For the first time, I was introduced to the term “disciplinary literacy.” While I am familiar with the definition of these two words by themselves, these words together created a concept that was foreign to me. After reading the works of Wolsey & Lapp as well as Moje, I recognize now the extreme importance of disciplinary literacy in education.
Beginning my journey of this new notion, Wolsey and Lapp brought attention to three different concepts behind disciplinary literacy in education: content, content area, and disciplinary literacy itself (Wolsey & Lapp, 2017, p.6-8). These three standard concepts together help to define what exactly disciplinary literacy is, but first it is important to differentiate between the three.
First, content, as explained by Wolsey and Lapp, is “what the author, using words and other modalities, tries to convey to the reader while the reader brings experiences of her or his own to the content” (Wolsey & Lapp, 2017, p.6). In other words, content is simply what the students will be learning. Next, content area, in its simplest terms, is the different subjects that a school offers. Your common examples are math, social studies, English, science, art, physical education, music, etc. Wolsey and Lapp define content area as, “a means of thinking about the way content is organized during the school day or year” (Wolsey & Lapp, 2017, p.7). To differentiate between the two, Wolsey and Lapp distinguish content as the “what” and content area as the “how” (Wolsey & Lapp, 2017, p.7). Now, we can put the definitions of content and content area together to define disciplinary literacy. Disciplinary literacy focuses on content in a specific content area; however, in part with learning the content of a subject, the students learn the importance of reading and writing within that subject (Wolsey and Lapp, 2017, p.3). More specifically, in Moje’s article, she sees disciplinary literacy as “the understanding of how knowledge is produced in the disciplines, rather than just building knowledge in the disciplines” (Moje, 2008, p.97). Therefore, disciplinary literacy encourages the students to think like a historian, to experiment like a scientist, problem-solve like a mathematician, etc. in the midst of learning the subject. In this practice, students are not just learning content. Rather, they are enhancing their reading and writing to truly understand the subject.
Now that disciplinary literacy is defined, I am then challenged to extend my thinking to my content area of focus: mathematics in grades 4-6. When it comes to the subject of math, disciplinary literacy is not following a cookie-cutter format to learn how to create an equation based off of a word problem. Disciplinary literacy in math is understanding how that format works and being able to use reading and writing to articulate an answer to the “how.” A good practice of disciplinary literacy in a math classroom is to have the students not only complete the math problem, but also have them write out in words the explanation, logic, and facts behind the work and solution. Therefore, they are thinking like a mathematician.
A great fact about being a teacher is that you are constantly learning alongside your students just as I am still learning about disciplinary literacy. From these readings, my knowledge on disciplinary literacy has enhanced as I have learned that teachers now focus on the “how” rather than the “what” when teaching new content. This is a new concept to think about, but I now understand how important disciplinary literacy is to a student’s education.
References:
Moje, E.B. (2008). Foregrounding the disciplines in secondary literacy teaching and learning: A call for change. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(2), 96-107.
Wolsey, T. D., & Lapp, D. (2017). Literacy in the disciplines: A teacher’s guide for grades 5-12. Chapter 1. New York, NY: Guilford.
Happiest Teacher on Earth 
Disciplinary literacy was a new term to me, as well. I, too, understood what the terms meant separately, but when put together, I was not necessarily clear of the meaning. I think you explained disciplinary literacy well – it “focuses on content in a specific content area; however, in part with learning the content of a subject, the students learn the importance of reading and writing within that subject.” I am hoping to teach 7th and 8th grade English, so I think that disciplinary literacy is crucial. It is often assumed that English and writing skills are not needed in subjects other than English and Language Arts. I believe that skills in literacy and reading are necessary in every subject to be successful. How can you expect to write an accurate lab report when your writing skills are lacking? How can you prove that you solved the math equation without analyzing your steps and putting those steps into words or writing? Writing and literacy lead to not just the possession of knowledge, but the production of it – like said in Wolsey and Lapp’s article.
Your definitions of content, content area, and disciplinary literacy are all similar to what I analyzed the words to mean. Disciplinary literacy, like you said, is focused more on producing your own knowledge rather than just memorizing words on a paper. Anyone can read content — but to be able to analyze the content critically, draw conclusions from the words, and then finally develop new ideas and concepts… that is disciplinary literacy! Learning is much more than just knowing the knowledge for the test. It is about application and how you can use that information in every-day-life. You can easily have the Pythagorean theorem memorized, but how would that benefit you if you don’t know how to apply it? That, in all, is what I believe teachers should strive for – some type of disciplinary literacy. With this, students should strive, in your words, “to think like a historian, to experiment like a scientist, problem-solve like a mathematician.” We do not want students learning just to store the “pointless” information in their brains – they need to be able to apply that and eventually produce new information and knowledge. Incorporating literacy and writing strategies into classrooms that do not necessarily have a focus on those skills, will be beneficial in building students’ knowledge so they can understand, adapt, explain, and physically use the knowledge they learn… instead of just storing it.
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I wonder about the idea of having “students not only complete [a] math problem, but also hav[ing] them write out in words the explanation, logic, and facts behind the work and solution. Therefore, they are thinking like a mathematician.” I think in the long-term yes, but I can’t help but wonder about all the steps in between? What kinds of instructional support would you need to provide in order for these math students to engage in that kind of writing with confidence?
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