results of research when…

Two readability formulas were applied to two math and two reading series textbooks at the fourth, fifth, and sixth grade levels to see whether the publishers' suggested reading levels were accurate. Five samples were taken from each text and compared to the publishers' suggested usage according to grade level. Results showed that although formulas…

Focusing on what authors can do to facilitate learning from content area textbooks, this report labels authors as "considerate," providing text that readers can understand with a minimum of cognitive effort, or as "inconsiderate," creating text that requires a conscientious, highly skilled effort if readers are to comprehend…

Raises issues concerning pupils' interactions with mathematics textbooks. Discusses problems related to effective reading and the ability to interpret graphs, diagrams, and symbols. (NH)

In compliance with Title 14, Section 12 of the Delaware Code, this document sets forth statewide policies and guidelines developed by the Delaware State Board of Education for selecting textbooks and other educational materials. After a brief introduction and a policy statement, recommendations are provided to local school districts for…

To assist textbook adoption committees in answering the questions that arise as they consider basal reading series, this paper provides a discussion of readability. Following a brief introduction, the second section of the paper offers a background discussion of what readability really means. In addition, this section looks at three factors to…

To provide learners with the most reliable information, individuals and committees responsible for text selection examine texts for classroom use in steps. Since very few people have the specialized knowledge of all the technical fields like drafting, electronics, or graphics that make up the field of Industrial Arts, a committee is required to…

A British publisher conducted a readability study of its English language content area texts being used in foreign countries to determine how the texts could be made more readable. A cloze procedure assessment of a secondary school Hong Kong social studies series indicated that the English texts were too difficult for 91% of the pupils tested.…

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…