Frame the material for them, focus on essentials, allow them the opportunity to make meaning for themselves, and use visual cues for reinforcement. You are the teacher, not the textbook. Like a fine jeweler, you have to design an esthetic setting for a precious stone. Before making reading assignments, give a structured overview of the material. Reinforce the material the students read with opportunities for reflection.
True understanding occurs when students construct their own meaning from what they read and hear.
Allow time for journal writing or for exhibitions of mastery, such as displays and projects. Reinforce the textbook by transforming your classroom into a complete learning environment. If you teach Jewish holidays, decorate your room with holiday pictures and ritual items. Reinforce a history lesson with a bulletin board display that depicts the period you are studying.