How to Compare Reading Textbooks

Dozens of textbooks exist for a variety of reading classes. Teachers and parents' groups should compare them and choose the most appropriate textbook for a specific class.

Deciding What is Important

Begin by making a list of authors, titles, and/or techniques that you wish to teach. When deciding on a textbook, the presence or lack of these aspects plays a large part in narrowing down the choices.

Clarity of Explanations

Read some of the explanations of stories and reading techniques which follow and precede the selections. Decide which ones convey their messages clearly and easily. Even bright students with high reading levels struggle to follow poorly worded descriptions. Make sure that inadequate tutorials don't distract from the material.

Compare the Pros and Cons

Make a list of the different possible textbooks. Write down the positive and negative aspects of each or rank the textbooks from best to worst for each individual aspect. Look at your rankings and decide which has the most pros and the least cons.

References

• KidBibs: Parts of a Reading Textbook