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After reading this article, I understand the importance of choosing the most valuable content for the students. Something I relate to is that sometimes the most factual, complex and in depth readings are not always the most beneficial. As teachers, by providing simpler texts first, we can build their conceptual knowledge. Something I loved from the article stated "Tapping into students’ curiosity is key to increasing motivation". This is 100% true and I am excited to use this tool in my classroom.

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One of the most important takeaways for me in the article besides the use of text sets as a whole was how important background knowledge is. When a student has previous knowledge on a topic this allows for a student to feel comfortable going into the reading and also pushes them to think deeper into a topic. If doing a reading where student’s do not have as much background knowledge, a teacher should take some time to have students learn more about it, that way going forward they understand the context. I think this is a great strategy and wish my teachers did this more throughout school. Work from my experience is always better when it’s relatable.

Another key takeaway was to start with the end in mind when planning otherwise known as the backwards strategy. I think as a teacher it is important to know what the goals are for the lesson then to break everything down from there to see what is necessary to achieve those goals. It is great to have a cool idea for a lesson but if there is no set goal, it may hinder the learning process.

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I want to say first how much I enjoyed this article and how it gave examples for each of the 5 steps of the building a bridge to text sets. Providing details of how to go about this as a teacher and some key questions that we should be asking ourselves as we dive into topics that are part of a curriculum. At my school and experiences, we have had a great shift to make sure that lessons are taught with making sure it's being related to real life situations and for me this makes the most sense and what the article calls "funds of knowledge" What I have seen is math stories that talk about something like a typewriter and students may have no idea what that is but if they replaced that with a cell phone that would make it more relatable. I was not the teacher but if I was, I would have changed the story and made it something they could relate to. I have also seen in my school the term of inquiry-based learning where students discover science and discuss it with peers and the teacher. Asking questions like what do you notice and what do you know about this? This goes back to the article with accessing students' funds of knowledge. In my experience I have been told to look at the standards and learning goals to shape the lesson, but I love how the article works it backwards with giving you the how and the why. Giving students a chance to be part of their own learning and in the end provide ways to impact change in the world is so powerful! This is also part of the science lessons I see in my school with inquiry-based learning goes right along with text sets.

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There is so much content to cover in the classroom. But time is limited. This makes it so important to be selective of the texts that you are using in the classroom. The texts that you bring into the classroom must be the most powerful for your students, ensuring that they will get the most out of them. This article outlines in a Quad Text Set framework, this framework considers the direct role they place in the classroom. This framework can easily be used or adapted for any of the content areas covered in the classroom.

The Quad Text Set includes four types of texts - target texts, informational texts, visual texts, and hook texts.

There is no specific order that these texts should be presented to the students. That is dependent on the lesson and to be determined by the teachers.

An example of this framework being used in the classroom could be in a science lesson about the water cycle.

You could start off with the visual text. This can be a video explaining the water cycle using some sort of song.

This will begin to build the concept development of the topic.

Then you can go into the Hook Text. This can be a poem that introduces the water cycle in a fun and engaging way.

This will serve as motivation for the readers.

Moving forward you can go into an informational text. This can be a text that is relatively easy for the students to access.

This will begin to build the students knowledge.

Finally you can go into a target text. This can be a textbook excerpt that goes into the water cycle more in depth.

This will further introduce the student to the challenging language and concepts.

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One of the main takeaways I saw throughout the article was the importance of text sets. Text sets are a set of highly engaging texts about a subject that will pique students interests. This emphasizes the importance of having many different texts when learning deeper about a subject. This can be repetition but with a variety so the students don't get bored and disengaged. Background knowledge is something that all students should have before learning a new topic. Knowing a little bit about something can help you comprehend it easier when learning a deeper understanding of it. Having an engaging way of keeping students interested will make them feel a part of it, and actually want to do it more. Setting goals is very important when it comes to assessment and lessons so consulting your curriculum to see which lessons may need more in depth "investigating" can be important a well. Planning backwards with the goal being planned first can also be a smart and effective way to get the most out of instruction with a set goal in mind first.

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The number one key takeaway I had when reading this article was how much text sets can benefit students. They can enhance students learning due to making the content relevant and engaging. Allowing the students to tell the teacher what they already know about a topic will keep the students engaged and also connect their experiences to disciplinary knowledge. When students see their own culture, community and personal experiences, they are more likely to be invested in what is given and the task at hand. Another key takeaway I had, to add on to Abby’s point of how important background knowledge is. In the reading it says that when students are given texts that differ significantly from what they have experienced or know, they struggle to comprehend them. Its important to reshape the curriculum like also stated in the article by beginning the units with the students’ experiences and moving further from familiar content to the curriculum. By integrating students’ experiences into disciplinary learning, educators can foster stronger connections, higher motivation from the students, and deeper understanding in the classroom.

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This article highlights the importance of text selection in the classroom. The authors argue that the text that a teacher chooses to use in their classroom can build content knowledge, increase motivation, and overall enrich students.
More and more schools are focusing on ELA and math, leading to a decline in science and social studies instruction in elementary schools. This limits students' background knowledge and vocabulary exposure which are key literacy skills. Teachers being intentional in the texts that they choose can help bridge this gap and support overall learning.

When teachers select challenging texts for their students, they should look for texts that are complex in some ways (new content, vocabulary etc.) while grounding in what students already know. For example, if the teacher decides to teach her class about the Nile River and this is a brand new topic for the students, she should try to ensure that the book is accessible and isn't heavy with new vocabulary or complicated concepts yet.

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The article "Rethinking Text Sets to Support Knowledge Building and Interdisciplinary Learning" addresses the need of choosing several kinds of books that enable students to relate concepts from several sectors. It advises teachers to offer a better learning environment by using a wide range of books covering a variety of topics. This allows students to view view subjects from many angles, therefore facilitating better knowledge of the material. According to the article, as everyone learns in their own unique way, using various kinds of materials-stories , facts, images, all of which helps better grab students interest. When selecting and applying text sets teachers should collaborate closely, routinely finding out whether or not the text sets at hand are enabling students to study efficiently. The. article proposes a fresh initiative for selecting reading materials that would improve students learning process and equip themselves for real world demands

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To implement this framework effectively, educators should carefully choose texts that align and are appropriate for students’ reading levels. The sequence in which texts are introduced plays a crucial role in ensuring that students gradually build the necessary background knowledge and skills before engaging with the more complex target text. This approach creates interdisciplinary learning by allowing students to make connections across different subjects, reinforcing both literacy development and content knowledge. By integrating a variety of texts in a purposeful and structured way, teachers can create engaging and meaningful learning experiences that support comprehension, critical thinking, and long-term knowledge retention.