COURSE INFORMATION
Cost: FREE
Duration: 10 Hours (3 Months to Complete)
Enrollment: See Dates Below
Course Delivery: Canvas
Result: Microcredential upon completion
About the Course
In this course, we will explore the powerful role that disciplinary literacy (DL) plays in helping students engage more deeply and authentically with academic content. Unlike utilizing general strategies, DL focuses on teaching students how to think, read, write, and communicate like experts within specific fields of study (Shanahan & Shanahan, 2008; 2012). Whether you're teaching developmental math, integrated reading and writing (IRW), or another discipline, disciplinary literacy provides tools for students to engage in the authentic practices of that field. It encompasses the idea that students need to be taught highly specialized skills that differ from subject to subject, developed as disciplinary habits of mind (Fang, 2012).
The goal is to support you in embedding DL into your instruction in ways that enhance—not replace—your content. By doing so, we can help students not only improve their literacy skills but also better understand how knowledge is constructed, communicated, and applied differently across disciplines through such strategic disciplinary support. Through this work, students gain a stronger sense of purpose and identity as learners within specific academic and career pathways.
By the end of this course, you will be equipped to integrate disciplinary literacy practices that make learning more contextualized, meaningful, and connected to the real-world demands of your discipline.
Modules
Module 1 - What is Disciplinary Literacy?
- Introduction
- Introduction to Disciplinary Literacy
- Discussion Board: Shark Tank DL
- Summary
Module 2 - Disciplinary Thinking Can Be Implicit
- Introduction
- Developing Disciplinary Literacy
- Read Like a Subject Matter Expert
- Summary
Module 3 - Disciplinary Cues and Reality Checks
- Introduction
- Cueing the Discipline
- Disciplinary Language
- Summary
- Next Steps
Outcomes
Upon completing this Professional Development Mini-Course, you will be able to:
- Identify the key principles of disciplinary literacy and how they differ from general literacy strategies.
- Understand how to make implicit expert thinking visible, in order to support student engagement and deepen comprehension through the use of disciplinary literacy.
- Develop an instructional support that explicitly teaches students how to utilize conventions and practices of a specific discipline.
Technical Requirements
If you run into any technical issues or have questions about your course, please contact PIM_Project@txstate.edu.
This online course requires technical skills and access to certain technology and software that face-to-face courses may not require.
Review these tips and interaction guidelines to be a successful online learner.
Many users encounter fewer problems when they use Chrome to access Canvas courses.
Suggested:
- Operating System: macOS X 10.5 or higher, Windows Vista or higher, ChromeOS.
- Browser: Google Chrome – please disable your pop-up blocker.
- Hardware: Desktop, laptop, or Chromebook (tablets and mobile are not supported)
- Built-in or external webcam
- Built-in or external microphone
- Built-in or external speakers
- Internet: A required upload and download speed of 2Mbps, with 10Mbps preferred. Hot spots are not recommended.
Enrollment Dates
| Term Start | Enrollment Period | Term End |
|---|---|---|
| October 16, 2025 | October 16 – December 30, 2025 | January 31, 2026 |
| February 1, 2026 | February 1 – March 22, 2026 | May 1, 2026 |
| May 2, 2026 | May 2 – June 16, 2026 | August 10, 2026 |
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Meet Your Subject Matter Expert
Dr. Jodi Lampi
Ph.D. – Texas State University, Developmental Education with Specialization in Literacy
M.A. – Northern Michigan University, English (literature & pedagogy)
B.S. – Northern Michigan University, Secondary Education (English & history)
Jodi P. Lampi is a tenured Associate Professor of Postsecondary Literacy and Learning in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Northern Illinois University, where she has been fully employed since August 2014. From January 2016-May 2021, she also served as NIU’s Director of the Academic Literacy and Learning Program and as coordinator for the Certificate of Graduate Studies in Developmental Literacy and Language Instruction.
She teaches courses on developmental reading, learning strategies, disciplinary literacy, and methods and foundations of teaching postsecondary literacy across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral level courses. She also teaches courses on literacy research methods, content area reading, and adult and community literacy. Her research covers topics related to conceptualizations of literacy, study and learning strategies, disciplinary literacy, and college teaching and learning, often through the framework of understanding best practices in developmental education. Her work has appeared in journals such as the Harvard Educational Review, Reading and Writing, English Teaching: Practice and Critique, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Community College Journal of Research and Practice, and Journal of College Reading and Learning.
for more information
Postsecondary Instructor Microcredential Project Stage 2