Infotext: Reading and Learning

by Karen M. Feathers

When students encounter difficulties while reading textbooks, their first instinct is often to blame themselves - and their lack of reading proficiency. But the problems often have nothing to do with them. In this revised and expanded edition of her classic Reading and Learning, Karen Feathers explains why infotexts - the textbooks, manuals, magazines, Web sites, and so on that we read for information - often present problems, even for proficient readers. By drawing on both traditional and current research into reading and reading behavior, she then goes on to demonstrate how teachers of content subjects can help students, including English language learners, overcome these problems and learn more effectively. Her practical, classroom-tested suggestions help teachers focus on content and manage curriculum demands, while encouraging students to take control of their own learning by expanding their repertoire of reading strategies.

Genres: Nonfiction

162 pages, Paperback

First published January 28, 1993

Reviews

[Patrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a difference between reading fiction and reading informational texts. Unfortunately it is not common practice to teach skills for reading informational texts in various fields as the focus is on reading novels. This will present problems for anyone who wishes to independently educate his or herself after graduating school. This book emphasizes the importance of teaching literacy in every subject area and provides some useful strategies to do so. That being said, it is very dry, somewhat repetitive and doesn't provide that many practical strategies.