“Why Do You Think That?” Exploring Disciplinary Literacy in Elementary Science, History and Visual Arts

Abstract

Teaching disciplinary literacy in the elementary classroom provides rich potential for bridging the literacy‐content divide, building background knowledge, extending learning, and deepening student thinking. This article explores how six elementary teachers tried and tested approaches to embedding literacy in three very different subjects: science, history, and visual arts. Drawing on data from a design‐based research project, we provide suggestions for how teachers can embed high‐quality literacy instruction in multiple disciplines.