Moving Beyond the Textbook to Reframe Disciplinary Literacy Using Text Sets

Abstract

This chapter details the authors' rationale for encouraging a hybrid content-area/disciplinary literacy approach to embracing diverse literature, especially youth-oriented literature such as children's literature, young adult literature, and multimodal texts. A synthesis of research in the areas of disciplinary literacy and literature instruction is provided as well as a recommended framework for selecting diverse literature within disciplinary classrooms. Several pedagogical tools are featured where preservice teachers have opportunities to explore, practice with, apply, and design their own disciplinary assignments centered in diverse literature and disciplinary texts. Examples and perspectives from preservice teachers are shared.