Disciplinary Literacy Task Force

This important work of teaching students how to read, write, think, and communicate in discipline-specific ways calls for educators and leaders alike to foster a culture of inquiry and continuous growth. Even if the path isn’t fully clear at the start, committing to the journey of implementing disciplinary literacy is a powerful step toward enriching instruction and empowering students.

Join us as we dig into practical strategies and insights designed to help your students flourish as knowledgeable, engaged members of their academic communities.

by Sarah Felsing, Eaton RESA Innovation and Programs Consultant, and Disciplinary Literacy Task Force member

Eaton Rapids is a close-knit community nestled between Lansing and Jackson. Two manufacturing facilities and a local hospital employ many of its residents. Though small, the Eaton Rapids School District has deep roots—many teachers are proud alumni who now serve the next generation of learners.

At a time when high turnover challenges schools across Michigan, Eaton Rapids High School has maintained consistent leadership for over a decade. For the past eleven years, Derek Lounds has led the school, overseeing a staff of 60 and a student body of 625. Lounds, who has spent all 17 years of his career at the high school, is passionate about building school culture and systems that support the growth of every learner.

At the heart of Lounds’ leadership philosophy is a belief that education is driven by strong relationships and strengthened through reflection, analysis, and deliberate practice. Under his guidance, disciplinary literacy has emerged as a central instructional focus. Its strength, he believes, lies in the fact that the essential practices are not ‘new’ strategies. He is hopeful their increased implementation will lead to more authentic engagement for teachers and students alike. “There is not a single practice that anyone can look at and say, “That won’t work.” In fact, many of them are already in use because teachers recognize their value - the purpose is to apply them more intentionally. Teaching students to think, speak, listen, read, and write in discipline-specific ways is deeply rewarding – and reminds us why we chose this profession.”

For Lounds, starting with the ‘why’ was critical. “My analogy for staff was a road trip. You can visit a national park and say you were there, but it’s another thing completely to truly experience it. This is similar to the way you can cover content and check off the standard without students truly experiencing the subject matter. This was my ‘why’ for the work. The important piece as a leader is being able to communicate that ‘why’ to your staff.”

Disciplinary literacy means students are engaging with content as practitioners in the field, and this resonated with Lounds. “In math, students should learn, think, and communicate like mathematicians. It’s the difference between learning about a subject and actually learning the subject itself. Walking out of a math class, a student should be able to say that they learned to be a mathematician, not that they learned about math. This shift away from simply learning about a subject is what I believe is truly in the heart of every educator.”

To begin this work during the 23-24 school year, Principal Lounds partnered with the Eaton Regional Educational Service Agency for professional learning around the 6-12 Disciplinary Literacy Essentials. Initially, his entire building focused on problem-based instruction. Continued learning and protected department time over the next two school years allowed for deep and meaningful discussions, with each department identifying and prioritizing its own goals. “This contextualization allowed teachers to engage at a deeper level,” Lounds explains, and he considers these conversations a significant achievement. “The biggest positive outcome we have seen has been the thoughtful conversations of staff around their current curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices.”

This spring, each department will share its progress, data, and implementation steps with the entire staff as they plan for the next phase. Some teams may choose to continue focusing on their current goals, while others may shift their focus based on student outcomes. Regardless of the direction, the process remains the same: contextualize the work, analyze the data, and make adjustments that support both teacher learning and student growth.

Looking ahead, Lounds is focused on aligning instruction with assessment. “If instructional practices change without assessment practice changing, eventually the work will stop because there will be misalignment.” He also underscores the importance of continued time, space, and structures to support ongoing implementation. “There is always a balance between helping staff be intentional while not reducing the work to compliance tasks.”

In Eaton Rapids, the emphasis on disciplinary literacy is not about doing more, it is about doing the right work together. That shared commitment is what is moving the school forward.

Listen as leaders from Kent County join literacy expert Kelly Gallagher to discuss how prioritizing students’ prior knowledge, fostering critical thinking, and designing a curriculum that reflects diverse perspectives can prepare students to thrive and engage meaningfully with the world around them.

To Read Stuff You Have To Know Stuff: Helping Students Build and Use Prior Knowledge - with Kelly Gallagher, podcast from Kent ISD’s Literacy Leaders & Coaches Network

Ready to plant the seeds of disciplinary literacy in your district? Connect with a member of the Disciplinary Literacy Task Force—we’re here and ready to support you in this important work!