Literacy Instruction in the Content Areas: Getting to the Core of Middle and High School Improvement

This report from the Alliance for Excellent Education describes issues that must be addressed as students move beyond achieving basic reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills to more advanced literacy skills that will enable them to succeed in academic content areas. It contends that content teachers at the middle and secondary levels should engage their students in literacy training through integrated reading and writing activities that teach students how to recognize the particular conventions specific to the different subjects. The report concludes with practical policy goals to foster a greater integration of literacy training and content matter.