This process is defined as "the use of reading, rereading, investigating, speaking, and writing required to learn and form complex content knowledge appropriate to a particular discipline".
[1] Through the practices of disciplinary literacy, educators are to present content using real-world examples and connections, and do so in such a way as to accurately incorporate and exemplify the everyday lives of all students, regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, etc.
[6] This in mind, coupled with the pressure to complete all content within their particular discipline, leaves teachers struggling to incorporate culturally responsive teaching into the classroom,[5] one element of disciplinary literacy in practice.
Professional development often consists of front loading all pertinent information, and put it to practice immediately, with the expectation to yield positive results instantaneously.
[3] Disciplinary literacy practices can be found in math, science, English-language arts, and social studies courses at the middle school, secondary, and post-secondary education levels.
[7] To do so, teachers have created and administered lessons in which they incorporate local artifacts and primary sources[7] into their curriculum to teach the desired content.
Teachers will contextualize these artifacts to make connections to global occurrences[7] to increase student knowledge of the mandated Social Studies content.
[2] Additionally, educators use the Frayer Model[2] as a method to teach content specific vocabulary before and during the reading of a text.
Learning communities begin with a needs-assessment,[3] in which a Content Area Literacy Survey[3] is administered to determine the needs of teachers and students.