Disciplinary Literacy Task Force
Newsletter: February 2026
Literacy is a Bridge
While literacy is often framed as a set of academic skills, at its core, literacy is a bridge—one that connects a student’s personal identity and lived experience with the world around them. When we intentionally invite a student's linguistic and cultural heritage into the classroom, we affirm that perspective is an essential part of the academic conversation. This month, we share the work of “bridge builders” in the Watersmeet Township School District. Through a partnership rooted in respect and relationship, they are weaving the Seven Grandfather Teachings and the Ojibwe language into the fabric of the school day. In Watersmeet, language serves as a bridge across time: honoring ancestral wisdom to ground the past, providing the voice and vocabulary to name the present experience, and building the agency required to shape the future.
This model of culturally sustaining literacy highlights the importance of tapping into available funds of knowledge in support of developing students' content knowledge and identities (Essential Practice #9), and is a powerful reminder of our work with all student populations. Whether we are revitalizing an Indigenous language or supporting students who bring the rich assets of their home languages and culturally diverse experiences into our classrooms, the goal remains the same: to use literacy as a tool for voice, identity, and belonging. When we treat a student's primary language—be it Ojibwe, Spanish, or Arabic—as a bridge to new learning rather than a barrier to be overcome, we do more than help students "read the word,” we equip them with the tools to "read the world" and define their own place in it.
We invite you to explore the resources below—from classroom think-alouds to state policy updates—as we work together to build bridges that allow every student to feel seen, valued, and capable.
As always, we’re eager to learn from you and alongside you.
- This year will be a busy one for our Task Force, so be sure to invite a colleague to join our mailing list as well!
- Want to access previous newsletters? No problem! Click here to access the archives.
- Looking to explore all that our website has to offer, including vetted resources? Click here!
Happy Reading!
You might be thinking about addressing reading instruction in various disciplines as a result of PA 146. If so, we’d like to offer a short learning burst on using think alouds in secondary classes. This is a blast from the past–part of our Pop-Up DL PL Series during COVID.
This slide deck provides a brief overview of research-based approaches to support reading in various disciplines. The think aloud is explored as a scaffold for reading. The approximately 45 minutes of learning includes additional resources such as the saved chat and session recording. (Passcode: ggLNYZ1!)
As you may be aware, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and incoming State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko held a Michigan Literacy Summit in December 2025. During the Summit, Governor Whitmer reiterated the importance of improving literacy outcomes in Michigan.
While there has been a necessary multi-year focus on improving literacy for students in Kindergarten through third grade, Michigan has not yet dedicated funding to systemically improve literacy development beyond third grade.
In addition to equitable funding for literacy improvement efforts, HOW we go about making improvements matters. We offer this recently published Bridge Michigan opinion piece for your consideration: Opinion | Michigan schools need more than Mississippi
Click on our professional learning flyer to find more information and registration links for these upcoming professional learning events:
- Michigan Assessment Consortium Assessment Learning Network
EduPaths online courses (they're free!)
- Disciplinary Literacy for Secondary Leaders online course
