During several recent presentations, participants have asked how I generate text sets to build background knowledge for a particular literary selection. It’s an important question—because for many adolescents, especially those who are disengaged from reading, background knowledge is often the difference between confusion and connection.
At TextProject, I’ve been developing text sets in the form of Background Builders and StoryLabs. These are sets of short, focused texts designed to give students access to the ideas, contexts, and concepts that underpin a narrative. Their purpose is not to summarize a story, but to make the story readable—to give students enough footing so they can follow what’s happening and why it matters.
This kind of support is especially important with narrative texts. Informational texts are typically organized to explain a concept directly—like how the digestive system works. But stories are different. Authors assume readers bring a certain amount of cultural, historical, or social knowledge to the text. When students don’t have that knowledge, the story can feel distant, confusing, or simply uninteresting.
Consider a short story set during the Dust Bowl. Without some understanding of drought, migration, and economic hardship, students may miss the stakes of the characters’ decisions. Or take a novel like Things Fall Apart. The narrative depends on an understanding of Igbo society and the profound changes brought on by the arrival of European missionaries. For many students in contemporary U.S. classrooms, these contexts are unfamiliar. Without support, the text can feel opaque. That’s where text sets come in.
When I build a set, I start by asking a simple but essential question: What does a reader need to know to make sense of this story? From there, I identify a small number of high-value topics—ideas that will unlock key aspects of the narrative. These might include historical events, cultural practices, or domain-specific concepts.
Using AI tools, I generate initial drafts of short texts on these topics. But the real work—and the most important work—comes next. I review and revise carefully to ensure that:
- The content is accurate and appropriate for the students I have in mind
- The language is accessible, without being watered down
- Key ideas and vocabulary are repeated enough to support understanding
- The text is engaging and worth reading in its own right
I’m sharing a set of slides that illustrates how I go about gathering the “grist” for these AI-curated texts. While I don’t walk through every editing decision, the handout outlines the general process—especially how I identify and refine topics, so they truly serve students.
The goal is not to simplify complex texts. It’s to prepare students to meet them.
View slide handout: Building Background That Matters: How I Create Text Sets for Adolescent Readers
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