Cross-disciplinary literacy is an approach focused on improving students' ability to read, write, and communicate effectively across all school subjects, not just English language arts.
Understanding Cross-Disciplinary Literacy
At its core, cross-disciplinary literacy recognizes that literacy skills are essential for success in every area of the curriculum. According to a description from November 9, 2023, it is "an approach to improving literacy across the curriculum whereby all teachers are supported to understand how to teach students to read, write, and communicate effectively in their subject."
This means that teaching literacy isn't solely the responsibility of English teachers. Instead, teachers in subjects like science, history, math, and art are all involved in helping students develop the specific reading, writing, and communication skills needed to understand and engage with content in their particular field.
Why is it Important?
Developing literacy skills within each subject helps students:
- Access Content: Understand complex texts like scientific articles, historical documents, or mathematical problems.
- Express Understanding: Write clear explanations, arguments, or reports using subject-specific vocabulary and conventions.
- Communicate Ideas: Discuss concepts effectively using precise language relevant to the discipline.
- Think Critically: Analyze information and form conclusions based on discipline-specific methods.
How it Works in Practice
Implementing cross-disciplinary literacy involves supporting teachers across all subjects. This support often includes:
- Training on how to teach subject-specific reading strategies (e.g., reading a graph in science, analyzing primary sources in history).
- Guidance on how to teach subject-specific writing conventions (e.g., writing a lab report, crafting a persuasive essay in social studies).
- Professional development focused on integrating communication skills into lessons (e.g., presenting findings, participating in academic discussions).
- Collaboration among teachers to share strategies and align expectations for literacy development.
Examples of Subject-Specific Literacy:
| Subject | Reading Example | Writing Example | Communication Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Science | Analyzing a diagram or experimental procedure | Writing a lab report or hypothesis | Explaining a scientific concept |
| History | Interpreting a political cartoon or diary entry | Writing a historical analysis essay | Debating a historical event |
| Math | Reading a word problem carefully | Explaining the steps of a solution | Discussing different problem-solving methods |
| Art | Reading about an artist's technique | Writing an artist's statement | Critiquing a piece of artwork |
By integrating literacy instruction into every subject, schools aim to create more literate and effective learners who can navigate the demands of academic and real-world tasks. It moves literacy from being just a subject area to a skill set taught across all areas.
