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Many children receive limited exposure to and ex- perience with high-quality informational texts that resonate with their own literacy practices and com- munities.

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Lessons will be more meaningful when children see elements that they are familiar with

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Creating and using culturally sustaining informational texts is one way to add variety into the classroom genre diet, capitalize on students’ funds of knowledge, and promote literacy learning.

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create texts based on what students want or need to know and the funds of knowledge from their culture(s) and commu- nities.

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we want to provide children with exposure to informational texts that embody the practices of their communities, particularly for children for whom these practices are not normally included in informational texts.

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some of the ways used to write a book review (a form of persuasive text) are not necessarily going to transfer over to writing a personal narrative. The two pieces vary in purpose, audience, features, and the processes used to read and write each genre. We must make sure that we are providing children with exposure to and experience in the specific genres we want them to know.

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Giving children increased exposure and access to texts improves their abilities to use, comprehend, and compose texts.

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"I traveled around town, taking pictures of the actual places, such as the hospital, police station, post office, and grocery store."

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"Instruction and experiences for all students should recognize and capitalize upon what they bring to our classrooms and settings."

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"The ways that we think about and use literacy instruction can assist or limit students’ abilities to be participants in the world and fully express themselves.  Children can be denied access or receive limited access based on how we think about them, their families, their communities, and literacy learning."

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"...spending time in various contexts and communicating with families and other community stakeholders to determine the literacy practices and funds of knowledge of your student's culture(s) and communities."

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These cul- turally relevant informational books might convey information about cultural, religious, or local practic- es, such as observance of Eid for Muslim communi- ties, and they might contain terms and illustrations from a child’s specific community, such as the word buggy for a shopping cart or a picture of a high-rise apartment building for a home.

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"One way to address issues of access to culturally relevant informational texts is to create texts based on what students want or need to know and the funds of knowledge from their culture(s) and communities."

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"Your texts and lessons will be more meaningful when children see elements that are familiar with them,"

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"Often, materials and instruction provide children with limited opportunities to engage in literacy learning that is relevant to their lives and experiences in communities and families."

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"Focus on Knowledge, Experiences, and Literacy Practices in Your Student's Culture(s) and Communities to Promote Learning."

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Connecting through culture provides a way for students to build from familiar to the unfamiliar and learn unfamiliar content in meaningful ways.

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When you are familiar with the purpose, form, features, and reading and writing processes of the genre, you can make a plan for the creation of the text.

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"Informational texts play a vital role in schooling, work, the community and our everyday lives. They are texts that we encounter and create each day."

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Incorporate known content and new content.

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Parent surveys to gain info about students' everyday lives.