Text Sets

Project Parameters

Compile a classroom text set that utilizes at least 10 thematic resources and provides a range of modalities to access content. Student motivational influences should also be apparent.  

What is a Text Set?

Text sets are collections of [materials] tightly focused on a specific topic. They may include varied genres (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and so forth) and media (such as blogs, maps, photographs, art, primary-source documents, and audio recordings).

Text sets can be organized in many different ways. Although all high-quality text sets are designed to build knowledge of an academic topic, some are arranged as series of texts (and other media) that become progressively more advanced, while others have a central or “anchor” text with supplementary texts that support the themes and content of the central text. No matter the organization, effective text sets are usually presented in a specific order with attention to text complexity, vocabulary development, content knowledge, and conceptual understanding. In other words, “the focus of study becomes concepts rather than the content of one particular book. Students gain both a broad perspective and an in-depth sense of the subject matter from reading many texts on the same topic.”

Research has shown the use of conceptually coherent text sets to be effective in building knowledge and vocabulary, as well as preparing students for new texts on the same topic. Both broad knowledge and topic-specific knowledge are essential for reading comprehension. In turn, background knowledge allows readers to make inferences, which aids in comprehension, thinking, and memory. Studies have also shown that prior knowledge of a topic has a greater impact on reading comprehension than generalized reading ability. As educators, we must recognize the power of prior knowledge!

Garrison, S. (2016). What are 'text sets,' and why use them in the classroom? Thomas B. Fordham Institute. https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/what-are-text-sets-and-why-use-them-classroom

Text Set Examples

7th Grade Ecosystems URL: https://tankhuynh.com/text-set/  

Institute Multi-Modal Text Sets URL: https://wethepeople.coe.arizona.edu/2021-institute-text-sets/institute-multi-modal-text-sets