How Do You Use Textbook Features To Improve Reading Comprehension?
One of the best reading comprehension strategies is to use textbook features to add meaning to the textbook content and to point out the main ideas and important concepts. Bold print, italicized words, headings, captions, and illustrations are all valuable features to help students zero-in on what is really important in the textbook. Bold print identifies key terms and usually defines the term within the context of the chapter. Italicized words also help the reader see emphasized words and concepts. Headings and subheadings present the material in an organized way to show relationships among concepts, main ideas, and supporting details.These features aid comprehension by displaying the textbook content in a way that helps organize the readers thoughts, practically in outline form. Illustrations and captions supplement the text material by enhancing the concepts visually and by presenting important information in a way that catches the eye and draws the attention of the reader to these
