Sociocultural influences in content area teachers' selection and use of multiple texts

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how three secondary content area teachers used and viewed multiple texts in their classrooms. A sociocultural perspective guided data collection, including: observation, interviews, and collection of text‐related school documents, such as assignments and evidence of texts used during instruction. The data were analyzed in order to answer the following question: How do secondary content area teachers use and view multiple texts in their classrooms? Findings suggest that while the three teachers used multiple texts in the classroom, they had different levels of use and purposes in their instruction that can be identified in terms of a continuum. Furthermore, use of multiple texts is complex. Each teacher hoped to enhance student interest and engagement, which is difficult while attending to standards and assessment.