Abstract
This paper reports on a study of 354 pupils in the top form of Dutch primary schools 1 spread over 18 classes and two research conditions (an experimental and a control condition). The experimental condition involved teaching the recognition of two text structures, the classification structure and the causation structure. Pupils were also taught how to make schematics in which the main points of the text are arranged in line with the text structure. The study shows that pupils of around 12 years old are able to recognize the text structures involved and can learn to master a complex study strategy like 'making schematics'. These are the main results of the experimental lesson series with which pupils in the experimental condition were taught. The study also revealed transfer-effects. The experimental lesson series proved to have an effect on the ability to infer the main idea of a text and spontaneous application of the study strategy learnt.
