Effective use of textbooks should include directing student reading with objectives or guiding questions.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Sometimes
• D. Not applicable

Answer: (A)

Directing student reading with objectives or guiding questions gives reading a clear purpose. When learners know what they should achieve or look for, they read more actively, identify key ideas, and connect new information to what they already know. Objectives provide measurable targets, while guiding questions prompt students to analyze, compare, and explain, turning reading into an active search rather than a passive skim. This approach also helps teachers plan and align activities and assessments with those goals, making it easier to monitor understanding and provide targeted support. In textbooks, framing sections with specific objectives and guiding questions helps students focus on what matters, locate evidence, and understand how concepts fit together. For example, an objective like "Describe the main steps of the process and why each step matters" directs attention to both sequence and significance, elevating comprehension. Because of these benefits, directing reading with objectives or guiding questions is a strong, widely endorsed practice for effective textbook use. If someone considers contexts where questions aren’t needed, those are exceptions; the general guidance supports more purposeful, deeper learning.