Disciplinary Literacy and Information Literacy: Parallels and Paradigms

Current literature on the teaching of reading and writing in the context of a content area has transitioned from “content area literacy” to “disciplinary literacy.” Content-Area literacy focuses on students’ ability to use reading and writing in order to learn the subject matter in a content area classroom. It emphasizes reading strategies that are generalizable for reading informational texts across multiple content areas. Disciplinary literacy, on the other hand “emphasizes the unique tools that the experts in a discipline use to participate in the work of that discipline” (Shanahan & Shanahan, 2008). Often, educators differentiate between “learning to read/write” and “reading/writing to learn.” A disciplinary literacy approach, taught in tandem with information literacy goals, reveals the folly of separating the two processes. Educators equip students to be problem solvers, critical thinkers, and lifelong learners by developing their proficiency as information consumers and producers. Instead of viewing disciplinary literacy instructional practices as extra or supplemental, educators can embed intentional teaching strategies that serve as powerful tools in the development of students’ skills. The ultimate outcome is not about facilitating students’ success in a single course or content area but rather in equipping them to interpret and use information for authentic purposes. Shanahan, T., & Shanahan, C. (2008). Teaching disciplinary literacy to adolescents: Rethinking content-area literacy. Harvard Educational Review, 78(1), 40–59