Topic 3

Topic 3: Literac(ies) Across the Curriculum

Literacy Teaching Across the Curriculum: Every Teacher’s Responsibility

  • Literacy is one of the seven general capabilities identified in the Australian Curriculum.

  • General capabilities are addressed through the content of various learning areas.

  • All teachers are accountable for both the teaching and assessment of literacy.

  • Explicit teaching of literacy predominantly occurs in the English learning area, but it is also critical in other subject areas.

  • Teachers must understand the literacy demands specific to their learning area to support students’ literacy development effectively.

Importance of Literacy Demands

  • Literacy practices differ based on the form of literacy required in specific contexts and for particular purposes (Maclellan, 2008).

  • Each learning area has unique literacy demands that must be addressed:

    • Responsibility of Teachers: Each teacher must ensure students gain the necessary skills to access literacy demands across their curriculum.

    • Subject-Specific Literacy: Success in subject areas hinges on the ability to use distinct literacy relevant to that content (ACARA).</br>

Understanding Literacy in Science as an Exemplar

  • Mastery of language, texts, and literacy practices in science includes:

    • Reading and understanding scientific texts (e.g., articles, reports).

    • Constructing texts appropriate to scientific inquiry.

    • Engaging with, discussing, and using texts in subject-specific ways (adapted from Gee, 2008).

  • Many scientific texts are multimodal, requiring students to make meaning through various forms (print, visuals, sound, etc.).

    • Science students must learn discipline-specific vocabularies (e.g., chemistry, physics) where terms often differ from everyday meanings (e.g., “class” in biology).

Characteristics of Scientific Literacy

  • As students progress, they become acquainted with:

    • Unique grammatical and stylistic features of scientific writing, such as:

      • Complex Sentences: Used to provide detailed information on the subject matter.

      • Passive Voice: Often used to maintain an objective stance.

      • Third Person: Reinforces the formality and objectivity of scientific arguments.

  • Understanding various modes of scientific communication:

    • Reports, published papers, and presentations are key to sharing scientific findings (Ministry of Education [New Zealand], 2012).