Content Matters: A Disciplinary Literacy Approach to Improving Student Learning

An authoritative guide for improving teaching, learning, and literacy in content area classrooms, this book introduces teachers to the Disciplinary Literacy instructional framework developed by the Institute for Learning, University of Pittsburgh. Grounded in the Principles of Learning developed by acclaimed educator Lauren Resnick, the framework is designed to prepare students, grades 6 and up, to master the rigorous academic content learning required for college success. Unlike ‘generic’ teaching models, the framework is specifically tailored for each of the content disciplines. Highly practical, the book shows teachers how to integrate literacy development and thinking practices into their routine content instruction, with separate chapters devoted to math, science, history, and English/language arts. The book also: shows how school instructional leaders can support teachers in learning and using this instructional approach; offers an innovative approach for improving literacy, thinking, and content learning in secondary students; includes detailed instructional guidance plus numerous classroom examples of lessons, dialogs, and teaching routines; features chapters on each of the content areas-math, science, language arts, and social sciences; and, provides leadership guidance in implementing the method. Foreword is written by internationally acclaimed educator and cognitive scientist Lauren Resnick.