Hybrid Text: An Engaging Genre to Teach Content Area Material Across the Curriculum

• Published in: The Reading teacher Vol. 71; no. 1; pp. 61 - 69
• Main Authors: Bintz, William P., Ciecierski, Lisa M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Newark Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2017; Wiley-Blackwell; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: 3‐Early adolescence; 4‐Adolescence; 5‐College/university students; Common Core State Standards; Comprehension; Content analyses < Content literacy; Content Area Reading; Content literacy; Curricula; Educational standards; English language; Genre; Informational text < Strategies, methods, and materials; Instructional Materials; Instructional strategies; Instructional strategies; methods and materials; Interdisciplinary Approach; Language Arts; Literary Genres; Literature; Literature‐based instruction < Literature; Mathematics; Narratives; Reading Instruction; Reading strategies < Strategies, methods, and materials; Sciences; Social Studies; Specific subject areas (math, art, etc.) < Content literacy; State Standards; Teachers; teaching strategies < Strategies, methods, and materials; Text features; text features < Content literacy; text structure < Comprehension; Text types
• ISSN: 0034-0561; 1936-2714
• DOI: 10.1002/trtr.1560

The Common Core State Standards for English language arts expect that teachers will use narrative and informational texts to teach content area material across the curriculum. However, many teachers at all grade levels struggle to incorporate both kinds of text, especially given the vast amount of specialized content they are required to teach. The purpose of this article is to introduce hybrid text as an engaging genre that artfully integrates narrative and informational text and teaches content area material across the curriculum. It begins by situating hybrid text within the Common Core Anchor Standards for Reading. Next, it describes how hybrid texts can integrate narrative and informational text. Then, it identifies several design features and discusses potentials of hybrid text. It ends by sharing suggested hybrid texts that teachers can use to teach mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts.