“If you are struggling to find the time in class to read, it can be helpful to broaden the definition of text. Photos, infographics, diagrams, videos, and even lectures can all be considered texts. Build disciplinary thinking skills by teaching students to approach these materials with the same critical reading lens they apply to more traditional printed materials.”
– Heather Lattimer: Real-World Literacies: Disciplinary Teaching in the High School Classroom
Expanding our definition of text in this way not only opens the doors for struggling readers but also provides a bigger foundation upon which to build the skills of literacy in our discipline. And if you’re interested in exploring this idea of “what is a text” with your students, check out this lesson by Traci Gardner on Defining Literacy in a Digital World.