Disciplinary Literacy Task Force

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Our work in disciplinary literacy began with a shared realization that students were being asked to read, write, and think in ways that looked very different across subjects, but teachers didn’t always have a common language or support for how to teach those discipline-specific skills. After several years of focusing on core reading and writing instruction, our secondary leadership team recognized that students’ success depended on their ability to apply literacy strategies in math, science, social studies, and other content areas.

The shift began when district and building leaders studied the Essential Instructional Practices in Disciplinary Literacy, Grades 6–12, and identified alignment with our existing goals for college and career readiness. Around the same time, our data, including SAT results and classroom performance, showed clear patterns: students were struggling most when tasks required complex reading, academic vocabulary, or evidence-based writing within a discipline.

From there, we launched a districtwide professional learning series to build a common understanding of what disciplinary literacy looks like in practice. We started by exploring the “why” of how disciplinary literacy supports SAT success, aligns with state teacher preparation standards, and deepens content understanding. Then, we introduced targeted practices such as explicit vocabulary instruction, metalinguistic awareness, and reading like a historian or scientist.

Our journey has been gradual and collaborative, built on teacher voice, instructional coaching, and administrative support. The goal has always been to make disciplinary literacy feel doable and meaningful in every classroom, not as a new initiative, but as part of what great teaching already is.

Our professional learning around disciplinary literacy has been intentional, layered, and directly connected to classroom practice. We began by introducing all 6–12 teachers to the Essential Instructional Practices in Disciplinary Literacy, Grades 6–12 through whole-group professional learning sessions designed to build shared understanding and common language. From there, we provided ongoing, discipline-specific professional development focused on practical application, such as how to teach vocabulary in math, how to help students read scientific texts, or how to support historical thinking through primary sources.

We’ve also used instructional coaching and building-level collaboration time to deepen the work. Coaches facilitate job-embedded learning where teachers unpack strategies, analyze student work, and reflect on implementation. Our “Heart of Disciplinary Literacy” series, for example, helped teachers connect reading, writing, and discussion within their specific content areas, while our current PD cycle, “Deepening the Heart of Disciplinary Literacy,” is focusing on vocabulary instruction and metalinguistic awareness.

In addition, our administrators and instructional leaders participate in the same learning to ensure shared understanding and alignment across the district. We’ve found that this coherence, from classroom to central office, has been instrumental to sustaining momentum and keeping the focus on improving student learning through authentic disciplinary literacy practices.

Several key resources have supported our district’s learning around disciplinary literacy. First and foremost, our instructional coaches and instructional supervisors have been essential. They’ve facilitated ongoing professional learning, modeled lessons, and helped teachers connect disciplinary literacy strategies directly to their content. Administrative support has also been critical; principals have devoted time during staff meetings and PLCs for teachers to collaborate and reflect on their learning.

We’ve also leveraged professional learning funds to provide high-quality training and materials aligned to the Essential Instructional Practices in Disciplinary Literacy, Grades 6–12. These funds have allowed us to host district-wide professional development days that encourage cross-district collaboration.

In terms of instructional resources, we’ve drawn from the Edupaths and Michigan Virtual Disciplinary Literacy courses, several research-based texts such as Investigating Disciplinary Literacy by Dobbs, Ippolito, and Charner-Laird, and materials from the Michigan Department of Education’s General Education Leadership Network (GELN). We’ve also used our own content-specific, high-quality instructional materials like Savvas myPerspectives, Reveal Math, OpenSciEd, and TCI, as anchor texts for exploring how disciplinary literacy looks within each subject.

Finally, time and structure have been valuable resources: embedding professional learning into the district calendar, aligning PD sessions with coaching cycles, and creating space for teachers to collaborate across grade levels and disciplines. Together, these resources have made the work both sustainable and meaningful.

Teachers have shared that disciplinary literacy feels relevant and practical because it connects directly to how students learn in their specific subjects. Many appreciate that the work honors their content expertise rather than adding something new to their plates. They’ve noted that strategies like explicit vocabulary instruction and teaching students how to “read like a scientist” or “think like a historian” make classroom discussions richer and help students engage more deeply with complex texts. While some were initially unsure what disciplinary literacy would look like in practice, most now see it as a meaningful way to improve comprehension and critical thinking across all disciplines.

While we haven’t yet formally gathered student feedback on disciplinary literacy, early classroom reflections suggest that students are beginning to notice how reading, writing, and vocabulary connect to the thinking in each subject area. Many are expressing greater confidence in understanding complex texts and using academic language within their disciplines. As we continue to grow in this work, gathering student voice and feedback will be an essential next step to help us understand how these practices impact engagement, comprehension, and overall learning.

While families may not use the term disciplinary literacy, they’ve shared appreciation for how teachers are helping students understand challenging texts, use academic vocabulary, and explain their thinking more clearly in each subject. As our work continues, we plan to be more intentional about communicating what disciplinary literacy looks like in practice so families can better recognize and support it beyond the classroom.

We’re beginning to see real shifts in classroom instruction and school culture. Coaches have observed teachers intentionally integrating disciplinary thinking into their lessons, for example, history teachers prompting students to think like historians by analyzing sources, evaluating evidence, and constructing arguments grounded in text. Across subjects, teachers are using more purposeful reading, writing, and vocabulary routines that help students engage deeply with content rather than just complete tasks.

At the building level, entire schools, like Holland Woods Middle School, have embraced the belief that reading and writing belong in every class, every day. This collective focus has led to stronger collaboration among teachers, more consistent literacy expectations for students, and a growing sense that literacy is truly everyone’s responsibility. Together, these shifts are building momentum toward deeper learning and greater student confidence across disciplines.

Have you explored our Disciplinary Literacy Resources Hub? Our taskforce has curated a wide range of tools and materials designed to support teachers as they continue refining their instructional practice. Under the Professional Learning Resources tab, you’ll find links to several Annenberg Learner videos that demonstrate what reading and writing look like within specific disciplines.

One example is Mathematics in the Real World: An Epidemiologist which follows epidemiologist Traci Bethea as she works to improve the health and quality of life of African Americans. This video is part of the broader Reading and Writing in the Disciplines course, which highlights the essential role literacy plays in mathematics, history, and English language arts—and how this literacy supports students in envisioning meaningful, engaging career paths.