Online Courses

Disciplinary Literacy Courses 1 through 7 are now available on EduPaths (https://www.edupaths.org/ then search for “Disciplinary Literacy”) or use the links below. This FREE, online course series is intended for all secondary educators and instructional leaders looking to learn about the Essential Instructional Practices for Disciplinary Literacy in the Secondary Classroom: Grades 6 to 12 in an effort to improve adolescent literacy in every secondary classroom. The learning activities are specifically designed to support interdisciplinary educator teams, although individual educators are invited to enroll and join as well. Free SCECHs are available. Educators in Michigan and beyond who don't currently have an EduPaths account or are not able to leverage the SSO integration can request a personal account. Please navigate to the Account Request page: https://www.edupaths.org/account-request. Click here to access Frequently Asked Questions & Answers. 

Course 1–Disciplinary Literacy: Identity and Community  

Course 2–Disciplinary Literacy: Framing Problems and Setting Purpose (Practices 1 & 9) 

Course 3–Disciplinary Literacy: Planning for and Implementing Assessment (Practice 8) 

Course 4–Disciplinary Literacy: Identifying, Developing, and Analyzing Resources and Text Sets (Practice 2)

Course 5–Disciplinary Literacy: Planning Text-Based Activities and Discussions (Practices 3 & 5)     Course 5 Part 1 and Course 5 Part 2      

Course 6–Disciplinary Literacy: Planning for Writing and Communication (Practices 4 & 6)      Course 6 Part 1 and Course 6 Part 2  

Course 7–Disciplinary Literacy: Teaching Language in the Context of Use (Practices 7 & 10) 

As a secondary administrator, how can you support your teachers in moving toward more inherently motivating, academically rigorous learning experiences? The Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA), General Education Leadership Network (GELN) and Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) are proud to announce a redesigned learning series built for secondary administrators that will guide your staff toward increased student motivation and engagement, increased literacy skills across all content areas, and deepened understanding of the 6-12 Disciplinary Literacy documents so you can promote and guide the work of your team.

This 10-hour, online course, developed at the University of Michigan's School of Education in collaboration with TeachAway, covers the latest findings and recommendations from working educators in the field of disciplinary literacy. Across five modules, participants explore the tools, knowledge, and strategies needed to successfully develop students' reading and writing capabilities in different disciplines. Through engaging exercises, participants develop their understanding of how to create lesson plans that help students think critically within specific subjects and disciplines, leading to improved student learning outcomes within their classrooms.

Reading and writing are no longer the sole responsibility of the English classroom, but a critical part of how students explore and understand complex concepts across all disciplines. By examining general disciplinary literacy strategies and practices—and then focusing more deeply on their own discipline—middle and high school teachers will gain insight into how to support their students’ literacy skills while meeting content goals.