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Portfolio Reflection #1

Jessica Peralta

Arizona State University

RDG 323: Literacy Processes

September 17, 2020

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Defining Literacy in the 21st Century and Disciplinary Literacy

Why it Matters

The National Council of Teachers of English defines literacy as a collection of

communicative and sociocultural practices as well as a person’s possession and ability to

intentionally apply a wide range of skills, competencies, and dispositions (2019). With

technology at the foundation of the change in literacy’s definition, it is important that the

communicative and sociocultural practices exemplified by our students encompass technological

literacy as well. Reading and writing skills transcend the classroom and with the onset of

distance learning, this idea is important to keep in mind. Likewise, Disciplinary Literacy is the

ability of students to use texts and strategies in service of disciplinary goals and “in the context

of” disciplinary practices (Wilson-Lopez et al., 2017). For example, a goal of a literary critic is to

analyze and interpret texts for structure and meaning. There are certain strategies that literary

critics use to analyze a text and specific practices to interpret the meaning of the text. These are

the “skills and practices” we want our students to achieve; specific to each discipline in which

they study.

The importance of teaching specific literacy practices in each discipline

It is important to teach specific literacy practices in each discipline because students need

to understand that content literacy skills are generalized and then refined for each subject;

allowing them to immerse themselves in the subject and being successful. If students do not

possess content literacy skills, teachers cannot build upon the knowledge to prepare students for

college and the workforce; likewise, teachers who lack the knowledge to teach content area

literacy will not be able to teach disciplinary literacy approaches (Chauvin et al., 2015). They are

all dependent on each other. If we want students to achieve the higher tiers of literacy, like
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disciplinary literacy, then their foundational knowledge must be nurtured and guided to suit their

strengths in each discipline.

Issues related to Diverse learners and Equity in Education

Ensuring that diverse learners acquire the necessary literacy skills to be successful is

important for them to take advantage of opportunities in the future. I particularly like to think of

emergent bilinguals as they often are left out of the conversation when discussing diverse

learners. People tend to regard diverse learners as students who have specific learning

disabilities, neurological differences, physical impairments, ADHD etc. Of course, many of these

identities can and do intersect and race, gender, and class play huge roles in the inequities that

our diverse learners face. Collins and Ferri (2016) explain the importance of encouraging diverse

learners to participate in “classroom literacy communities” without teachers labeling their

differences as “deficiencies” or looking for “diagnoses”. Of course, diverse learners are diverse

because they learn differently from what standard research has provided about the average

student. Ensuring that students do not get labeled and victimized also ensures that they are

receiving equal and fair opportunities in education.

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References

Chauvin, R., & Theodore, K. (2015). Teaching Content-Area Literacy and Disciplinary

Literacy. SEDL Insights, 3(3), 1-10. Retrieved from https://sedl.org/insights/3-

1/teaching_content_area_literacy_and_disciplinary_literacy.pdf

Collins, K., & Ferri, B. (2016). Literacy education and isability studies: Reenvisioning struggling

students. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 60(1), 7-12. Retrieved September 19,

2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/44011343

Definition of Literacy in a Digital Age. (2019). https://ncte.org/statement/nctes-definition-

literacy-digital-age/.

International Literacy Association. (2017). Content area and disciplinary literacy: Strategies and

frameworks [Literacy leadership brief]. Newark, DE: Author. Retrieved September 19,

2020, from https://www.literacyworldwide.org/docs/default-source/where-we-stand/ila-

content-area-disciplinary-literacy-strategies-frameworks.pdf?sfvrsn=e180a58e_6