Exploring Secondary Teachers? Experiences with Content Specific Literacy Instruction: Lessons Learned

The development of advanced reading skills among adolescents is paramount in order for students to achieve success both in and out of school. If students are to develop an array of advanced literacy skills that are specific to each discipline, then teachers must understand the importance of promoting discipline specific literacy practices in order for students to gain a deep understanding of content specific information. To meet both the literacy and academic needs of adolescent learners, secondary teachers will have to make fundamental changes in the way they think about instruction in their content area and how they go about integrating advanced literacy skills while promoting content area learning. This research will discuss the successes and challenges that teachers experienced as a result of implementing content specific literacy instruction in secondary schools.