Establishing Disciplinary Literacy Task Forces at the District Level

Empowering teachers to become leaders as they reimagining writing instruction across disciplines.

​DR. CRISTINA COMPTON
Director of Program Development
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This fall, I’ve been excited to support a new district in advancing their efforts around writing across the disciplines. Our work initially began last year with district-level workshops, where we focused on three critical questions:
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1. How can teachers tailor their writing instruction to effectively address the distinct writing demands of different academic disciplines?
2. How can teachers anchor their writing instruction in the realities of the 21st century?
3. How can innovative teaching methodologies be harnessed to foster student engagement?

These workshops laid the groundwork for a shift in thinking. Teachers left with actionable strategies that allowed them to start reimagining writing instruction within their content areas. The primary goal was to develop a common understanding and language around writing across all disciplines, and it was crucial to help non-ELA teachers recognize the importance of writing as a tool for deepening learning and fostering critical thinking.

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Shifting focus to school-level leadership

This year, we’ve shifted our focus to the school level, where we are working to establish task forces comprised of teachers who are enthusiastic about leadership and writing. These teachers will support their department teams in implementing evidence-based writing strategies in their classrooms. This approach not only tailors the work to the unique needs of individual schools, but also supports the development of a distributed leadership model. By involving teachers as leaders, we create a sustainable framework for change that can extend beyond the initial implementation phase.
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We recognize that effective leadership is critical for fostering long-term change — that’s why each school’s leadership team includes both principals and teachers interested in taking on leadership roles within their departments. These teams are designed to provide continuous support to their peers, ensuring that the writing initiatives are integrated consistently and effectively across subject areas.

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Practical steps for establishing a task force

So, what does this process look like in practice? How do we begin?

I worked closely with principals to identify task force members at three middle schools. Through classroom visits and interactions during workshops, we identified curious, open-minded teachers who demonstrated a willingness to experiment with new strategies and approaches in their classrooms. We specifically looked for educators who were not only reflective about their own practices but also enthusiastic about sharing ideas and collaborating with peers. After observing these qualities, we engaged in discussions with the principals about potential candidates.

The principals reached out to these teachers, personally inviting them to consider participating in the task force. The invitation was framed as an opportunity for professional growth, collaboration, and leadership, rather than a directive or obligation. In some cases, principals provided a gentle nudge, encouraging teachers they believed would bring valuable perspectives to the table. These teachers, excited by the prospect of contributing to school-wide initiatives focused on writing, became the task force, creating a strong team committed to rethinking the role of writing across the curriculum.

Over the course of three days, I collaborated with each team to establish a shared vision for our writing initiative. Together, we defined clear and actionable goals for improving student writing and outlined a comprehensive plan to achieve them. A central part of this process was the identification of four key writing strategies that would guide our efforts throughout the school year. These strategies were thoughtfully chosen to ensure they could be seamlessly integrated across all disciplines, including math.

​Examples of the strategies that were selected include:

• Four-Square Vocabulary (also known as the Freire Model): A tool designed to support students in learning new words or key terms through structured practice.
• Life Lines Strategy: A technique aimed at enhancing students' ability to interpret and analyze information critically.
• “I Used to Think… But Now…”: A reflective strategy encouraging students to examine how their thinking has evolved as they progress through the learning process.

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Key strategies and monitoring progress

​Once we established the overarching vision and goals, as well the specific strategies, we turned our attention to identifying criteria for monitoring progress. The task force decided to use a combination of teacher surveys, classroom observations, and analysis of student work to assess the impact of the writing strategies. This continuous feedback loop allows us to adjust our approach as needed and ensure that the strategies are effectively supporting both teachers and students.

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Next steps and ongoing support

Our next steps involve exploring the first strategy together in an upcoming professional learning session. During the session, task force members will reflect on how to apply the strategy to their respective disciplines. Afterward, they will turnkey these strategies to their teams, sharing both the rationale and practical applications of the approach. When I return next month, we will conduct learning walks to observe classrooms, assess the implementation of the strategy, and address any questions or challenges teachers may be facing.

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Sustaining writing across the disciplines

​By establishing dedicated task forces at each school, we are fostering a collaborative, leadership-driven approach to writing across the disciplines. This initiative equips teachers with the tools they need to support their colleagues and ensures that writing instruction becomes an integral part of learning in every subject. As we continue this work, the focus remains on refining strategies, building capacity within schools, and creating a sustainable model for disciplinary literacy that will have a lasting impact on both teachers and students.

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