Disciplinary Literacy and Inquiry: Teaching for Deeper Content Learning

Disciplinary literacy is gaining momentum as an approach to adolescent literacy. Believing that a key aspect of disciplinary literacy is knowledge construction, the authors introduce a model for relating disciplinary literacy with project-based inquiry. Rather than merely exploring topics during inquiry, students use practices of a discipline to understand claims and evidences and to create new knowledge. The aim is that students will engage in authentic, intellectually challenging work so their products will have value within and outside of school. The model proposes to help teachers create an instructional path for deeper learning within the disciplines.