Essential Instructional Practices for Disciplinary Literacy in the Secondary Classroom: Grades 6 to 12

The purpose of this set of Essential Instructional Practices for grades 6 through 12 is to improve Michigan students’ academic literacies and content learning at the secondary level. Professional development throughout the state can focus on these research-supported literacy instructional practices for regular use in the classroom.

Expert research suggests that 10 sets of practices outlined in this document can have a positive impact on both literacy development and conceptual learning of content. The consistent use of these practices in every Michigan classroom can make a measurable, positive difference in student learning and improve the state’s literacy achievement.

The purpose of this document is to increase Michigan’s capacity to improve adolescents' literacy by identifying effective practices that can be implemented at the organizational level in secondary schools. To meet the needs of all learners, organizational practices must support literacy development in ways that systematically impact learning throughout schools. Each of the eight recommended school-wide practices should occur in all Michigan middle and high school learning environments. These Essential School-Wide Practices in Disciplinary Literacy: Grades 6 to 12 should be viewed, as in practice guides in medicine, as presenting a minimum ‘standard of care’ for Michigan’s students; where all efforts, structures, resources, and people involved in creating effective learning environments for students share a clear, common vision for equitable learning and development, and this vision is clearly communicated, understood, and used to drive this work. As rigorous as this resource is, it is not a checklist of activities, a guide to implementation science or change theory, nor is it a how-to on team development. The processes leaders use to enact the Essential Practices will lead to continuous improvement that supports disciplinary literacy.

Essential School-Wide Practices in Disciplinary Literacy: Grades 6 to 12 

6-12 Disciplinary Literacy Task Force

This screening tool helps secondary schools identify their current level of implementation of the Essential School-Wide Practices in Disciplinary Literacy: Grades 6 to 12. The results should be used to inform conversations about where to focus the next phase of work in improving building-wide disciplinary literacy practices.

Our students learn the foundations of literacy throughout their elementary school years. As students continue to develop their skills through middle school and high school, literacy instruction must also help them meet increasingly complex subject area demands. These demands include developing the critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills specific to each discipline.  Introduction Tool

Michigan’s standards for educator preparation require pre-service educators to learn how to introduce and support their students in engaging in disciplinary thinking and practices in the content areas. To support this goal, the Essential Instructional Practices for Disciplinary Literacy: Grades 6-12 document provides an intentional framework to support the integration of literacy instruction in all of the content areas. The Essential Practices document can be used to proactively develop and/or redesign literacy courses to reflect the changes in educator preparation standards while also meeting the existing general requirements for secondary reading instruction courses. Essential Practices for Disciplinary Literacy: A Tool to Support Educator Preparation Programs Document

The purpose of the Resource Hubs site is to support ISD/RESA/RESD consultants, teacher leaders, professional development facilitators, and teachers as they implement disciplinary literacy instructional practices in their districts, schools, and classrooms. This document is not meant to replace teacher collaboration and discussions; rather, it is intended to support those conversations. It is the hope of the Disciplinary Literacy Task Force members that teachers will engage in collaborative inquiry cycles around areas of practice that best fit teachers' current context. Starting points will vary depending on grade level, subject area, current initiatives, and other contextual factors.

Disciplinary Literacy Essentials: Beyond the Core

PLC Quick Start Guide

On-demand webinar featuring Dr. Elizabeth Moje, Dr. Darin Stockdill, and members of the 6-12 Disciplinary Literacy Task Force. This webinar is approximately 45 minutes long and provides a general overview of the purpose and content of the Essential Practices, explanation of how the Practices fit within the statewide literacy framework, description of how the ten Practices were determined, and statements on how the Practices connect to and support current work within each of the four disciplines.

Link to Webinar

Our students learn the foundations of literacy throughout their elementary school years. As students continue to develop their skills through middle school and high school, literacy instruction must also help them meet increasingly complex subject area demands. These demands include developing the critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills specific to each discipline.

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These booklets can be purchased by districts from International Minute Press at (517) 323-7777 or by emailing: lansing-mi@intlminutepress.com. Request the "Literacy 6-12 Packet".  Booklets with tabs are $6.48 per book and without tabs, $4.74 per book.

Shipping is not included in these prices but can be easily inquired.