Text sets are intentionally grouped collections of texts and media resources focused on a specific topic, and are a research-based way to grow vocabulary and knowledge for all students. This collection of text sets intentionally elevates culturally relevant content and pedagogy. You might use a culturally relevant text set to fill a gap in relevance, perspectives or representation in your instructional materials, center student interests, or enhance an existing unit.
Each culturally relevant text set:
- Centers on a single topic (e.g., women of the Montgomery Bus Boycott; the sun, moon, and stars)
- Is designed to elevate connections to counternarratives, current events, student identities/languages, multiple perspectives and/or social justice
- Contain a variety of open source resources (i.e., articles, videos, websites, art, music) at a variety of complexity levels
- Purposely orders resources to support students in building vocabulary and knowledge through a volume of reading
In this resource, we wanted to amplify ways to focus on building knowledge and vocabulary through text sets that center culturally relevant pedagogy and students, particularly students who are often marginalized by schools. We focused on the question: How might we design text sets that elevate connections to counternarratives, current events, student identities/languages, multiple perspectives and/or social justice?
Our deepest appreciation to our educator co-designers for their collaboration, guidance, and brilliance: Ifetayo Abdus-Salam, Crystal Graham, Tanya Hill, Tawana Jordan, Tempest NeuCollins and Islah Tauheed.
Culturally Relevant Text Sets
Try a text set in your classroom
Related Resource
Text Sets support all learners, especially those with background knowledge or vocabulary deficits, by building up these domains through a volume of reading on Science, Social Studies, and other high interest topics. Build knowledge and vocabulary in the classroom with the Text Set Project which can be viewed here.