Full course description
In this course, we will explore the powerful role that disciplinary literacy (DL) plays in helping students engage more deeply and authentically with academic content. Unlike utilizing general strategies, DL focuses on teaching students how to think, read, write, and communicate like experts within specific fields of study (Shanahan & Shanahan, 2008; 2012). Whether you're teaching developmental math, integrated reading and writing (IRW), or another discipline, disciplinary literacy provides tools for students to engage in the authentic practices of that field. It encompasses the idea that students need to be taught highly specialized skills that differ from subject to subject, developed as disciplinary habits of mind (Fang, 2012).
My goal is to support you in embedding DL into your instruction in ways that enhance—not replace—your content. By doing so, we can help students not only improve their literacy skills but also better understand how knowledge is constructed, communicated, and applied differently across disciplines through such strategic disciplinary support. Through this work, students gain a stronger sense of purpose and identity as learners within specific academic and career pathways.