But at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning, thoughts have turned to trimming reading passages down to size. This helps them focus their thoughts as they later read the passage in detail. The researchers worked with students, teachers and administrators in the Olathe school district. The students were enrolled in high school science and social studies classes and varied in academic ability. Students also learn to put a reading assignment in perspective by discovering relationships to other parts of the book or to other assignments.
Students use the map as a study guide when they read the passage.
More than 12 years of research has gone into developing the approach. A long-term collaboration of researchers, teachers and students interested in translating the theory behind the Content Enhancement approach into practice has yielded the Content Enhancement Series. The series is a set of guidebooks published by the center for the use of teachers who present material to academically diverse classes. This site is maintained by University Relations, the public relations office for the University of Kansas Lawrence campus. Copyright 1997, the University of Kansas Office of University Relations, Lawrence, KS, U.S.A. Images may be reused with notice of copyright, but not altered.