Literacy in the Classroom:
‘Disciplinary literacy’ is an approach to improving literacy across the curriculum. It recognises that literacy skills are both general and subject specific, underlining the value of supporting teachers in every subject to teach students how to read, write and communicate effectively in their subjects (disciplines).
This focus on disciplinary literacy makes clear that every teacher at Altrincham College communicates their subject through its own unique language, and that reading, writing, speaking, and listening are at the heart of knowing, doing, and communicating Science, Art, History, Mathematics and every other subject in secondary school.
In the Disciplinary Literacy Handbook, you can read about how different departments will provide students with opportunities to apply vocabulary from a subject specific perspective and encourage students to take a cross-curricular approach in all activities that have a literacy component.
What are the benefits of disciplinary literacy?
Disciplinary literacy:
- provides learners with the specialist vocabulary to understand and communicate in specific-subject areas.
- helps learners develop critical thinking and expertise in each subject, supporting their meta-cognition.
When learners can understand and communicate using specialist vocabulary and concepts, they develop a confidence that leads to higher expectations of themselves. They may unlock a passion for a particular field of study and are empowered to direct their own learning. In turn, this means they can access and critique more complex thinking to further enhance their expertise.