Every educator strives to transform students into critical thinkers who understand the world around them. Reading can give students portals into other worlds, diverse perspectives, and problem-solving skills to grow into well-rounded individuals.

With the shift in education to understanding the whole child, literacy teachers can support students in building students’ cross-curricular content knowledge and personal development.

The Importance of Building Background Knowledge

As Daniel T. Willingham says, “Knowledge brings more knowledge.” Students who have background knowledge about a topic will be more likely to reach the learning goals of the lesson. For example, students who know how to play soccer will have an advantage when answering a math word problem about the sport. Seeking to increase knowledge provides equitable access to learning.

Text sets are one tool to provide a solution for educators working to effectively build background knowledge while also helping to improve reading skills. Of course, teacher knowledge also plays an important role.

What Are Text Sets?

A text set is a curated collection of materials and resources centered around a common theme, topic, or question. The goal of teaching with a text set is to build cross-curricular content knowledge and deepen understanding of a topic. Text sets can be curated for each teacher’s classroom context (i.e., culture, location, language background, their students’ interests) and professional knowledge.

Text sets can include a variety of formats and genres, such as:

• Novels or short stories
• Nonfiction books
• Essays and articles
• Poems
• Videos
• Photographs and illustrations
• Charts and graphs
• Songs and podcasts

Teaching with text sets has many benefits, including:

• Knowledge Building: Research has shown that students who received instruction on a topic using text sets demonstrated more knowledge of the concepts and had increased comprehension of the texts. Additionally, integrating literacy instruction and content area instruction positively impacts learning in both areas.
• Vocabulary Development: Reading multiple texts on the same topic exposes students to domain-specific vocabulary in different contexts, enabling them to retain more vocabulary. When students are explicitly taught words and then interact with those words across multiple contexts, they are able to make additional connections and further increase their vocabulary knowledge.
• Critical Thinking: Reading to learn across multiple texts can help students make inferences and connections between texts.
• Engagement: Using a mix of text formats and genres can keep students motivated and engaged, which can improve students’ reading comprehension.
• Diverse Perspectives: By receiving multiple viewpoints and interpretations of the same topic, students better understand the world around them.

Best Practices for Teaching with Text Sets

Use an Anchor Text
An anchor text, also known as a mentor text or target text, is one central text that is the main focus of your unit. The anchor text is often a more difficult text such as a novel that is slightly above your students’ reading abilities. The text set builds background knowledge and develops vocabulary to support comprehension of the anchor text.

Spark Students’ Interest in the Topic
Use a ‘hook’ text when introducing a text set to grab students’ attention right from the start. A hook text is a compelling piece of media like a video, photo, map, or physical object that can spark curiosity. Leading with an interesting item before the reading begins may lead to higher student engagement.

Teach Vocabulary
Cross-curricular texts are likely to include topic-specific language that students may not have encountered before. Create vocabulary lists from the texts and have students define and use the words in sentences. Take note of when vocabulary words are used in subsequent texts to further build understanding of the words.

Differentiate Instruction
Enable class-wide discussion while meeting students’ diverse needs. Assign books to individual students or a small group of students based on students’ needs. Give students a purpose for reading, and then have students share what they learned with other students.

Example Activities for Teaching with Text Sets

Graphic Organizers
Use a tool such as a 3-2-1 Reading Reflection graphic organizer after reading to prompt students to write three interesting facts, two things they learned, and one question they have about the topic. Ask students to select a new or unfamiliar word to use with a tool like a Vocabulary 4-Square. Students then write the definition, draw a picture, and provide synonyms to understand the meaning of the word.

Another option for building vocabulary knowledge is prompting students to make connections with what they already know. Use a tool like the Word Connections graphic organizer to give students the opportunity to provide examples of the word and identify connections they can make to remember its meaning.

Class Discussion and Debate
Foster deeper thinking about the content of the text set by arranging Socratic circles or class discussions. Provide talking points or key questions but allow students to lead the discussion themselves. Host student debates where students can argue different sides of the issues or questions raised by the texts. This encourages critical thinking and helps students practice developing a compelling argument.

Research Projects
Assign research projects based on the themes or topics of the text set. Students can use texts from the set as primary sources. Have students present their findings to the class, incorporating information from the text set.

Creative Writing
Use the themes or topics of the text set as prompts for creative writing assignments. Students can write their own stories, poems, or essays inspired by the texts. Consider these example prompts:

• Write a poem or a fictional account set during the time period of the text(s), incorporating historical details.
• Write an alternate ending or additional chapters to one of the texts in the set.
• Write a letter to one of the characters in the book about their adventure, their challenge, or how they solved a problem in the book.

Comparative Analysis
After reading a few or all the texts in the set, have students write or talk about the connections between the texts. Students could complete traditional compare-and-contrast tasks like creating a Venn diagram or writing an essay. After reading additional texts, prompt students to look for areas where their perspectives on the topic have been confirmed or altered based on new information.

Takeaways for Educators

By carefully selecting and organizing text sets, ELA classroom teachers can create rich interdisciplinary learning experiences that deepen students’ understanding and connect literacy skills to broader knowledge and real-world contexts. By encouraging questions and building engagement in class discussions, teachers will create an environment where students are excited to learn.

After using text sets to facilitate learning, teachers may start to notice how invested students are in these new topics. It is not uncommon to hear students’ findings come up in discussions in other classes or even at the dinner table.  Ultimately, teachers can expect gains not just in reading, but across all subject areas!

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About Pioneer Valley Books

Your trusted literacy partner for over 25 years, Pioneer Valley Books is dedicated to providing educators with high-quality print and digital resources for comprehensive literacy instruction. We offer engaging books and research-based materials to improve educational outcomes and foster a love of reading. Our robust literacy programs empower educators to create the best possible learning experience for their students. Shop text sets like the ones mentioned in this blog here.