Textbooks are an invaluable tool, for both teachers and students. They provide a coherent approach to a subject, and they help define which parts of the material are of core importance and therefore should be taught. Textbooks provide a springboard for classroom discussion, and they often contain activities to concretize and expand on the material. They can also be a lifeline for teachers in unfamiliar waters-particularly for those who are called upon to teach a subject with which they are not completely familiar. All of our personal libraries have well-thumbed through textbooks, testaments to our odyssey as evolving learners and teachers, and testaments to the permanent value of books in our learning and our lives.

The subject matter was impenetrable, the teacher was less than riveting, the visuals were mediocre, but the textbook was outstanding.

However, we must acknowledge that not all textbooks are equally effective, and that textbooks can also be used badly. Some critics accuse textbooks of being bland. Others say, although there is research to the contrary, that textbooks limit vocabulary acquisition and lower reading levels. A third group asserts that a truly creative teacher should not need a textbook. I think this criticism is misplaced; it condemns all textbooks for the failings of a few, and for the occasional inability of a teacher to use them properly.

A textbook is a tool. As with any tool, the challenge is to use it most effectively. Many of us skip the "How To" manuals that come with our tools. In our excitement (or our desperation) we jump right in, ignoring the recommendations of the manufacturer. This is sometimes true of the way we use our textbooks as well. As a consequence, we often overlook opportunities to make our teaching more efficient and more creative.

This booklet is a "How To " manual for textbooks. It is designed to help teachers better use their textbooks, to unlock their potential. It will demonstrate how to use textbooks to design an engaging, imaginative course of study, how to use textbooks to fine-tune lessons for the multiple needs of students in a class, and how to employ a variety of teaching strategies to get the most value from textbooks.