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Research Anchor: Writing Across Disciplines

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Research Anchor: Writing Across Disciplines

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Learning new vocabulary is a fundamental part of understanding math concepts. Use these strategies to build both fluency and engagement.

Math class doesn't seem like the most obvious choice for word walls, glossary lists, and word of the day games. But a strong understanding of math terms is essential for mastering concepts-meaning strategies for building robust vocabulary are surprisingly useful.

Recently, fifth-grade math teacher Kathleen Palmieri began to wonder how well her students understood the complex terms used in textbooks and word problems. So she performed some action research by pulling out 10 key terms-including exponent, base, equivalent, and estimate-and asked students to define those terms using words or numbers, she writes in a recent piece for MiddleWeb. About 40 percent of her kids could write a basic definition, exposing significant gaps in conceptual fluency.

"What I discovered in my students' responses was that learning math terminology is more than studying a list of words," she said, concluding that regular practice with new math terminology facilitates mathematical discourse and understanding. "It is much more of an architecture of learning where concepts need to be explored and a pathway of understanding needs to be blazed before a mathematical term can be attached to establish true meaning."

Here are a few of the ways Palmieri and other teachers "immerse students in the language of math"-while keeping student engagement high.

As an alternative to Palmieri's baseline assessment, have students pull out the key terms they think will be important later. Literacy specialist Rebecca Alber asked her students to skim a chapter from a textbook and identify their own vocabulary list. Students would then rate each term by whether they "know it," "sort of know it," or "don't know it at all." Afterward, they wrote out a definition or took their best guess at the term's meaning.

"Before they turn in these pre-reading charts, be sure to emphasize this is not about 'being right,'" she advised. "They are providing you with information to guide next steps in class vocabulary instruction."

Similarly,Palmieri provides some introductory context and asks students to add to an expanding glossary. Research has largely dispelled the practice of writing out memorized definitions from textbooks, so Palmieri takes a different tack. Students take an active role in coming up with definitions based on their learning. As students learn more about the terms and how they're used, they update definitions. At the end of the lesson, to consolidate learning, it may prove helpful to review all the terms as a class.

2. Get creative with word walls: Instead of writing terms on a word wall and hanging it up for students to glance at, Palmieri has students write terms on colorful Post-Its and affix them to bulletin boards. She also gets great engagement from letting students use art supplies to creatively show what they've learned: "Bubble letters, examples of problems and definitions with graphics are truly fun 'math' activities," she explains. "Students present and explain their term and then proudly display their poster in the classroom."

Unlike static word walls, these strategies involve principles of constructivism, an active and social learning theory where learners build on previous knowledge and create new learning themselves. As students learn new concepts, they can define terms in real-time, make adjustments as the concepts deepen, and hang them around the classroom for others to learn from.

3. Make it a game: Math instruction doesn't have to be drab, says Palmieri. You can introduce familiar word games like Pictionary, where students draw out clues and others try to guess the concept. She also plays a game called "What's My Term?" where "students verbally give clues as others listen."

Likewise, language specialist and Harvard lecturer Rebecca Rolland suggests a game where students show they know what terms mean by listing "non-examples" of things they are studying. For instance, acute angles can look "'sharp' but not 'curvy' or 'wavy' or 'square,'" she says. Ask students to come up with creative non-examples and explain their thought processes. "That same acute angle might look like a door that's partly shut, but not like a smile or a cloud."

Still others play match games with index cards face down on a table, or encourage students to create definitions that rhyme or fit to music. In these cases, the game itself is perhaps less important than the act of engaging students to commit the terms to memory.

4. Word(s) of the day: To reinforce specific concepts, Palmieri has the class come up with a word of the day or week, depending on the duration of the lesson. Students count how often the word is used and in which contexts (e.g., in word problems, during class discussion, in small group activities).

Inspired by research she had done that suggested students need to use a word between six and 30 times to truly learn it, sixth-grade teacher Megan Kelly began picking three words to focus on for a day and reviewing the terms at the start of class. During class, she emphasizes the words herself, and asks students to use the words as many times as they can with a partner.

"I used the words a ton in my directions and made a big deal whenever I heard a student say one of our goal words," she says. "Everyone wants to be in on the fun, so each time I praised someone for using the word, there was an increase in others using them too."

5. Break down word problems: Word problems are notoriously difficult, especially when challenging language obscures the intent of the question. Before students solve word problems numerically, Palmieri has the whole class perform a close read for sense-making. Together they pull out key words and create a written response. Working out word problems as a group is a well-established strategy. Teachers at Concourse Village Elementary School in New York City use a 3-read protocol: First, they read the word problem aloud to the class without numbers, then students read the complete problem on their own and pull out key terms before reading it together as a class. The 3-read protocol clarifies "what they're reading and helps to build their fluency," says Blair Pacheco, a teacher who has used the strategy with her students.

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Build Strong Math Vocabulary Skills Using These Simple Strategies

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Learning new vocabulary is a fundamental part of understanding math concepts. Use these strategies to build both fluency and engagement.

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Writing is a way of talking without being interrupted. ~ Jules Renard

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3 Strategies to Effectively Teach Science Vocabulary

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Using engaging, in-context strategies helps elementary students truly understand new terms.

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Excerpt from CEEDAR’s disciplinary literacy page (via UF’s CEMS):
Disciplinary literacy emphasizes that reading, writing, and thinking practices are inherent to each subject, not generic skills. To support all learners, educators should scaffold access while advancing discipline-specific literacies.

