Second, in contrast to earlier speculation that reading comprehension was a passive process, more recent data clearly indicate that robust comprehension is dependent on active and thoughtful interaction between the text and the reader. Therefore, the development and investigation of reading comprehension strategies now occupy a central role in teaching readers how to maximize their understanding of what is read and in explaining the different strategies that enable readers to optimally understand text. Third, given the importance of comprehension strategies in fully understanding text, it is critical to know how teachers can best be prepared to teach their students specific strategies that will facilitate this understanding.