1 Disciplinary Literacy in the Social Studies Social Studies Department February 11, 2016

Session Agenda Resource Share (group check in) Define & Discuss the role of disciplinary literacy in supporting Social Studies instruction. (norming understanding) A1 Model and discuss disciplinary literacy in Social Studies lessons across the grades (applying our understanding to grade specific resources) A2 Explore ways that disciplinary literacy can support Key Ideas (Content) and Skills (Practices) in Social Studies teaching and learning by developing a grade specific learning activity(applying our understanding to grade specific lesson) A3- Chart Share and Develop Ideas on possible next steps (application to your work) A5 Complete Survey 2

Ice Breaker 3

What is Important to Know About the Civil War? 4 What Would an Economist Say? What would a Geographer Say? What would a Historian Say? What would a Sociologist Say? Image Source: “Battle Lines” by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm

Activity 1: Define & Discuss the role of disciplinary literacy in supporting Social Studies Instruction. 5

Definitions for Disciplinary Literacy “The intersection of content knowledge, experiences, and skills necessary to demonstrate understanding through the ability to read, write, communicate, and think critically using approaches unique to a specific discipline.” 6 Source:

Definitions for Disciplinary Literacy “Discipline specific literacies involve what we teach in each subject area; how to read, learn, use and communicate knowledge like a scientists, a mathematician, a historian, or an author. It seeks answers to the following questions. 1.What constitutes knowledge each discipline? 2.How is new knowledge created? 3.How is knowledge communicated?” 7 Source: “This is Disciplinary Literacy”, Cossett Lent

Why is Disciplinary Literacy Important? If the study of History is about knowing and memorizing facts, names, events and places, in classrooms where students are “told” what happened; they become passive learners, who never learn to do the authentic disciplinary work of actual historians, geographers, economists, etc. 8

Why is Disciplinary Literacy Important? “Historians think about history differently, they view themselves as detectives, they are involved in the process of searching, analyzing conflicting information and trying to figure out what really happened.” Historians make history. 9 Source: “Teaching Discipline Specific Literacies in Grades 6-12”, Zygouris-Coe Image Source: National Archives

Why is Disciplinary Literacy Important? “ Our role is not to make students engage in making history at the level or complexity of academic historians, but to begin developing those skills in grade appropriate learning experiences.” 10

Connection Between UDL and Disciplinary Literacy Representation:  Why is it important to provide multiple means of representation in Social Studies?  Content knowledge is strengthened when educators integrate discipline specific literacy into teaching and learning. Action and Expression:  Why is it important to provide multiple means of Action and Expression in Social Studies?  Students demonstrate their content knowledge through reading, writing, listening and speaking as part of a discipline literate community. Engagement:  Why is it important to provide multiple means of Engagement in Social Studies?  Literacy skills including reading, writing, speaking, listening and critical thinking improve when content-rich learning experiences motivate and engage students. 11

Activity 2: Model and discuss disciplinary literacy in Social Studies lessons across the grades 12

Disciplinary Literacy by Grades In Grade Level Groups, Review a grade specific lesson: 1.How does the lesson support disciplinary literacy? 2.What constitutes knowledge in the lesson? 3.How is new knowledge created within the lesson? 4.How is knowledge communicated? 5.Where do we see additional opportunities to support disciplinary literacy? 13

Activity 3: Explore ways that disciplinary literacy can support Key Ideas (Content) and Skills (Practices) in Social Studies teaching and learning by developing a grade specific learning activity 14

Develop a Grade Specific Learning Activity that Support Disciplinary Literacy 1.Identify a grade specific topic 2.What disciplinary specific content and skills will students develop? 3.As a group develop a learning activity or set of activities that can support disciplinary literacy? 4.Chart & Share 15

Application to Your Work Based on conversations and shared strategies: How might you apply the learning from today’s session into your work with Social Studies Teachers In Triads Discuss Ideas, Chart, and Share 16

Survey & Closing 17

On behalf of OCIPL and the Social Studies Team, Thank you! Please complete the evaluation using the link that was ed 18