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Rationale

Literacy in the disciplines is crucial for several reasons. High school students' ability to read complex texts is strongly predictive of their performance in college math and science courses (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2011). Yet students are reading less in high school than they did fifty years ago. Furthermore, many high school graduates who enter college continue to struggle with literacy skills, and about 40% must take at least one remedial course, typically in reading, writing, and/or algebra (Bettinger, Boatman, & Long, 2013). Students with disabilities comprise a segment of this group of struggling readers. While results of the most recent NAEP (National Assessment of Education Progress), the "Nation's Report Card", indicate that reading scores for students with disabilities were higher in 2012 than 2004 (when scores for students with disabilities were first disaggregated), a significant gap continues to exist between students identified as having disabilities and those who are not (NAEP, 2012). Finally, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010) emphasize close reading of complex text in the disciplines to build a foundation for college and career readiness.

Objectives

After studying these materials, users will be able to:

Define disciplinary literacy

Note how the CCSS address disciplinary literacy

Explain why disciplinary literacy is important

Articulate what teachers and students need to know and be able to do to comprehend complex text in the disciplines

Discern unique literacy skills utilized in:

History

Mathematics

Science & Technical Subjects

Literary Genres

Apply the components of close reading

Model how to think aloud to teach metacognitive strategies required for close reading of disciplinary text

Plan effective, evidence-based scaffolds for students with learning difficulties

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As a part of the Course Enhancement Modules, this page displays disciplinary literacy across different content areas.

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Research Anchor | Compass (The Reading League)

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Research Anchor | Compass (The Reading League)

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Many older students struggle with reading due to gaps in foundational skills—not lack of effort. The Compass: Adolescent Literacy from The Reading League offers clear, evidence-aligned guidance to help schools build stronger Tier 1–3 supports. A practical resource for all educators committed to improving literacy outcomes.

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Discover resources and information for a schoolwide approach to instruction and intervention for older readers.

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Shanahan | Excerpted Disciplinary Literacy Article

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Shanahan | Excerpted Disciplinary Literacy Article

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Excerpt from “Teaching Disciplinary Literacy to Adolescents: Rethinking Content-Area Literacy” (Timothy Shanahan & Cynthia Shanahan).

While the need for specialized literacy instruction increases, the amount of direct help students get actually decreases.

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Jennifer Serravallo reminds us that most vocabulary is learned in context. Equipping students with flexible word-learning strategies builds independence and knowledge over time.

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How Do I Teach Vocabulary Strategies to Build Knowledge? | Jennifer Serravallo

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Most words are learned in context-through reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students acquire vocabulary as they talk with others, explore interests, try hobbies, watch videos, and delve into new content. When students are armed with reading strategies that provide them with multiple ways to

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Frayer Model + morphology → build meaning through roots, prefixes, examples.

Term–symbol–meaning chart → link disciplinary/ subject-specific terms to their symbols and definitions.

Context clues & word-solving → teach students how to figure out meanings in the text.

Time-bound or metaphorical term sorting → surface tricky historical/social vocab.

Revisit and reuse words throughout reading and writing — not “one and done.”

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Strategies: chunking, annotating, translating representations, sourcing/corroborating.

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Teacher surfaces key vocabulary at point of need.

Students use target words in talk and writing.

Visuals, symbols, or examples connect to definitions.

Vocabulary embedded in instruction, not isolated.

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Teacher models how to tackle challenging passages step by step.

Students use visible strategies (annotating, chunking, questioning, translating).

Text features and structure are unpacked to support meaning-making.

Breaks in reading are used to check understanding and clarify.

Students show agency in grappling with complexity—not just receiving answers.

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teacher models reading challenging texts

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📖 Reading → “Today I saw reading look like ___ in my subject.”

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“Today I tried [strategy] to support vocabulary learning. It helped students [what they were able to do / understand / say more clearly].”

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Use sentence or paragraph frames that match disciplinary genres (explanations, proofs, source analysis).

Structured note-taking aligned to how the discipline organizes information.

Graphic organizers specific to the subject (e.g., timelines, tables, formulas, claim-evidence-reasoning).

Scaffold writing with evidence integration prompts.

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Writing tasks mirror how experts in that field express ideas.

Students use structures to make thinking visible.

Frames and organizers are clearly tied to the content.

Scaffolds are used intentionally and can be faded over time.

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Graphic organizers specific to the subject (e.g., timelines, tables, formulas, claim-evidence-reasoning).

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“Today I tried [strategy] to support writing. It helped students [how it made their thinking visible or structured their ideas].”

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Write your 3+ essential agreements here 

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Write your 3+ essential agreements here 

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Vocabulary Building Across Disciplines Strategy

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Vocabulary Building Across Disciplines Strategy

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Write your 3+ essential agreements here 

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Write your 3+ essential agreements here 

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Write your 3+ essential agreements here 

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Write your 3+ essential agreements here 

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Write your 3+ essential agreements here 

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Write your 3+ essential agreements here 

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MYP Theater Literacy Boost Demo _ Reel Scripts (Vocab_ Writing Structures)

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Student Graphic Organizer — Mini Presentation Planning MYP Theatre

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I illustrated what it would look like with Robert Frost's Poem (First Stanza)

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🧩Puzzle Strategy Organizer – The Road Not Taken (Stanza 1)

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Demo 1 Lesson Plan Jeff_s Lang Lit 6 _ Complex Texts

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Student Graphic Organizer_ YouTube Explainer Short_ Transformations

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Literacy Boost Transformations in Math (Writing Structures)

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Essential Agreements for Literacy MYP ABA Oman