The traditional approach to reading in the content areas has been to teach reading skills only in reading class, usually using literature or narrative selections and expecting transfer of those skills to content texts or other expository materials. The transfer of those reading skills has been such a disappointing experience that even students who are competent in the traditional reading skills have difficulty coping with the particular skills necessary in the content areas. Reading specialists have been trying to convince content teachers that preparing and guiding students in the reading of their textbooks will help students learn and remember more of the content, but a poll of secondary students from a variety of subject areas shows that teachers do not stress the importance of reading assignments. Rather than waiting for reading in the content areas to be taught, reading teachers can do it themselves. A successful program in a suburban Chicago, Illinois, school uses content materials to teach reading, such as a science text for comparison and contrast format or a history text for cause and effect. The units are based on the specific skill involved rather than literary themes. The approach works well as long as each component is integrated into a whole process. (HTH)